Manufacturing

Last year, the specialty condiment and fruit spread purveyor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a jury found they violated the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act. But by streamlining and strengthening their business both operationally and financially, the company is seeing growth.

The Denver-based flour supplier announced earlier this month the launch of its new business unit, The Annex, which is a 15-person team dedicated to providing food companies and foodservice operators with “next” grains and plant-based ingredients. The goal for the “company within a company” is to establish itself as a thought leader and problem-solver in the grain market.

Some of CPG’s most prominent ingredient and flavor suppliers have created purchasing and consulting options for startup companies. Why? It’s not for a lack of business with large brands.

At Supply Side West 2017, held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from Sept. 26 – 28, BevNET spoke to several companies working in the space about the state of the market for pea protein, what’s driving new innovation on a supplier level, and both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

It’s a relationship that both parties say has been unconventional from the start, but it’s still moving to the next level. This week Denver, Colorado-based cracker producer 34 Degrees and its erstwhile contract manufacturer, Fresca Foods, announced that Fresca was investing in the brand.

Hummustir cofounder and CEO Rakesh Barmecha told NOSH that his team has changed its company’s name to “Stir It Up,” redesigned the packaging for its Hummustir line, and doubled its store count to about 6,000 retailers.

According to a report compiled by food and beverage packaging leader Tetra Pak, more than half of all in-store purchases today are influenced by digital channels, many of which are being accessed via smartphones. Because of this, many food and beverage brands are looking to social media and key influencers to reach consumers where they are: online.

Digital printing company ePac Holdings announced last week that it will open its second flexible packaging plant this fall in Boulder, Colorado. For the company the intent is clear: to expand within one of the country’s thriving natural food hotbeds.

The acquisition will bring Innophos deeper into the branded, functional ingredient space, and help the company launch a new health and nutrition platform of ingredients for brands.

Packaging company TemperPack, which focuses on products that need to stay cold while shipping, wants to better match a package’s lifecycle to the product that it’s shipping– and it’s a sustainable mission investors are starting to get behind.