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

In the past month, the three co-founders of retailer Thrive Market have announced two platforms to improve the food system and the planet. After launching Thrive Market Ventures (TMV), an investment vehicle for better-for-you brands, earlier this month, the trio announced last week the creation of a philanthropic community called Alliance for Good (AFG).

With products ranging from fun to functional, here is the latest in natural food distribution news.

Young, emerging brands dominated the North Hall at Natural Products Expo West 2018 butt amidst the sea of new companies, there was a CPG giant: Unilever, which took its place among the early stage companies for the debut of a new, mission-driven, organic snack brand, Growing Roots.

New Barn, Inc., maker of a line of almond milks and almond-based ice cream alternatives, has raised $3.75 million in a Series A round led by New Food SPV, an investment company created to serve as a funding arm for the company.

Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to better understand how your retailers are faring in the online space or a retailer looking to up your digital game, here are four main takeaways about the state of U.S. digital grocery, according to L2 researchers.

CircleUp CEO Ryan Caldbeck has two words of advice for brands planning to raise capital in 2018; Why The Good Food Institute Co-Founder Bruce Friedrich believes his advocacy for plant-based meat is “literally a religious calling”; going back to the roots with Yoot. This episode is presented by Saffron Road.

For 30 years the PepsiCo-owned Naked brand has been synonymous with juice, but now the company is moving into food, continuing PepsiCo’s efforts to create a platform of health-centric products. First up is the Naked Fruit, Nut and Veggie Bar, which launched at this year’s Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Calif.

During Natural Products Expo West 2018, Senior Reporter Meagan McGinnes spoke with five-time CrossFit Games athlete Lauren Fisher about her work as a brand ambassador with Lesser Evil. Watch the video to learn about what attributes she looks for in snacks and what she thinks natural brands need to do in order to be noticed by functional fitness consumers.

In this video, Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and reporter Meagan McGinnes explore the rising momentum behind several trends found at Expo West 2018 and discuss how they fit into the current CPG landscape.

Natural Products Expo West takes a toll on your inbox, making it easy to miss this week’s top industry news that occurred off the floor. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, Jerry Bello, managing partner at Keen, told BevNET that the investment is structured as a long-term play that includes an immediate infusion of working capital in addition to future tranches.

From baking mixes and cooking sauces to chips and crackers, producers at last week’s Natural Products Expo West showcased how they are using cauliflower to make nutrient-dense, gluten-free options of some of consumers’ favorite comfort foods.

In this video, filmed at the just-completed Natural Products Expo West, Tiny Hero director of marketing, Christie Lee, spoke with BevNET editor-in-chief, Jeff Klineman, about the company’s strategy to adapt its proprietary quinoa line to a variety of pre-finished dishes.

The FDA recently provided more context about how brands using natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup should handle the labeling of their sugar content on the new Nutrition Facts label. But the question is, does this guidance provide enough clarity to sweeten industry leaders on this added sugar callout?