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It’s with great regret that we are announcing the postponement of our Summer BevNET Live, NOSH Live, and Cannabis Forum events that were scheduled to be held June 8-12 in New York City.

Keto-focused snack brand Fat Snax will have more support as it pushes further afield into brick and mortar retailers this year. The company announced today that it has raised $4.5 million from venture group Boulder Food Group (BFG), along with investment firm BIGR and some individual investors.

For many fast-moving food and beverage startups, 2020 was set to be a banner year for sales growth. But the Covid-19 outbreak has forced many companies to reevaluate projections. In this video with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg, Lily’s CEO Jane Miller details how the company is planning for growth, but still operating with a conservative mindset in order to prepare for any potential slowdowns

Having expanded from juice into shots, SoFresco’s new line of spoonable “smoothie cups” is intended to continue extending the brand into new use occasions while retaining focus on its core competency of fresh fruits. The line will be available individually and in 4-packs in three flavors: Mango, Avocado Spinach and Acai. A 2.2 lbs. bag format with tap is also available for food service.

COVID-19 is changing the landscape for innovation as accelerators find digital ways to help new brands grow and trade shows stall for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, two large manufacturers see COVID-19 cases in plants. Here’s the latest COVID-19 news from around the industry this week.

Whole Foods Market has issued a variety of policy changes for vendors who come in contact with store employees as it works to cut back possible routes of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

Yesterday, John Raiche, EVP of supplier services at UNFI, discussed in detail how the industry is adapting to the changes brought on by the novel coronavirus in a webinar hosted by the Hirshberg Enterprise Institute. Raiche offered advice for how brands can adapt to the new environment while providing an update on how UNFI is responding to the demands of the crisis.

Senior executive Carla Vernón has left General Mills, where she led the organic brand and the rest of the company’s natural and organic division. Looking forward, Vernón said that she has “exciting new ventures” that she is working on, but for now, they remain confidential.

As grocery workers help feed Americans sheltering in place, at least 30 have died from COVID-19, with nearly 3,000 reporting missing work due to symptoms, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).

Plant-based dairy brand The Coconut Collaborative is pushing ahead to strengthen its position in the US market. Today the brand announced it had closed on a round of funding from PowerPlant Ventures, has brought on new US CEO Meiky Tollman, and that it is rebranding as The Collaborative.