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

Greg Vetter, the co-founder/CEO of organic dressing brand Tessemae’s, spoke about the huge wins and unexpected losses from his first decade in business. He also explained why his “positively intense” approach is not for everyone, the dangers of bad employees and advisors, and why he believes that “the key to this game is surrounding yourself with people that you really trust.”

Just over a month ago, global snacking and confection company The Hershey Company announced its acquisition of low-sugar, high-protein nutrition bar company One Brands. In this video, NOSH Editor Carol Ortenberg sat down with One Brands CEO Peter Burns to discuss the acquisition and what made the two brands a sweet pairing.

Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and Gardein brand updates, Post Holdings spins off its active nutrition business, which includes sports snack brand PowerBar, and more in this week’s Checkout.

Dave Asprey, founder of nutrition platform brand Bulletproof 360, has stepped down as CEO and will move into the role of executive chairman effective October 1, the company announced this week. He will be replaced by Sovos Brands CFO Larry Bodner.

It’s time to learn how the sausage gets made. To offer consumers a means to consume more vegetables, while also positively impacting climate change, Misfit Foods has pivoted away from its signature juice line — and the use of imperfect produce — and into the meat counter with the launch of a new line of veggie and meat sausages.

Unbun Foods founder Gus Klemos has taken his keto and paleo baking project to 2000 locations in less than two years. The brand makes low-carb and grain-free buns, baguettes, pizza crust, tortillas and bread using clean ingredients like nuts, seeds and oils.

At this year’s Natural Products Expo East trade show in Baltimore, Coristine spoke with NOSH editorial assistant Erin Cabrey about how LesserEvil has evolved to become a “vessel for mindful moments” and how its redesigned packaging unifies its product lines and promotes sustainability.

Biscuits are well-loved — and not only in the South. Ayeshah Abuelhiga, founder and CEO of frozen better-for-you biscuit company Mason Dixie Biscuits, is globalizing the gospel of better biscuits, most recently doubling the brand’s reach into 4,200 stores throughout the U.S.

The plant-based trend continued to thrive at Natural Products Expo East 2019, with brands launching new innovations across all categories. From vegan breakfast burritos to oat milk butter to paleo plant pudding, brands spread into all areas of the store with their latest plant-based offerings.

After striking success with natural pita chip company Stacy’s, sold to PepsiCo in 2006, Stacy Madison is jumping back in the CPG game, launching refrigerated bars into retail under new brand BeBold. At this year’s Natural Products Expo East trade show in Baltimore, Madison told NOSH reporter Beth Kaiserman that despite entering a crowded category, having superior ingredients can mean a bold future in bars.

In this week’s episode, GoodBelly CEO Alan Murray explained the roles that ambition and leverage played into his first CEO job, how observing others helped frame his own leadership style, and why hanging out by the coffee machine is key to understanding company dynamics.

Seven years ago, Taylor Collins and Katie Forrest helped steward a snacking revolution, introducing consumers to better-for-you, more sustainably raised meat snacks through their brand Epic Provisions and in 2016, the company was sold to General Mills. Now the duo, joined by former Epic CFO/COO Robert Sansom, are ready to bring transparency and sustainability to what they say is one of the last frontiers of the grocery store, the meat counter.

Minkara, an entrepreneur, investor, operations expert and portfolio manager, will offer insights at the intersection of investment, direct to consumer brands, the Mark Cuban Companies’ experience in the food business and the overall benefits of exposure and management assistance that they are showing to entrepreneurs.

Casper launches CBD gummies, Impossible Foods hits Gelson’s, NurturMe sold and more in this week’s Checkout.