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

As many consumers aim to reduce or eliminate red meat from their diets, seafood is becoming a popular choice for mealtime. But faced with a limited supply of fish, plant-based and cultivated meat makers are recognizing a wave of opportunity for alternative seafood innovations, according to The Good Food Institute.

On this week’s Office Hours show, NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg brings Darla Mears, the Chief Customer Officer at Kodiak Cakes, and Cheryl Christian, the EVP of Sales at Bobo’s, on the livestream to dive into sales strategy and take questions from viewers.

This special episode of Taste Radio features highlights from interviews with six entrepreneurs who joined us on Taste Radio during the first half of 2020. Our guests include Siete Family Foods co-founder and CEO Miguel Garza; Nick & Elyse Oleksak, the co-founders of Bantam Bagels; Miyoko’s founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner; Ben Van Leeuwen, the co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen’s Ice Cream; Orgain founder and CEO Andrew Abraham; and Gail Becker, the founder and CEO of Caulipower.

Jason Karp wants to change what people eat, drink, clean with and put on their bodies. The venture capitalist and co-founder of snack brand Hu Kitchen is pulling back the curtain on his new venture, HumanCo, with last week’s announcement of Amplify executive Will Lisman as the company’s new COO and chief commercial officer.

Emily Kanter, co-owner and CEO of Boston-area natural products retailer Cambridge Naturals spoke about the history and evolution of the retailer and the factors that determine its unique product selection. She also discussed how she develops relationships with brand owners, evaluates emerging trends and why Cambridge Naturals was one of the first area stores to carry CBD-infused products.

Food brands should expect to see “structurally higher” growth heading into 2021, according to two recent webinars hosted by banking firm RBC Capital Markets, in which analyst Nik Modi explained how societal, economic and educational factors have already impacted consumer behavior.

In this week’s Checkout, UNFI and NCG expanded their 21-year partnership, Giant Food relaunched its online platform and a report from consumer insights firm Kelton found high anxiety around in-store shopping.

BevNET and NOSH’s weekly live call-in show, Office Hours, returns Tuesday, July 7 at 3 p.m. ET. NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg will bring Darla Mears, the Chief Customer Officer at Kodiak Cakes, and Cheryl Christian, the EVP of Sales at Bobo’s, on the livestream to dive into sales strategy and take questions from viewers.

General Mills reported “outstanding performance” in its Q4 earnings report today, with net sales increasing 21% to $5 billion as consumer spending focused on food staples. CEO Jeff Harmening noted that during “a year of significant challenge and change in the world,” the company exceeded its key financial goals.

Summer has arrived and with it has come a selection of new convenient snack options, from fruit jerky to nut butter bites, along with new plant-based meal options such as a flavored rice alternative line from Banza and a new plant-based Upton’s hot dog for summer grilling. Check out the gallery for June’s notable new products, including new cereal varieties from Magic Spoon and Kashi and Pride Month releases from Coolhaus and Bobo’s.

The fifteenth round of Elevator Talk Livestream features leaders from Safe + Fair, BRITE Bites, Black Rifle Coffee, Minna and JAJA. This week’s special co-host is Kari Pedriana, Co-Founder & CEO of Green Spoon, who will share her thoughts, questions and feedback with the participants.

Americans are eating a lot of snacks, and Sesajal S.A. de C.V. wants a bite. The ingredient processor and owner of condiment brand Chosen Foods announced last week the closing of a minority investment in produce-focused snack brand Rhythm Superfoods.

As food producers report increased sales, Conagra reported today that it will expand its manufacturing capacity to meet the demand as many consumers likely continue cooking at home. The move comes as the global company continues to invest in updating its heritage brands for today’s consumer.

We are taking a short one-week hiatus from our regular Office Hours schedule this week to bring you a special encore presentation from BevNET & NOSH Virtually Live Summer 2020, featuring a panel discussion with Greg Fleishman, CEO and co-Founder of cooking and lifestyle brand Foodstirs; Maya French, co-founder of plant-based beverage brand Koia; and Raquel Tavares, founder and CEO of ghee butter brand 4th & Heart about brand building during a time of crisis.