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

In this week’s roundup: The Very Good Food Company announces it is exploring strategic alternatives for the business, HumanCo invests in better-for-you restaurant brand True Food Kitchen, Finn Partners acquires Rachel Kay Public Relations, The Plant Based Food Institute officially launches and Acosta finds shoppers are still split between in-store and online.

Venture capital firm PowerPlant Partners announced today the close of its Fund III at $330 million. Double the size of its 2019 predecessor, Fund III will focus its investments solely in growth stage companies and consumer-facing brands “that are better for the people and planet.”

Wicked Kitchen announced today that it has acquired the North American rights to Good Catch, a line of plant-based seafood entrees and appetizers. Following the sale, Good Catch’s parent company, Gathered Foods, will shift its focus solely on B2B operations with services including product formulation and co-packing.

Consumers are increasingly seeking out fresh and convenient options, leading retailers to reconsider store layouts and invest in technology to improve their efficiency and omnichannel capabilities.

Grocer Misfits Market is eating up the competition, announcing today it will acquire fellow e-commerce retailer Imperfect Foods. The deal will put the combined company on a path to hit $1 billion in sales and achieve profitability by 2024, a press release said.

DTC cookie brands, like virtually all other CPG brands, are still feeling the heat of the over-baked supply chain and inflation propelled by the lingering pandemic.

Meat companies are making blended meat and vegetable burgers and sausages catering to the flexitarian lifestyle but the success of the niche category depends a lot on how brands strategize their marketing to health and sustainability-minded consumers.

With Natural Products Expo East arriving Sept. 28 in Philadelphia, conference host New Hope Network has introduced a set of guidelines to improve the safety of attendees and create an atmosphere of respect at the event.

Chobani scuttled its public offering plans on Friday, citing “current market conditions.” The news comes over a year after it filed with the SEC and six months after announcing it would delay its public offering.

This week’s roundup of notable new products saw brands embracing seasonal fall flavors, creating better-for-you versions of classic desserts and crafting caribbean-inspired salad dressings.

Industry experts and plant-based meat leaders agree: achieving price parity with conventional proteins will be key to its success long term. But how, and when, will it get there?

Looking to drive consumer awareness for plant-based proteins, Impossible Foods introduced a new line of ready-to-heat, single-serve frozen entrees featuring a range of its plant-based meat ingredients including pork, chicken, meatballs and beef.

Two years after being acquired by Nestlé, prepared meal delivery company Freshly is expanding its food service business with FreshlyWell, a new B2B sales platform.

Through its new partnership with Fresh Thyme, New York-based cereal brand OffLimits had added 73 new doors, bringing its total nationwide door count to 150. The partnership marks the formerly direct-to-consumer brand’s first natural grocery chain placement.