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

The market for cannabis products is broad and blossoming. At Cannabis Forum Winter 2019 in Santa Monica, experts unpacked the world of ingredient sourcing and testing, growing investor interest and more. Here are three takeaways from today’s presentation.

Zoe Feldman, the director of Chobani Incubator, spoke about why she’s emphasized the incubator’s focus on diversity as part of its selection criteria, how prior roles as an executive at PepsiCo and in venture capital shaped her perspective on the importance of diversity in business and why “representation is hugely critical” to the future of our industry.

Day two of NOSH Live Winter 2019, held today in Santa Monica, California, offered insight from industry leaders on growing and scaling brands, cutting through the noise of a crowded space and when to follow your gut when making pivotal business decisions.

The future may be less sweet, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun. Ketogenic brand Know Brainer won the NOSH Live Winter 2019 Pitch Slam for MaxMallow, its new line of sugar-free, ketogenic marshmallows.

From starting unique, disruptive brands to navigating the process of securing investment, day one of NOSH Live Winter 2019, held today in Santa Monica, California, provided fresh perspectives from industry leaders on finding a successful route to market in a rapidly changing food industry.

It’s with great respect and honor for the food business that we present NOSH’s Best Of 2019 awards, our inaugural celebration of annual excellence and innovation in the industry. NOSH’s Best Of awards recognize individuals, brands, products and strategies that have demonstrated excellence during the year and resonance that will extend beyond the calendar. We cherish the opportunity to use our platform to highlight these companies, people, and ideas.

If you couldn’t make the trip to Santa Monica, we don’t want you to feel left out. We’re bringing NOSH Live to you through a free livestream today and tomorrow, thanks to the support of Mondelez SnackFutures and Factory LLC.

We’re now in the thick of the busy holiday shopping season and plenty of new products are hitting brick-and-mortar store shelves as well as online retailers, from wellness offerings to on-the-go meals and snacks. Check out the gallery to see some of the month’s notable new products, including coffee launches from ThinkNOO and illy, plant-based meals from Gabriella’s Kitchen and seasonal offerings from Siete and Supernatural.

Today PepsiCo announced its intent to acquire better-for-you snack producer BFY Brands — the maker of PopCorners snacks and co-packer of some PepsiCo snacks. Upon closing, BFY will roll into PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America division.

CPG sales and marketing agency Acosta filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Wilmington, Delaware yesterday to reduce its $3 billion debt burden.

The Cannabis Forum, presented by BevNET and NOSH on December 6 at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, has added one more special discussion to help cannabis entrepreneurs understand the fundraising environment for their brands.

Following day one, NOSH Live attendees will take a short stroll down Ocean Ave. to their next destination: The Official NOSH Live After Party, powered by ForceBrands. After a busy day of lively conversations, tasty sampling, and on-stage learning, we’ll fuel the fun with some healthy bites from True Food Kitchen, located at 395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 172. With two hours to unwind, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., attendees can have casual conversations and cement your burgeoning friendships.

We’re excited to pull back the curtain on the finalists that will take the stage at the NOSH Live Winter 2019 Pitch Slam, presented by 301 Inc. As the stars of NOSH Live next week, the chosen finalists will benefit from expert feedback from the judges and industry exposure amongst attendees and livestream viewers, which include retailers, investors, distributors and fellow brands.

In a conversation with NOSH, Stuart Reid, executive director of nonprofit Food Co-op Initiative (FCI), explained how co-ops can help brands connect genuinely with a different — and often more dedicated — type of shopper as well as where the opportunity is for brands to grow within the channel.