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

The state of strategic venture units during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic will be explored during Office Hours on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 3 p.m. ET when our guests will be the John Haugen, Heidi Dillon Otto, and Daniel Grubbs, the leaders, respectively, of 301 INC (General Mills), Distill Ventures North America and PepsiCo Ventures Group. Office Hours viewers are encouraged to submit questions before and during the show, and will be invited to join the discussion live.

In this week’s Checkout, Indigo Agriculture raises $360 million to fuel its sustainability platforms, GoMacro powers its community with renewable energy and the Food Supply Protection Act is reintroduced.

This week Covet PR, a public relations firm focused on CPG and wellness, announced it had been acquired by digital marketing company Power Digital. The firm, which was founded by Sara Brooks in 2014, will now be known as the Covet Consumer Business Unit, with Brooks taking on the role of President.

Chocolate company Little Secrets has announced that its founder and CEO Chris Mears will depart the brand, with president and COO Jeremy Vandervoet taking on the role. The company also said it plans to launch a low sugar line as it evolves beyond its core focus on indulgent products.

A leader from dairy and meat snacks companies is joining the plant-based revolution. Non-dairy cheese company Good PLANet announced today Bart Adlam, formerly of Chef’s Cut and Siggi’s, will join the company as co-CEO, a role he will share with founder and current CEO David Israel.

If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if “Costco met Whole Foods and had an ecommerce child,” the result might look something like Bitewell. The new dietitian-curated CPG marketplace, which launched last month, offers a platform for emerging food and beverage brands while providing consumers with a weekly menu of better-for-you products offered at lower prices.

Following the ongoing relaxation of GMO labeling laws by the USDA, a coalition of industry members led by the Center for Food Safety last week sued the agency, noting that a lack of regulation over the growing biotech industry is threatening the ability to provide transparency in food and beverage products — something consumers increasingly want.

You might recognize Tony’s Chocolonely by its quirky labels and comic font logo. Behind the Dutch brand’s playful vibe, however, is a profound mission to end the use of child labor within the cocoa industry. Ynzo van Zanten, the company’s Chief Evangelist, spoke about how Tony’s has navigated the development of a premium brand while staying focused on its overarching social mission.

In the latest distribution news, Mason Dixie Foods expands into Whole Foods nationally and enters Wegmans, RollinGreens debuts at Kroger and Walmart, and Tone It Up launches new protein bars and powders in Kroger stores.

The frozen section saw several notable new entries this month, with Fairlife’s first foray into frozen desserts and meal kit brand Purple Carrot’s new single-serve packaged meals. Check out the gallery for more of July’s notable new releases, including Tia Lupita’s new tortilla made with upcycled flour and limited edition summer flavors from ONE Brands and Perfect Snacks.

In this week’s Checkout, New Age Meats raises $2 million to develop cell-based meat, biotech company Geltor raises $91.3 million for alternative protein ingredients, and the Hartman Group studies how consumer values are evolving.

In this video interview, Emily Elyse Miller discusses the launch OffLimits, of her new quirky cereal line, including her creative process and where she feels mainstream CPG products are missing the mark. Miller also discusses what the process of raising venture funding was like for a new, entrepreneur who isn’t worried about making a product that’s “going to please everyone.”

Simon Sacal, founder and CEO of innovative food platform Solely, spoke about his background as a food entrepreneur beginning as a teenager and how his career culminated in the development of the brand

This afternoon the National Association of Convenience Stores announced that it would cancel its planned October trade show, which was to be held in Las Vegas. The event was one of the few remaining food- and beverage-heavy trade shows in 2020 that had yet to announce its cancellation.