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

SprintToSuccess, a 7 week creative process designed to take an entrepreneur-in-need from streamlined strategy to a ready-for-world brand free of charge, has announced its Season 1 subject, chosen from a pool of 107 applicants: Melissa Martinelli’s SuperFrau.

Albertsons files an IPO, IRI reviews center store growth trends, and Doordash announces a $400M series H raise and a new partnership with CVS in this week’s Checkout.

Chuck Casano, founder of Pitaya Foods and HiTouch Distribution, spoke about navigating the food industry on two fronts, how a social mission guided his foray into entrepreneurship, the failure that propelled his decision to launch HiTouch, the elements of successful brand relationships and being on the front lines of food distribution during the pandemic.

Refrigerated chocolate bar brand Honey Mama’s announced this week it has closed a $5.8 million round of funding that will go towards supporting the brand’s expansion beyond the natural channel via sales, marketing and innovation efforts.

Barnana is expanding its savory snack line and rebranding as it seeks to build its presence in the salty snack set in conventional retailers. The brand’s newest product, Plantain Tortilla Chips, will debut online and in select Southern California-based retailers, with plans to enter 5,600 doors this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for brands to grow e-comm and online brand-building capabilities, and BevNET and NOSH Virtually Live, held next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 23 and 24, feature a number of approaches for companies looking to either explore or refine their approach to online commerce channels.

Myles Powell, founder and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based frozen comfort food brand 8 Myles, has had a full plate over the last few months as he doubles down on his goal to create a “strong regional brand” in the Northeast. The company, funded by food and beverage business accelerator Union Kitchen, is focusing on retail and product expansion as it brings its frozen mac and cheese business to new markets.

BevNET and NOSH Virtually Live will feature an intense set of main stage conversations and presentations covering issues that deal with both crisis-oriented leadership for growing brands and the tools and techniques to adapt within changing times — and it will end up with an exclusive interview with world-famous “Citizen Chef” Tom Colicchio. The event is available to subscribers of BevNET and NOSH and takes place on June 23 and 24 starting at 8 a.m., with main stage conversations beginning at 11:00 a.m. EST.

Although some consumers have turned to larger conventional food brands during the COVID-19 pandemic, many still shop with wellness in mind, creating even more opportunity ahead for natural brands. According to a report co-authored by data firms IRI and SPINS, natural product sales are not only higher than last year, but in some cases are even outperforming their conventional counterparts.

This week’s Office Hours explores the interplay between operations, innovation, and finance during highly disruptive times with Melissa Facchina and David McCormick, two of the leaders of Siddhi Capital and Siddhi Ops.

Citing the “continued impact of the COVID-19 crisis on events and travel,” New Hope this afternoon cancelled Natural Products Expo East 2020, which was to be held September 23-26 in Philadelphia. The decision marks the second pandemic-related cancellation for New Hope this year, having pulled the plug on Natural Products Expo West 2020 in March.

We’ve set up Virtually Live so that there are a lot of tough choices to make about the kind of trail you want to follow through the content. So we wanted to offer up some thoughts around ways that you could maybe structure your journey through this two-day, 30-plus session event.

After several decades spent globetrotting in pursuit of tea, the Harney Brothers decided to build their next business a little bit closer to home. The N.Y. facility that’s home to Harney & Sons, the second-generation family tea business in which Paul and Mike Harney have spent a combined 30-plus years, is now also the headquarters for The Hemp Division, a standalone vertically integrated grower and manufacturer.

In the latest distribution news, Know Brainer’s Max Mallows land in Walmart and CVS, Whole Foods adds offerings from Yolélé and Fancypants Baking Co.’s new keto cookies hit shelves at multiple retailers.