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

Bill Weiland, founder and CEO of Presence Marketing, told attendees at this summer’s NOSH Live that companies need to think not only about what they add to their portfolios, but also how they talk about those products.

In this week’s Taste Radio episode, Doug Zell talks about “chasing perfection with the hope of never catching it,” and how that concept guides the core mission of Intelligentsia, the super-premium coffee retailer and roaster he co-founded 22 years ago.

Boulder, Colorado-based venture capital group Range Light is ready to climb to new heights under a new moniker, Ridgeline Ventures.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced late last week that products labeled as Chicken Chile Verde actually contained the company’s Turkey Meatloaf dinner, which has additional allergens, like eggs and fish, that were not declared on the others’ package. Ultimately, 1,203 cases of product were affected.

President Donald Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum and Manufacturing Council formally disbanded Wednesday after business leaders opted to leave the panels following controversial comments from the President regarding riots in Charlottesville, Va. last weekend.

Ice cream and novelty brands highlighting natural ingredients or embracing full-fat indulgence are in full demand. Here’s the scoop on the latest in frozen dessert news from Vice Cream, My/Mo Mochi, Halo Top and Snow Monkey.

With several recently disclosed investments in prominent food-related companies, activist investors are turning up the heat on CPG brands, retailers and related companies. In keeping with the tradition of activist investors, the message is clear: fix your issues, or else we will.

The chickpea-based pasta company announced it had closed a round of funding with District Ventures Capital, a venture fund and CPG accelerator backed by Canadian food processor, distributor and retail owner George Weston Ltd.

Snyder’s-Lance, The Kraft-Heinz Company, Tyson Foods, and Dean Foods all held all held quarterly earnings calls last week to share their latest sales and strategy insights. Here’s a look into what some of these leading players are up to.

While Steve Savage has been bringing environmentally friendly brands to the table for decades, it wasn’t until recently that they were the kind you could eat. The former CEO and founder of Eco-Products, Savage recently focused his attention on consumer products, backing better-for you brands under the corporate name 1908 Brands. But cleaning up in the food aisle has been more arduous than Savage expected, and as a result, 1908 has decided to take some time to digest.

Business isn’t something to be left to chance; sometimes you have to make your own luck. Episode 70 of BevNET’s Taste Radio podcast spotlights a recent conversation with Jeff Church, the co-founder and CEO of Suja. At the helm since 2012, Church has guided Suja’s remarkable ascent as the leading brand in a highly competitive category.

When trying to establish and grow a brand, entrepreneurs have to think about product, people and persistence. Jason Cohen, the CEO and co-founder of Halen Brands, has all three top of mind. At NOSH Live this past June, Cohen sat down with Project NOSH Editor Carol Ortenberg for an inside look at his success in the industry.

The company announced Wednesday that it had received $2 million from previous investor Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners, which will be used to help the brand move beyond the baby aisle with other “tummy friendly,” shelf-stable products that can appeal to older children.

Now under new — albeit temporary — leadership, a plant-based dairy leader is launching a new product set. Almond-based cheese and yogurt brand Kite Hill announced this week the launch of three new products to expand the brand’s presence in the dairy set.