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

In this episode, we examine brand-building and retail strategies for center store grocery in interviews with the founders of two category-leading brands: Katlin Smith, the founder and CEO of fast-growing baking mix and snack brand Simple Mills, and David Eben, the founder of Carrington Farms, a brand of organic seeds, grains and oils.

Maria Manning is the founder & CEO of South & Spoon Pudding Co., makers of old-fashioned pudding mixes with all natural ingredients. The customizable mixes allow consumers to create a pudding that fits their dietary lifestyle.

Your packaging needs to tell a story ‘beyond the box’ — and you’d better tell the consumer how to recycle that box as well. Those are key findings from research firm Mintel, which just released its 2019 Global Packaging Trends report.

Last year John Roulac, the former CEO and founder of superfood brand Nutiva, started a CBD business as a “hobby.” Now RE Botanicals is in 150 doors with commitment for another 850, has 10 employees and as of today, a backer with money. The company announced today the close of a $2 million round of funding, with $1 million of the investment from firm BIGR Ventures.

Outgoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Scott Gottlieb today announced new steps towards clarifying and constructing a legal framework around cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including the formation of an exploratory group examining CBD supplements and foods, and a public hearing for “stakeholders to share their experiences and challenges with these products.”

Dr. Bronner’s CEO David Bronner joined us for an interview in which he spoke about his roots with the natural soap company and how his advocacy for hemp contributed to the evolution of the brand. He also explained why he supports the use of psychedelics within the context of the company’s philanthropic strategy, discussed what makes Dr. Bronner’s concept of corporate responsibility different from its peers and how it is preserving its legacy.

The natural food industry showed off its humorous side today as brands took to social media to celebrate April Fools’ Day with wacky new product launches.

Growpacker, a Canadian contract manufacturer of THC- and CBD-infused edibles and beverages, announced yesterday its plans to launch an investment accelerator that will allow the company to invest in “key supply chain and technology partners.”

The natural food industry isn’t slowing down and startups continue to take flight. To showcase emerging brands, the NOSH Live Pitch Slam presented by 301 Inc. returns for its sixth edition. The startup competition offers a platform for newcomers to demonstrate their potential in front of natural food industry decision makers and influencers. The competition is held during NOSH Live Summer 2019 in New York City on June 10th and 11th.

In an interview recorded at Natural Products Expo West, BevNET and NOSH Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Klineman sat down with Stonyfield founder Gary Hirshberg to discuss the company’s history, what the future for the brand looks like under new owner Lactalis and how the category has changed.

Scott Hattis is the co-founder of Loisa, a company that’s bringing traditional Latin foods and flavors to a new generation of eaters. The brand highlights its use of real ingredients as a differentiator and aims to provide better-for-you convenient options for mainstream millennials and modern Latino families.

Since launching in 1996 beauty brand Pacifica has grown from a niche player to a mass market darling. But along the way, some things have remained constant — namely founder and CEO Brook Harvey-Taylor’s understanding of her core consumer and innate ability to remain culturally relevant despite a category that thrives on what’s “new.” Now the brand is is taking a leading role in the emerging sub-category of “edible beauty.”

Kicking off the Cannabis Forum Summer 2019 speaker lineup is one of the leading THC-infused food brands, Kiva Confections. Kristi Knoblich Palmer, the company’s co-founder and COO, and a pioneer of the industry, will take the stage on June 14 in New York City.

Plant-based frozen foods brand Alpha Foods announced today the close of a $7 million round of capital. Co-founder and CFO/COO Cole Orobetz and co-founder and CEO Loren Wallis told NOSH that, for now, they have chosen to raise smaller rounds more frequently rather than a single large round.