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

BevNET and NOSH Virtually Live Summer 2020 continues for its second day with over 1,000 food and beverage professionals in attendance. While the majority of the discussions are exclusively available to attendees, the final main stage presentation featuring Tom Colicchio is free for everyone to watch at 3:20pm ET. Set a reminder to tune in.

In a letter to President Trump last Tuesday, a group of seven hemp organizations asked the administration to work with Congress to regulate CBD, noting that the lack of progress from the FDA is hindering a young market.

BevNET and NOSH Virtually Live begins with a look at the food and beverage business from the perspective of Black entrepreneurs and employees. The forty-minute conversation is available for all industry members to watch, listen and learn.

There are only mere hours until the launch of BevNET & NOSH Virtually Live on June 23 and 24, and that means there’s only a little time left to sign up to subscribe and attend. The virtual platform is now open and attendees have already started filling out their profiles and networking. Here are some potentially business-altering reasons you should join them.

After the FDA last month released temporary guidance to allow companies to make “minor” ingredient substitutions without labeling changes, Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) and other industry groups have advocated on behalf of consumers with allergies for greater transparency.

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.