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

They say it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but that’s only half true – at least when it comes to canned food.

The J.M. Smucker Co. announced sales were down to $2.1 billion in Q4, a decline of 3% year-over-year as sweet snack sales stagger.

The online grocery space is booming – up 27% year-over-year to reach $8.7 billion in total sales in May – but not all segments are performing at an equal pace.

In an industry where cash is hard to come by, but insights and experts are plenty, one expert makes a case for part-time hiring as a strategy to scale up.

Discount grocery store chain ALDI U.S. has promoted COO Atty McGrath to the role of CEO; Thrive Market names ex-Amazon exec Scott Lescher as first-ever COO; and Fishwife founder Becca Millstein joins Firehook’s board of directors.

NielsenIQ has joined forces with FoodHealth Co. to integrate their respective datasets, enabling brands to spot and craft pitches around the incrementality their products could bring to a retailer’s set on the basis of price, health and how those factors affect consumer purchasing habits.

Cleveland Kitchen is preparing for a period of high growth following a few years focused on consolidating manufacturing and expanding operations at its Ohio production facility. The sauerkraut slinger recently raised $2.9 million that will support brand-building initiatives as its founders aim to capitalize on heightened interest in digestive wellness and fermented flavors.

Conagra is selling off more brands, this time moving its Van de Kamp’s and Mrs. Paul’s frozen seafood brands to their co-manufacturer, High Liner Foods, in a $55 million cash deal. According to an announcement today, the deal only divests the intellectual property rights and inventory for the two brands, but does not include employees or manufacturing facilities.

Are plant-based cheese alternatives having an existential crisis after one of the biggest cheesemakers refocused its approach to the category?

Creator-backed candy company Joyride (formerly Project 7) has raised a $30 million round, per a Form D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday.

Grillo’s Pickles announced plans to build a $54 million manufacturing plant in Bartholomew County, Ind. The 155,000 sq. ft. facility will employ up to 150 workers and is adjacent to a $175 million King’s Hawaiian bakery operation.

In this week’s new products roundup, Purely Elizabeth jumps on the protein craze, Alec’s Ice Cream whips up a collaboration with Graza, and Brass Roots launches an allergen-free alternative to peanut butter.

French dairy conglomerate Bel Group has decided to shut down its plant-based cheese brand Nurishh after four years on the market. The business will close by the end of the year, with Bel citing challenges to make it a profitable and sustainable part of the portfolio.

This week, the podcast team discusses the merger of two legacy cheesemakers and the exit of a major beverage alcohol distributor from a key spirits market. Next, the hosts dig into the debut of digitally-native supplement brand AG1 in physical retail and explore why the news of an energy drink startup’s new investor brings fresh opportunities for its growth goals.