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When it comes to challenges in legal cannabis, regulatory hurdles are only one issue facing young THC and CBD brands. New entrants to the category must also contend with product quality and efficacy, reliable sourcing, and establishing strong business connections within the CPG industry.

Ben Simon sees small imperfections as opportunities. As founder and CEO of Imperfect Produce, a produce delivery service currently available in 23 U.S. cities with about 200,000 customers, Simon is leading the fight to end food waste via realistic solutions to engage consumers with food. In May, the company started testing a program, ‘Imperfect Picks,’ to rescue packaged staple items with slight flaws to curb the 8 million tons of food waste that occurs in stores yearly.

NOSH Live Summer 2019 was full of inspirational stories, advice and insights from some of the natural food industry’s biggest players. Here are some of our favorite quotes from the presenters at the two-day conference in New York City.

Over the past week several emerging brands announced the appointments of experienced CPG executives to their leadership teams. Tosi Health, 8Greens and The Modern Pod brought on talent from CLIF Bar, Kraft Heinz and Whole Foods Market, respectively, to help their businesses scale.

You can order a personalized license plate with just a few clicks online, so why can’t you personalize your nutrition needs? That’s the question Hippeas creator Livio Bisterzo and Dan Obegi, former chief digital officer of GNC and CEO of dermstore.com, both wondered. To solve this need, the two have joined forced — and raised $1.7 million in funding — to launch Buddy Nutrition, a personalized nutrition service.

n this presentation recorded at the Cannabis Forum Summer 2019, New Frontier Data chief knowledge officer John Kagia breaks down the “five forces” currently disrupting the global cannabis marketplace, including expanded legal access, therapeutic efficacy, product innovation, convenience, and growing social acceptance.

For a better-for-you food brand to have a chance to keep up with on-the-go families, it needs to move with them. Leaning in to the growing “grab-and-go” mindset, FlapJacked, known for its protein baking mixes and mug muffins, has launched cookie bars, its first ready-to-eat product.

In a presentation at NOSH Live Summer 2019 in New York City, Doug Munk, director of new business ventures for Nestle, shared how Nestle is prioritizing innovation — empowering its 22,000 employees to contribute to the company’s growth and development.

Oberto Snacks is looking to its century-old legacy to solidify its future in premium meat snacks. After being acquired by Canada-based Premium Brands last year, Oberto is going “back to its roots” to inspire new product innovations, the company says.

TreeHouse sells snacks division for $90M, Vega endorses plant based athlete and more in this week’s Checkout.