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

Amazon has welcomed more than 100,000 brands to its U.S. store so far this year, and the company has introduced a suite of new services and user tools aimed at helping those brands gain customers and increase profits.

Just weeks after announcing a $350M funding round, animal-free dairy company Perfect Day debuted a new Climate Hero Super Cake Mix mix under its Brave Robot brand. Meanwhile, the company has also brought on August Vega, the former CEO and founder of non-dairy milk brand MALK, as its director of brand for Brave Robot’s parent company, The Urgent Company.

Coffee company Cometeer wants to make specialty coffee more accessible. To support this goal, the company announced yesterday the close of an additional $35 million in funding for its frozen coffee line.

In this month’s Category Closeup Baking: Expert Analysis, we’ll speak with industry leaders to explore the tactics and trends our experts believe successful baking brands must embrace and hear about what they believe are the opportunities for growth and innovation.

In this week’s distribution roundup, Copper Cow launches at Whole Foods nationwide; TRUFF pasta sauces hit shelves at Target; Greenleaf Foods’ Lightlife and Field Roast expand their retail footprints; and ChocXO grows at Wegmans and Vons.

Sustainability-focused food trends such as ultra-urban farming and regeneratively-grown grains were among the top picks in this year’s edition of Whole Foods’s Top 10 Food Trends list, released yesterday. For the first time, in conjunction with the announcement, the retailer is offering a 10-item sample box highlighting a product from each trend.

After securing investment from The Hershey Company in February, rare sugar producer Bonumose last week announced plans to open a new facility in Virginia in order to build on its partnership with the confectionery giant to develop zero and reduced sugar offerings.

NuttZo founder/CEO Danielle LiVolsi recalled the creative ways that she won over the nut butter and snack brand’s first retail buyers, why she adheres to the Nordstrom model of customer service and why she has consistently turned down outside investment. We also sat down with Kun Yang, the co-founder/CEO of cactus water brand Pricklee, who discussed the impact of localized social marketing.

During an exclusive session that covers everything from the founding to the final sale, NOSH Live attendees will get to relive the key decisions and strategies of a brand that grew the right way: Lily’s Sweets. During the event, taking place on Dec. 2 and 3 in Santa Monica, Calif., two separate panels will tell the Lily’s Sweets story.

Seeking to broaden its presence in CPG, the team behind produce oriented brand Love Beets announced last week the debut of Offshoot Brands, a venture group and consulting business that will acquire, invest in or assist other better-for-you brands.

Hot and spicy flavor innovations continue to be a notable trend in the food space this year, particularly as consumer interest in international and experimental flavors grows, with 428 new spicy products hitting shelves in North America in 2021, according to Mintel.

This week, frozen food brands Real Good Foods filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) SEC to undergo an initial public offering. The company is seeking to raise $86.25 million in order to expand its distribution and capacity at a new manufacturing facility.

In this week’s Checkout, Stonyfield Organic welcomes terminated Horizon suppliers to its Direct Supply Program; McDonald’s brings its McPlant to the U.S.; The National Confectioners Association publishes a new report on chocolate consumer habits and preferences; and Thrive Market launches a shoppable cookbook.

Canadian cannabis operator Canopy Growth Corporation has entered a definitive agreement to acquire cannabis edibles maker Wana Wellness for $297.5 million, which will go into effect upon federal legalization of THC in the U.S.