Regulatory

Starbucks is the latest to take down a red dye pill, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sharing details from a meeting with the coffee giant’s CEO where he “shared the company’s plans to further MAHA its menu.”

There is a growing push to hold the food industry to higher traceability and transparency standards. One startup believes it can push the industry forward while creating a “virtuous cycle” between transparency to increased revenue.

Kraft Heinz is kicking red dye and others to the curb as it aligns itself with key objectives of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.

This week, the podcast team explores an antitrust lawsuit centered around protein bar David’s acquisition of its supplier Epogee. Next, the hosts look toward regulatory headwinds in hemp drinks and why there are signs of optimism despite retail setbacks. Finally, the team looks at candy maker Joyride’s new $30 million funding round before discussing the future of plant-based cheese.

The USDA has granted three new waivers restricting candy and soda from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) under the second Trump term does not seem to be signaling support for its core constituents: small businesses.

Last week’s blockbuster investment news about David – including a $75 million round from investors and a post-money valuation of $725 million, according to co-founder Peter Rahal – is also creating a supply chain gridlock for a number of other brands.

After last week’s Make America Health Again Commission released its inaugural report outlining the factors it believes contribute to rising chronic disease among children, the industry’s response has been a mixed bag. We sat down with Jeff Grogg, managing director at JPG Resources, who has worked in food and beverage formulation for over 25 years, to discuss his take on how these findings were presented and where, as an industry, we go from here.

While the natural products industry has been advocating for better-for-you, more nutrient-dense food and beverages since its inception, the federal government’s recent spotlight on longstanding issues has brought complexity and confusion to how these challenges came to be and how they can be reasonably and effectively addressed by industry.

The Make American Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission’s highly-anticipated report outlined the prevalence of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), food dyes and environmental toxins such as PFAS, microplastics and pesticides, among other factors, as the root causes of rising chronic illness in children.