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

From booming seasonal chocolate sales to synergies between retailers proving effective, here is this week’s lineup of natural food news.

Numerous companies including Nothin’ But, Grainful and The Jackfruit Company used Expo West as their own red carpet to highlight recent rebrands. While at the show, the NOSH team spoke with these companies to hear about their new looks and the motivations behind them.

On Monday, Senate majority leader and long-time hemp advocate Mitch McConnell announced he plans to introduce a bill to legalize industrial hemp as an agricultural product. If passed, the bill could have major implications for the natural food industry.

Last year, the specialty condiment and fruit spread purveyor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a jury found they violated the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act. But by streamlining and strengthening their business both operationally and financially, the company is seeing growth.

SmartSweets founder Tara Bosch has put CPG giants like Hershey’s and Ferrara on notice and captured the wallets — and stomachs — of a new generation of candy lovers. With the announcement today of a $3 million round of funding, and a launch in Whole Foods Market nationwide, the Canadian gummy brand is taking on the American market.

Nuun has made health-through-exercise a core tenet of the brand identity for its line of hydration tablets and powders. But now the company says it is looking to take care of its consumers around the clock with Nuun Immunity, a new line launching next month.

How Jägermeister is carefully embracing a softer side of its iconic history, while maintaining its core identity; Shutthekaleup explains why authenticity and transparency are the keys to winning with influencers; Why the founders of acclaimed brand The Coconut Cult set out “to create a religion, essentially.” This episode is presented by Symrise Califormulations.

The Denver-based flour supplier announced earlier this month the launch of its new business unit, The Annex, which is a 15-person team dedicated to providing food companies and foodservice operators with “next” grains and plant-based ingredients. The goal for the “company within a company” is to establish itself as a thought leader and problem-solver in the grain market.

The ways brands catch the eye of consumers at Whole Foods Market is changing yet again as members of store level and regional marketing teams were reportedly laid off today in a series of conference calls.

In the video, shot at this year’s Natural Products Expo West, Justin Gold founder and director of mission at nut butter brand Justin’s, sat down with Project NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg to talk about the company’s product growth since the brand was acquired by CPG leader, Hormel.

From private supplier meetings and investment news to insights and advice coming out of the retail and ecommerce conference, ShopTalk, this issue of The Checkout takes a closer look at the news around the retail outlets themselves.

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.