New Product

The CPG Week team discusses the launch of a new soda line from sparkling water maker Spindrift just a month after its sale to a private equity group. Then, the group digs into the details of Celsius Holdings’ $1.8 billion acquisition of competitor Alani Nu and examines how the deal could impact distribution in the energy drink category as well as what the sale spells for prior owner (and PRIME maker) Congo Brands.

The latest launch from specialty olive oil brand Graza is a single-origin, high-heat cooking oil that co-founder and CEO Andrew Benin described as a “game-changer.” The new varietal debuts this week at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide in spray bottle and squeeze bottle formats. A two-liter jug will be available online in the coming weeks.

It’s Valentine’s Day and there’s some new LTOs from Ben & Jerry’s and YumEarth. We also showcase partnerships between Once Upon a Farm and A Dozen Cousins, and Perfect Bar and Jason Mraz, among other new food launches for the week.

In this week’s new products gallery, Once Upon A Farm rolls out refrigerated protein bars, YumEarth expands its organic candy lineup with two new items, and Cholula cranks up the heat.

Purely Elizabeth Cookie Granola was the biggest new product line launched in the granola category last year, creating new eating occasions for a segment traditionally tied to the morning meal and propelling the brand’s sales up 85% year-over year, according to SPINS data. This week, Purely Elizabeth expanded the cookie-inspired granola line with the addition of a peanut butter recipe, crafted with organic oats, coconut sugar, coconut oil, chia seeds and maple syrup.

Jeni Britton, founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, today debuted a new snack brand focused on gut health and sustainability called Floura & Co. The brand is embracing upcycling with its first product, a Fruit Crush Bar, crafted from overlooked plant parts like watermelon rinds and apple cores, plus a blend of white chia, pumpkin seeds and puffed quinoa, with 13 grams of fiber from 12 whole plants.

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?

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.

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.