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

Plant-based food and beverage company The Planting Hope Company has acquired Betterer Foods, the producer of legume-based rice alternative RightRice, for $7 million.

Last Friday, industry event marketer New Hope held a virtual town hall meeting to discuss its plans for this year’s Natural Products Expo West trade show scheduled to be held March 8-12 in Anaheim, California, the first in-person version of the event since 2019.

Blommer Chocolate Company and food tech platform DouxMatok are promising consumers a chocolate-flavored chip with 50% less sugar, higher fiber, half the calories and the taste of real cane sugar through a new collaboration, the companies announced last week. The partnership marks Israel-based DouxMatok’s first major expansion into the U.S. market.

Having just secured $80 million in funding from venture firm Stride Consumer, meat snack brand Chomps is planning to use the capital to broaden its product assortment and make a move into convenience retail, said CEO and co-founder Peter Maldonado today.

Nearly 4,000 U.S. food and beverage retailers – including nearly 3 % of U.S. grocery stores – shut their doors last year, according to a study sponsored by the convenience store industry.

In this week’s Checkout: Daily Harvest fights for farmers with new partnership and campaign, Kroger publishes its predictions for the Top 10 food trends of 2022, Upward Farms to construct “World’s Largest” growing facility in Pennsylvania and Above Food and Umiami partner to develop whole cut plant-based meats.

Meat stick producer Chomps announced on Thursday that it has partnered with Stride Consumer Partners to finance the next phase of its growth.

The network will source fonio, among other “underutilized orphan grains,” from over 30,000 smallholder farms throughout West Africa with the end goal of creating sustainable market demand beyond the brand’s own use of this “miracle grain.”

Over the past five years several new brands have come to the bread aisle (and freezers), looking to capitalize on the keto and low-carb movements. Unbun, Hero Bread, Carbonaut and Better Brands all believe that by creating brand identities and innovation strategies around low-carb breads, bagels and rolls, they can cater to rising consumer interest.

As sugar reduction continues to be a top priority for food and beverage manufacturers, seven low- and zero-sugar brands are banding together to form the Alliance to Control Excessive Sugar (ACES), a new business group dedicated to promoting better-for-you products. The group was conceived by its chairman, Super Coffee CEO Jimmy DeCicco, and includes his… Read more »

Fast delivery service Gopuff announced yesterday the launch of Basically, the retailer’s first private label product line.

In this foodservice distribution roundup: Field Roast expands partnership with Wienerschnitzel, Numi Organic Tea now brewing at WeWork, Dippin’ Dots serves up an IncrEDIBLE Eats Spoon, Blimpie goes plant-based with new gardein menu item, Pokeworks pilots OmniPork Luncheon offering and Planet Smoothie teams up with Vital Proteins.

Goat Rodeo Capital managing partner Carlton Fowler reflected upon the data and business criteria that influenced the firm’s initial investments and offered his evaluation of non-portfolio DTC brands and their potential for omnichannel success. He also weighed in on the continued blurring of lines within the non-alcoholic beverage and beverage alcohol industries and explained why Goat Rodeo’s second fund will not include investments in cannabis beverages.

New Year’s resolutions only last so long, and brands are already testing consumers’ will power with new sweet treats. From breakfast granolas to ice cream for dessert, shoppers will find new launches from Ben & Jerry’s, Jamie’s Farm, Egglife Foods and more this month.