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At this year’s Natural Products Expo East an inspiring amount of new products, trends and news emerged from the show floor. In particular, what stood out was the “next generation” wave of several product types, most prominently baby food, jerky and squeeze pouches.

At this year’s Natural Products Expo East many of the most important, talked about and interesting products were classic favorites, such as brownies, mayo and pasta, reinvented for the health-conscious consumer.

General Mills’ Q1 2016 earnings call featured little talk of its legacy brands. Instead the company focused on its natural- and health-focused brands, and the call revealed much about its new product innovation pipeline, a revised focus for marketing and new attention to non-traditional grocery retailers.

NSF’s certification, which is part of its Consumer Values Verified Program, utilizes accepted practices from both the E.U. and Vermont’s GMO labeling requirements to create a more streamlined process.

Surprisingly, many entrepreneurs are actually highly solicitous of the large-scale shifts in the food system that can be enacted when strategic interests merge with conscious values; others are wary of greenwashing, incrementalism, and message blur.

Dollar store chains, including 99 Cents Only Stores, Dollar Tree and Dollar General, are changing their models and merchandising in order to capitalize on consumers’ desire for fresh, healthy foods that are also affordable.

Project NOSH Los Angeles (the first conference devoted to the strategic needs of emerging Natural, Organic, Sustainable and Healthy food companies) will take place on Nov. 5 as part of the comprehensive rollout of Project NOSH, the BevNET team’s new industry resource for Natural, Organic, Sustainable and Healthy food companies.

BevNET FBU (Food & Beverage University) released today the preliminary agenda for its September 30 event at WGBH Studios in Boston. The one-day educational event is designed to provide entrepreneurial food and beverage companies with the tools and industry knowledge they need to launch and position themselves for long-term growth and success.

Giant hotel vendor Avendra, will feature AccelFoods portfolio companies in their network of more than 5,000 hospitality accounts.

With the announcement that veteran snack and beverage pro Paul Nardone has joined the PopCorners as CEO, and a change in ownership, the brand is preparing to extend its brand into new product varieties while also capitalizing on massive manufacturing capabilities that will be more fully integrated into the company.