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

It can take a little ingenuity to get consumers to buy a new product. Over the past decade, that’s the (sometimes hard) lesson Jonathan Wolfson and Mark Brooks, have learned. Last week the duo launched their new brain health-focused company, Ingenuity Brands, and its first product line, Brainiac Kids.

Justin’s founder Justin Gold spoke about his decision to stay with the brand following its $286 million acquisition by Hormel Foods. Along with a discussion on how a new take on a familiar snack and a key hire were game-changers for the brand, Gold also explained his belief that making a lot of money and having a mission to change the world are not mutually exclusive.

Since its launch in 2016, Sonoma Brands’ Zupa Noma has refined its packaging, sales strategy and messaging. Now they’re trying for a new name and product approach, rebranding as Medlie and launching a line of vegetable “mashes” which are vegetable blends that can be eaten as a snack or used as a spread or dip.

Plant-based meat alternatives have remained a strong trend in 2019 as brands continue to innovate with products ranging from meatless chicken nuggets and coconut bacon to fish-free seafood and deli slices. Take a look at some of the new products featured at Expo West.

From cashews to almonds to pili nuts, brands are going nuts for nut-based snacks. While several brands are integrating nuts into sweet snacks like brittle and spreads, others are going savory to create plant-based cheese alternatives. Take a look at some of the latest nut innovations showcased at Natural Products Expo West 2019 in Anaheim, California.

Ashley Albert is the co-founder of The Matzo Project, a company that’s bringing artisanship and personality to a traditional Jewish food. Through humorous branding and fun flavors, the company is reaching beyond the Jewish consumer base and tapping into a wider audience.

Beverage veteran Lance Collins is ready to disrupt the cooler yet again — this time from a different angle, the fresh nutrition bar set. The founder of beverage brands BodyArmor, Fuze and CORE Nutrition announced today the launch of his newest CPG venture, Core Foods, which will launch its first product, Core Bar, at Natural Products Expo West.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Scott Gottlieb resigned today, effective next month. According to The Washington Post, the move was unexpected. Gottlieb was reportedly well-liked in the government, but told officials he wanted to spend more time with his family.

If you’ve got a big megaphone, why not use it to inspire change? That’s what John Foraker and Jennifer Garner — co-founders of baby and toddler food brand Once Upon a Farm — plan to do. The company announced today a new line of Once Upon a Farm (OUAF) baby food purees that meet the guidelines for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Dubbed the “Costco for millennials,” online retailer Boxed has made waves since its debut in 2013. In this episode, co-founder/CEO Chieh Huang spoke about the rapid growth of the company, how it curates its product assortment and why user experience has been central to its success.

RightRice has a new partner in its mission to to revolutionize an age-old center store category. The brand, which offers consumers a substitute for rice, today announced a $5.5 million investment led by Strand Equity, as well as some high profile social “capital.”

Chicago Bar Company, makers of RXBAR, announced today it will rebrand as Insurgent Brands, expand its product mix under the RX brand and launch a new “contrarian” sub brand. All of which will move forward under new leadership. Co-founder Peter Rahal told NOSH that the new product follows the RX strategy. “I’ve always taken a contrarian point of view to everyone else. RX was very contrarian. It didn’t fit with anyone else.”

Moringa-based food and beverage brand Kuli Kuli announced yesterday it has raised $5 million in a Series B round co-led by product development company Griffith Foods and previous investor eighteen94 capital, the venture capital arm of the Kellogg Company.

Beanfields has had a busy two years. In that time, the vegan chip company was acquired by PowerPlant Ventures and a coalition of investors in April 2017, rebranded, and seen CPG veteran Mark Rampolla both become CEO and then subsequently step down in place of Arnulfo Ventura in July 2018. Now, after a period of strong growth, the brand is announcing the close of its series B round of funding.