Innovation

With the “Ozempic Era” in full swing, an increasing number of U.S. consumers are using appetite-suppressing GLP-1 drugs and, overall, eating less, particularly sweets, sugary drinks, carbs, and dairy products. But is this paradigm shift temporary, or does it signal a lasting impact for the packaged food industry? And how are manufacturers and retailers responding to the trend?

Be weird, be fun, and remember “buyers are people, too.” That’s the message shared by Jen Zeszut, co-founder and CEO of Goodles, and Genevieve Gilbreath, co-founder and managing partner of Springdale Ventures, during a discussion at Nosh Live Winter 2024.

The CPG Week team is capping the year with a discussion about BevNET and Nosh Best of 2024 Awards, which were announced during the live events in early December.

Mesquite may be best known for barbecue, but the plant also produces nutritious pods that can stand in for cocoa beans in chocolate recipes. Enter Mez Foods, a Chicago-based startup that is championing the ingredient in a line of premium tablet bars that are made with mesquite bean flour, plus illipe butter, chufa flour, pea and rice protein fermented by shiitake mycelium, sugar, carob powder and oat fiber.

It’s no secret that the plant-based meat category has faced some strong headwinds of late. But Somerville, Mass.-based startup Tender Food believes it has developed a lower-cost, more animal-like product that it says can disrupt the space and help right the ship for meat alternatives – and it’s brought on former Oatly president Mike Messersmith to lead the charge.

Nosh talked to new snack brand Little Latke about launching a culturally significant food into a recognizable category and how learning is the most important part of the process.

Daily Crunch Sweet & Spicy Sichuan Sprouted Cashews & Edamame is debuting at Whole Foods Market. The snack mix features sprouted cashews and crispy edamame seasoned with Fly By Jing Mala Spice Mix, which has Sichuan chili pepper, coconut sugar, salt, garlic, mushroom powder and spices.

Plant-based food company Chunk Foods has moved into retail with its whole muscle, meat alternatives. The launch is beginning with independent specialty retailers in Los Angeles and New York with plans to expand into bigger chains in 2025.

Founded in 2021, House of Kajaana makes three varieties of frozen Indian meals: Cauliflower Tikka Masala with pea and basmati rice, Roasted Butternut Saag with bright tomato basmati rice, and Coconut Malabar Curry with pumpkin seed basmati rice.

Bioactive protein lactoferrin used in supplements and infant formula is usually derived from cow’s milk but a number of precision fermentation companies are using innovative processes to create a less expensive and more sustainably sourced ingredient.