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

Having built a significant portfolio of meat-alternative offerings, Tofurky is now looking to tackle the dairy set, announcing today that sub-brand Moocho will be spun off into a more clearly independent line. To further build out Moocho’s presence on shelf, the company will also launch new dairy-free cheese shreds and dairy-free cream cheese spreads under the brand.

Viraj Puri, co-founder/CEO of greenhouse innovator and fresh produce brand Gotham Greens, discussed the company’s genesis, its ambitious mission and multifaceted business model, weaving technology and human resources to reach an optimal outcome, how he defines and communicates ‘local’ as a marketing term and best practices for working with local governments and leaders.

Beyond THC and CBD, some studies suggest that other cannabinoids — such as CBG (cannabigerol) and CBN (cannabinol) — offer a range of other functional benefits, including antibacterial and antispasmodic effects.

Customers might love natural and specialty retailers, but lately it looks like their creditors don’t. In the past month, three long-time natural/specialty retailers, Lucky’s Market, Fairway and Earth Fare, declared bankruptcies. Meanwhile, big box retailers increasingly feature emerging brands, and e-commerce and direct-to-consumer are gaining prominence in brands’ strategies. NOSH spoke to analysts from Mintel, IHL Group, and The Hartman Group to weigh in on the state of specialty — and what it means for brands.

With alternative rice brand RightRice, Keith Belling, the company’s founder and CEO (and snack brand Popchips’ co-founder and chairman) saw a fresh opportunity to shake up a center store staple. At NOSH Live Winter 2019, Belling shared tasty takeaways on moving from crunchy snacks to a better-for-you take on an ordinary pantry item — and seeing rapid first-year growth.

Direct-to-consumer website Brandless shuts down, online grocery delivery service Peapod cuts its Midwest division, organic fruit and vegetable platform Daily Harvest promotes ingredient transparency, and more in this week’s Checkout.

According to Emily Schildt, “We’re living in an age of too much stuff.” With the goal of cutting through this clutter, Schildt, a CPG marketing consultant, founded Pop Up Grocer, a traveling food and beverage brand activation spotlighting a curated selection of emerging natural brands, offering them exposure to consumers, influencers and industry professionals in a candy-colored Instagram-friendly setting.

This week’s episode focuses on how two food companies are evolving to meet the needs of modern consumers. In our first interview, we spoke with Alden Blease and Emma Frelinghuysen, the founder and CEO, respectively, of R.E.D.D. Bar, who discussed the reasons for and execution of a rebrand and reformulation. Later, we sat down with Arnold Coombs of top-selling organic maple syrup brand Coombs Family Farms, who discussed how the company has built consumer loyalty through education about the product’s health benefits along with the development of an innovative package.

Betting on the ubiquitous affinity for chocolate, companies are now trying to create high-quality, tasty sweets that incorporate functional benefits — steering both into the supplement and snack aisles for merchandising — and looking at a variety of functions and ingredients: everything from vitamins that taste like conventional candy to prebiotic European chocolate bars.

Halal frozen meal, sauce and snack brand Saffron Road is mapping another category entry, launching shelf-stable meals this month. The new microwavable pouches come in two Indian-inspired flavors: Chickpea Masala and Delhi Potatoes.

Jake Kneller is the co-founder of Sweet Nothings, a startup company offering a lineup of frozen snacks designed to be enjoyed anytime of the day. The products are crafted to be eaten like an ice cream without dairy or added sugar, and instead highlight healthy and clean ingredients such as blueberries and beets.

To-date, the plant-based meat world has been largely dominated by sausage, burger and ground beef alternatives — Alpha Foods, however, sees a future in faux fowl. Investors are supporting this outlook, with the brand announcing today the close of a $28 million round of investment.

Sam Dennigan, founder of innovative plant-based brand Strong Roots, spoke about the company’s focus on making sustainable food that appeals to the next generation of health-conscious consumers, how thoughtfully planned demos can be the best path to trial, why Strong Roots is positioned as a “Consumer Packaged Good” and its “top down/bottom up” strategy for becoming a global brand.

Michigan-based food and beverage consulting group JPG Resources is growing its capabilities — and eyeing New York City’s entrepreneurial scene to help do that. After opening a new office last month, the company has an array of new offerings slated to launch this spring — fueled by seasoned food industry experts joining the team.