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

Today, global confectionery and snack leader Mars Inc. announced it was acquiring a minority stake in healthy snack brand KIND. According to The New York Times, the deal values KIND at more than $4 billion and could potentially lead to KIND’s future acquisition by the global company.

Health-centric nut and seed butter maker NuttZo officially announced this month that it’s launching a refrigerated bar line, Bold BiteZ, nationwide in ShopRite this January. And while NuttZo may be the most recent entrant to the category, it certainly is not the only newcomer.

NOSH Live Winter 2017 is now only two days away and in addition to our top-notch program, we thought we’d go to Venice. Or, at least, Venice Beach.
After our full day of strategic discussions, case studies, and business pitches, we will be taking the show down the road to The Rose Room in Venice Beach to continue the conversations at the NOSH Live After Party, powered by ForceBrands, The Giannuzzi Group, Snack Nation, 301 INC., Blue Pacific, Soylent, Whipstitch Capital, and L.A. Libations.

The brand will launch turmeric versions of their existing products, including its syrups, spreads, cooking sauces and gin-gins candies. Ginger People will also launch a new powdered turmeric latte mix.

The new healthy snack company, is the brain-child of two executives who are no strangers to big CPG. CEO Mike Senackerib previously served as CMO, Senior VP of Global Brands and Chief Strategy Officer at Campbell’s Soup Company while Chief Growth Officer Kay Allison advised large food companies as CEO and founder of market research firm The Energy Infuser.

In addition to the honor and attention that comes from winning the event — past winners include fast growing companies Yumami and Bronx Hot Sauce — the winners will receive $5000 from sponsor ADM.

A wealth of wisdom from Honest Tea co-founder Barry Nalebuff, who shares lessons learned from over two decades in food and beverage; distilling the fast-growing world of craft spirits with Bully Boy co-founder Will Willis; meet Bartesian, aka the “Keurig for Cocktails.” This episode is presented by Sovereign Flavors.

In the first of a three part series called “What’s My Valuation?,” guest author Stu Strumwasser, founder and managing director of Green Circle Capital.

At this year’s NOSH Live Winter on Nov. 30, attendees will get a glimpse into the future, in the form of two of the top speakers in the industry: retailing expert and author Phil Lempert and distribution and snack guru Michael Renkosiak.

Last week, the FDA issued a guidance to food manufacturers on the best practices for using third-party certification. The goal is to avoid claims of bias or accusations of a conflict of interest against the hired experts.

What if there was a technology that could not only offer consumers more choices in their consumption habits, but even quite possibly change the world? In bringing on an experienced team of industry experts as advisors and, in some cases, investors, technology company HeatGenie — which produces small heaters that can be used to warm food or beverage products — is betting that they’ve found just that.

The Salem, Mass.-based company announced last week that it acquired five-year-old Cocoa Santé, an all-natural line of organic hot cocoa mixes with a budding presence in grocery. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Snack food brand Vegan Rob’s is bringing one of the hottest beverage trends, kombucha, to the snack set with the launch of its newest product, Kombuchabar.

Build hot brands, grow relationships with buyers, and sell companies with Halen Brands’ Jason Cohen; dive into consumers’ relationship with sustainable seafood with Ken Plasse, CEO of Fishpeople; an elevator windup-and-pitch from sports drink brand KRā.