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

From celebrity chef-made condiments to protein-packed “spirit animal” crackers, here is your latest in natural product distribution news.asa

Last week, Field Roast Grain Meat Co. was acquired for $120 million by protein producer Maple Leaf Foods. Since the announcement, the response from employees and consumers has been mixed, resulting in a promise from Field Roast to remain committed to the vegan diet.

Some turn to coffee for an afternoon pick me up, but NOSH Live attendees re-energized with inspiring insights and advice during last week’s event. Here are a few highlights from the afternoon sessions at NOSH Live Summer 2017.

NOSH Live Winter 2017 attendees were hungry for industry insights on Thursday morning, but they definitely got their fill before the day was through — arguably, even before lunch.

KeVita co-founder and former CEO Bill Moses is teaming with private investment firm Clearlake Capital Group L.P. to launch Disruptive Brands, a new platform aimed at investing in and supporting innovative emerging brands across the consumer packaged goods spectrum.

Going Back to the Roots to become “The Pixar of Food;” Don’t spill a drop: BeerBoard challenges the status quo for draft pours; Nitro Beverage Co. goes next level with kombucha and cold brew.

The California-based company brand of frozen, grassfed and finished beef and chicken patties won the third annual Pitch Slam based on what judges said were strong flavors and intuitive packaging design that served as a “road map for the mind.”

Project NOSH will offer a free, high-definition video livestream from the event. The livestream will begin at 8:45 a.m. PST and continue throughout the day.

Mexico-based Arca Continental, the parent company of Wise Snacks and the second largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America, announced on Monday that it is acquiring mission-driven chip producer Deep River Snacks.

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.