Food Industry News, Insights, and Education for the CPG Community

Alternative protein player New Age Eats, formerly New Age Meats, won’t be ushering in a new age of proteins under either moniker. On Friday New Age’s founder and CEO announced that the food tech startup is shutting down.

The Oregon-based startup, named for the Eliot neighborhood in Portland, announced on its website this month that it made its last production run in January and would continue to sell through its remaining inventory online and in store as it winds operations down.

The FDA proposed a new rule Friday allowing food makers to use salt substitutes in place of salt in an effort to reduce sodium intake from various processed and prepared foods. The move allows brands greater flexibility in ingredient choice used for flavor enhancement and preservation.

Though emerging globally-inspired flavors were on display across the show floor, CPG brands unveiling new spices and sauces at Natural Products Expo West tapped into the trend in a range of new and interesting ways.

When Scott and Lori Levine began making homemade protein balls as a healthy snack, they didn’t think they would turn the product into a nationwide brand. But now, with nearly 95 stores across seven states, New York-based startup Scott’s Protein Balls is looking to quickly grow its name and footprint.

In this week’s roundup: Manufacturers are set to see cash flow improvements as supply chains challenges ease up; General Mills reports double digit sales growth; Employees report layoffs at Perfect Day; and WayFare earns new allergy free cert.

In this week’s notable new products roundup, Chobani creates better-for-you iterations of classic desserts, DEUX enters the breakfast category with new donut holes and Beech-Nut takes inspiration from the Jurassic era.

On this week’s show, the NOSH team talks pickling and profitability before airing their opinions about the new names and structure of Kellogg Company. Later, we hear from Supergut and Cerebelly CEOs about why they believe the brands’ science-backed approach to functional food will be key to their longevity.

Though Expo West is a popular launch platform for new products, the show also serves as a viewing ground for companies’ rebrands and packaging refreshes existing products and formats. Check out this gallery to see the new looks from brands including Eclipse Foods, Maria & Ricardo’s and Four Sigmatic, among others.

Two decades after its signature cupcake was featured on HBO’s Sex and the City, Magnolia Bakery is trying to be known for a different sweet treat: cookies. This week the New York City bakery chain is launching its first CPG product into retailers across the country.

PepsiCo plans to invest $216 million in regenerative agriculture projects stretching across more than three million acres of U.S. farmland as part of its ongoing pep+ sustainability program.

While scale may be a near-term limitation to the success of alt-proteins, marketing to mainstream consumers remains the category’s most significant roadblock to achieving the its stated missions.

The aisles at Natural Products Expo West 2023 included a wide array of better-for-you sweets and treats from both new and existing brands in the category. From decadent dessert-inspired teas to chocolate bars to fruit-flavored gummies, these new products hope to offer options designed to fulfill every consumer’s sweet tooth. Check out this gallery for a deeper dive into the newly launched products featured at Expo West.

A trio of CPG industry leaders is launching the Family Fund and Founder Community (F3C), aiming to create the support network it “wished they had” early in their careers. The venture group debuts with a $25 million fund.