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

Over recent years, influencer-fronted brands like Chamberlain Coffee and Top of The Mornin’ Coffee, among others, have made inroads with younger coffee drinkers that may find the space intimidating or unwelcoming. New entrants continue to emerge: In November, sports podcast Pardon My Take host and Barstool Sports star Dan “Big Cat” Katz launched Stella Blue Coffee, named after his rescue dog. Three months later, TikTok star Chris Olsen introduced Flight Fuel.

PepsiCo’s first ever Greenhouse Accelerator: Juntos Crecemos Edition is intended to help drive growth for startup Hispanic-owned food and beverage businesses. This is the first time that the program has focused specifically on a social equity cause.

Wonderlab, the maker of plant-based gelato brand Doozy Pots, is shutting down after rising costs of goods and category challenges proved insurmountable.

Blue Apron expands its Heat & Eat meals partnership with DoorDash into 11 new locations, Foxtrot Market names its new CEO and Indian foods chef Maya Kaimal has released her third cookbook.

In this week’s new products roundup, Pocket’s Chocolates teams up with plushie brand Miniso, PeaTos adds a new puff product to its lineup of better-for-you snacks and Monty’s unveils a new line of alt-dairy spreads.

The NOSH team gets fooled by fake CPG products, discusses the FDA’s recent announcements concerning “healthy” food labeling and Grass Fed Foods CEO Jeff Tripician talks to Lukas about merging small businesses better compete with conventional producers.

Investment firm Monogram Capital has sold meat snack producer Western Smokehouse to AUA Equity Partners, a deal that Monogram co-founder and partner Jared Stein proves out the firm’s thesis of heavily investing in supply chain-oriented companies.

Deeming 17-year-old Michele’s Granola an overnight success would be both far-fetched as well as an understatement. But unexpected explosive growth amid the early days of the pandemic has propelled the Baltimore-based business forward at a time when founder Michele Tsucalas believed it may have been slowing down.

ConAgra Brands says its strategy towards improving margins is working as the company raised full year 2023 guidance in its Q3 earnings report this morning. The Chicago-based conglomerate updated its organic net sales guidance for the fiscal year from 7% to 7.5% and adjusted operating margin from 15.5% to 15.6%.

Seal The Seasons is one of the most recent brands to make staff cuts. As it implements additional cost cutting measures, the company expects these actions to bring the business to profitability this quarter.

Greek biscuit maker Olyra Foods closed a $4 million Series A funding round in late February to help the brand grow its marketing team and continue to expand its retail presence in the breakfast category.

Air dried meat snack company Stryve reported a 1.3% decline in net sales year-over-year to $5.4 million in Q4, largely due to the company’s SKU rationalization efforts and other cash conservation measures.

Community Call is a recurring series of open meetings dedicated to pressing topics impacting food and beverage businesses. This month, we welcome a range of guests covering topics such as sustainability measures that support profitability, finding the right co-manufacturer, building and maintaining retailer relationships that support innovation goals, retail activation strategies, and more.

Last week, the natural food industry showed off its sense of humor as CPG brands took to social media to celebrate April Fools’ Day with eccentric new product launches.