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

Weak consumer sentiment, negative weather impacts and retailer inventory timing shifts dragged on Conagra Brands’ net sales in Q2. Still, executives struck an upbeat tone during prepared remarks ahead of the company’s quarterly earnings call today and reaffirmed previous targets for full-year organic net sales and adjusted earnings.

Content is king, but making it resonate with the right audience is a hurdle many brands fail to clear. When it comes to something so personal and unifying like food, modern consumers want to support brands that speak directly to their needs.

In this week’s notable new products roundup, Byte’m Brownies Bites unveils a fresh new look, Milk Bar teams up with Skippy peanut butter to reveal a secret, and Clio and Wildwood release seasonal offerings just in time for the holidays.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Thursday directing the U.S. Attorney General to move cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule III controlled substance, marking a watershed moment in the history of U.S. marijuana policy and a significant step forward for the nascent THC-infused beverage industry.

With over 20 years in CPG, Jeni Britton spoke about the lessons she learned and how they have shaped her newest venture in nutritional bars.

Selling without regret means owning what you don’t know, protecting company culture and core values, and keeping your employees engaged and bought in for the long haul.

Patriot Pickle has acquired Cosmo’s Foods Products, a manufacturer of pepper products and antipasto specialties, broadening its portfolio for both foodservice and retail customers. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Gen Z-founded hummus brand Habiza this week became food media platform Foodbeast’s first investment, marking the debut of its new business arm: Foodbeast Ventures.

The Nosh team rates RXBAR Protein Energy Bites and Linear All Natural Protein Bar on taste, texture, packaging and positioning.

Four investors at the forefront of packaged food dealmaking discussed the new funding landscape at Nosh Live earlier this month. The panel included Genevieve Gilbreath of Springdale Ventures; Pedro Aldrete of Santatera Capital; Scott Caras of Relentless Consumer Partners; and William Quartner of Prelude Growth Partners.

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard discuss leadership changes at Coca-Cola and Kraft Heinz, Thrive Market’s decision to drop alcohol, and what the apparent closure of Believer Meats means for the future of cultured protein.

General Mills has made price cuts across roughly two-thirds of its North America Retail (NAR) portfolio as “lower- and middle-income consumers [continue] to feel significant economic pressure.”

PepsiCo’s leadership structure is getting a year-end refresh with a string of organizational changes announced Wednesday morning.

New Jersey-based pasta sauce slinger Hoboken Farms is feeling the love from its customer base after avid fans stepped up to lead its $4 million funding round.