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

United Natural Foods (UNFI), the country’s largest distributor of natural products, announced this week the acquisition of Haddon House Foods, a specialty and natural foods wholesaler based on the East Coast. The acquisition is expected to help bolster UNFI’s sales in these sub-categories, which have been secondary to its natural foods business. However, looking beyond the distributor itself, the question still remains what the move will mean for smaller brands that were carried by Haddon House.

Comprised of a well-known entrepreneur, a legendary brand-builder, and a self-described “hunter” of cutting edge brands, CAVU’s triangle offense is getting ready to hit the floor.

February saw the departure of two key grocery executives for natural products retailer Whole Foods Market.

Drawing from a deep field of entrepreneurs, investors, retailers, and more, these speakers are excited to illuminate, educate, and inspire the universe of emerging healthy food companies that Project NOSH serves.

World Peas, which makes snacks out of beans and other legumes, has been acquired by Snack it Forward, LLC, the buyer announced today. In four years, the company has grown to have national distribution and is found in stores including Whole Foods Market, Target, The Fresh Market, Costco and online retailer Thrive Market.

Private equity firm Alliance Consumer Growth (ACG) has raised $210 million for its third fund, its founders announced Wednesday, more than doubling the amount it raised in its last fund, just two years ago.

While Fashion Week New York just ended, several food brands are debuting new packaging “collections” of their own at this year’s Expo West. We’ve gotten some advance looks at these design revamps and have noticed a shift towards cleaner, graphic-oriented packaging that embodies the busy, modern millennial lifestyle.

RangeMe, an online platform that connects CPG producers with retail buyers, has expanded to the U.S. The site has seen recent success signing up major retailers (such as Target and Jet.com) and suppliers have followed.

At this week’s Consumer Analysts Group New York (CAGNY) conference several of the top publicly traded consumer brands announced their plans for growth in 2016. The presentations gave insight into two key areas that established, publicly traded players in the food and beverage industry will be focusing on: establishing natural bona fides and increasing snacking or on-the-go options.

Phenomenal Foods, the maker of Nomva, a new food brand that merges current trends in cold-pressed juice and on-the-go snacks, today announced the closing of a $3 million round of funding. Nomva markets a line of high pressure processed (HPP), organic fruit and vegetable blends that are infused with probiotics and packaged in 6 oz. pouches.

Consumer attitudes towards snacking are slowly shifting, and brands are taking note. Producers including HalfPops, Way Better Snacks and Cabo Chips have all released new snack options that attempt to offer consumers healthier ways to snack.

It’s been a busy week for Whole Foods, as the natural products retailer juggled fourth quarter earnings announcements, several interviews with its CEO and news about its new millennial-focused “365 by Whole Foods Market” stores.

Yesterday private equity firm KarpReilly’s acquired food and beverage company Zola. A brand pivot in 2012 enabled growth, noted CEO Chris Cuvelier.

Bobo’s Oat Bars have always stood out for its quaint, homespun look and clean ingredients. And while the 10-year old brand may not have gotten the press of its brethren, it turns out it’s been quietly building sales of $8 million in 2015 alone. With new investment and employees, the company believes it’s ready to be the breakout bar of 2016.