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

Countertop’s mission is to bring functional ingredients and great flavor to everyday cooking. Jamie Kantrowitz, the co-founder and CEO of Countertop, aims to make it easier for consumers to elevate their meals with her line of seasonings, honeys and butters that are minimally processed and incorporate ingredients like turmeric, ginger, tulsi and moringa

While some ice cream brands are leaning into the plant-based movement, others are exploring creative new flavors like orange fennel, cream puff and turmeric ginger. Take a look through some recent innovations in frozen dessert from Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.

With consumers constantly on-the-go, it’s no wonder we’re seeing brands venture into single-serve snacks. From hummus to feta cheese packs and nut butter snacks, here are some of the products spotted by the NOSH team at Winter Fancy Food Show.

The publicly traded health-and-wellness corporation announced today the creation of Curation Foods, a corporate umbrella that will hold Landec’s five food brands: Eat Smart, O Olive Oil and Vinegar, Now Planting, and Yucatan and Cabo Fresh.

The NOSH Live Summer 2019 speaker roster now features leaders from the brand, retail and investment legs of the industry. Joining Walter Robb, the former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, is Gail Becker, the Founder and CEO of CAULIPOWER, and Megan Bent, the Founder and Managing Partner of Harbinger Ventures.

To’ak is pioneering a new way for consumers to experience chocolate. The mission-based brand focused on conservation launched an ultra premium product in 2014, and is now ready to expand its offerings to target a wider range of consumers. Based in Ecuador, To’ak is vertically integrated, controlling the entire process of cacao production and chocolate making, including harvesting, fermentation, roasting, packaging and fulfillment.

In this clip from the BevNET/NOSH Cannabis Forum in Santa Monica, Calif. in December 2018, Sprig CEO Michael Lewis shared lessons and learnings from his career in cannabis. By creating a two lines, the company was able to position its products to work in a variety of use occasions and become integrated into their daily lives.

Caulipower, a brand under the Vegolutionary Foods umbrella, today announced the launch of its newest frozen innovation, the cauliflower tortilla. The vegetable focus has paid off for the brand. In 2018, the company had revenues of over $45 million.

Rhythm Superfoods is hoping a brand redesign and portfolio expansion will bear fruit. Next week at the Fancy Foods Show the produce snacking company will debut a new line of fruit snacks and, later this year, will reveal refreshed branding, according to CEO Scott Jensen.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is enjoying its moment as one of the hottest ingredients in the food and beverage industry. But even as regulations on hemp production have been lifted and more states adopt pro-cannabis stances, consumer education remains a key concern for the nascent CBD market.

Change is difficult. But often it’s needed — even vital — to move your company forward. That’s what Angie Bastian discovered when she decided to rebrand her popcorn line as Angie’s Boomchickapop, despite a loyal following under the name Angie’s Kettle Corn. In this video, recorded at NOSH Live Winter 2018, Bastian shared why she chose to make this decision, even though the company risked losing consumers who knew and loved the old brand.

It’s time to plan for the new year, and we’re kicking it off with the announcement that Walter Robb, the former Whole Foods co-CEO, will take the stage this June at NOSH Live Summer 2019 in New York City. A pioneer of the natural food movement, Robb will share insight into the industry’s evolution. With experience ranging from organic almond farming, leading Whole Foods Market, and mentoring and investing in the next generation of natural food brands, Robb will discuss not only the current state of the marketplace but also what he envisions for the future of food.

Less than two years after repositioning its line, hummus brand Ithaca Cold-Crafted has grown to being on shelves in over 3,000 retailers. To see further distribution growth, the company announced today that it has closed a $2.7M round of funding.

Larry Kahn, a partner and managing director with private equity firm Beechwood Capital, spoke about the courtship process between brands and potential capital partners, what entrepreneurs should and shouldn’t say in a funding pitch and why investors loathe surprises.