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

Attendees at Natural Products Expo West spotted white box trucks encircling the Anaheim Convention Center on Tuesday featuring the protein bar purveyor’s branding and a cartoonishly muscular cow alongside an image of an ice cream pint and its nutritional highlights: 30 grams of protein, 260 calories and 2 grams of sugar. (Unclear if that’s for the pint or one serving.)

Ultraprocessed foods – and how to avoid them – may be the talk of Anaheim during this year’s Natural Products Expo West.

Canadian high-protein pasta brand Chickapea is deepening its presence in the U.S. with an exclusive limited-time offering at Costco stores across the Los Angeles region and Hawaii.

Xochitl is transitioning its full portfolio of thin and crispy tortilla chips to be made with avocado oil amid rising demand for seed oil-free foods. The brand, owned by private equity firm Forward Consumer Partners, is marking the reformulation with redesigned packaging that features new color blocking to better stand out on shelf.

When Cravings by Chrissy Teigen first sold out its banana bread mix online in 2021, it was easy to credit celebrity power. But behind the scenes, CFO Haley Ludwigson was quietly building out margins, supply chains and retail relationships.

Sweet Loren’s is updating its look as it extends into new eating occasions with a trio of refrigerated, ready-to-bake, top nine allergen-free innovations.

Harken Sweets, armed with new capital from Selva Ventures, is readying a major retail expansion with Kroger, adding roughly 2,000 doors and bringing its total retail footprint to around 7,500 stores.

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard gear up for the annual trek to Anaheim for Natural Products Expo West. Listen in to learn about the brands, products and trends on our radar this year.

Protein bar maker Mezcla has closed a $9.5 million Series B funding round led by Bluestein Ventures, with participation from Santatera Capital, Grupo DMI, Lever VC, Habitat Partners, Tonic Ventures and Steve Platt, former chief executive of BrightFarms and Icelandic Provisions.

Hot on the heels of its label refresh, truffle-infused condiment maker TRUFF is doubling down on its positioning as the “ultimate culinary flex” with a new line of squeeze aiolis.

B&G Foods announced it has sold off the U.S. Green Giant frozen vegetable line to Seneca Foods Corporation.

Simple, clean ingredients and transparent, ethical sourcing have always been core to South 40’s product ethos and the launch of its new Craft Bars takes that combinations even deeper.

Actual Veggies is stomping into the kids’ aisle with a new line of vegetable-packed Dinosaur Nuggets launching nationwide this summer. The three offerings – Cauliflower & Potato, Sweet Potato & Carrot and Broccoli & Potato – will hit shelves at several existing retail partners in one of the brand’s largest coordinated launches to date.

Premium meat stick brand Chomps announced its first new protein in nearly eight years with its entrance into chicken sticks.