CPG Week by BevNET & Nosh

In this episode:

This week, the podcast goes through an M&A deal for Greek yogurt bar brand Clio and all the big news from the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) trade show in Las Vegas last week. Co-hosts Brad Avery and Lukas Southard run through Poppi and protein innovation from PepsiCo, more modern soda news and the 'swicy'candy trend.

Show Highlights:

0:30 - Lukas goes through the details of Stride Consumer Partners' acquisition of refrigerated yogurt snack brand Clio.

5:30 - Brad and Lukas didn't attend NACS this year, but the pair discuss how Pepsi is expanding Poppi into functional categories like energy and relaxation.

10:15 - While brands showed off new protein innovation in Vegas, Lukas chatted with PRODA about the celebrity co-founders that recently joined the protein soda brand.

12:15 - Swicy is taking over as a dominant trend in candy. The podcast team discusses their opinions on sweet-spicy treats.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week, podcast co-hosts Brad Avery and Lukas Southard kick up their feet and sip on the growth of the relaxation beverage category. The episode also covers a developing rift between Make America Healthy Again advocates and the White House, more lawsuits over sweeteners and RIND Snacks' pivot deeper into co-packing.

On this episode of the CPG Week Podcast, co-hosts Brad Avery and Lukas Southard cover how Recess is adding more industry know-how to its leadership ranks, the impact of elevated pricing in grocery and convenience retail and rumors about a popular oil brand seeking a buyer.

Show Highlights:

0:30 - Are a popular Bar and Bat Mitzvah sweet treat going to disappear from shelves? Brad explains why the news that Sunkist was discontinuing its Fruit Gems line caused panic among the American Jewish community.

2:30 - Recess has hired veteran industry leaders as it aims to be a category leader in the relaxation beverage category.

6:00 - Inflation has remained stubbornly high, but what does that mean for retailers? After going through recent macro grocery pricing data, Lukas and Brad discuss the impact on retail strategy.

8:30 - From grocery to convenience, Brad covers a recent Jefferies analysis of c-store sales data across beverage categories.

11:30 - Is squeeze-bottled olive oil brand Graza looking to sell? In the shadow of the Purely Elizabeth and Goodles acquisitions, the podcast hosts discuss how Graza's potential sale could be another example of a next-gen food brand making a high-value exit.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

In this episode, CPG Week co-hosts Brad Avery and Lukas Southard take a quick hit from the juice shots category on the news that functional brand Sol-Ti raised a new tranche of capital. After exploring if shots have a ceiling, the team discusses how the meal kit category is increasingly relying on celebrity chefs to build brands, a new app for UPF-averse consumers and C4's new beer-flavored energy drink.

Show Highlights:

0:30 - Lukas explains why a $30 million funding round for shot brand Sol-Ti might be a signal to consumer preference for small-format functional drinks.

6:00 - Sir Kensington co-founder Mark Ramadan and Eleven Madison Park chef Daniel Humm have launched Riff Meal Kits, a premium take on the cook-it-yourself category. Brad and Lukas debate how much of an impact celebrity chefs have on the meal kit set.

11:10 - Lukas relates why a new app for ultra-processed food, third-party certification, Non-UPF Verified, could help both consumers and brands understand how the trend is playing out in buying patterns.

12:45 - Is there a market for beer-flavored energy drinks? C4 thinks so, but Lukas and Brad parse out their skepticism.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week, BevNET CPG Media senior reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard get jacked talking about protein, exploring Beyond's expansion into new protein formats and the whey supply shortage. Later in the show, the hosts discuss Battle Bars' rebrand, energy brand Echelon's new strategy and a legal dispute between Big Food and Big Sugar.

Show Highlights:

1:00 - Brad explains how Beyond is expanding its repositioned identity as an alt protein brand into new categories like bars and powders.

5:00 - As demand for more protein continues across food and beverage categories, the supply of whey has taken a hit. Lukas and Brad discuss how this has impacted commodity costs, forcing some brands to implement price hikes.

8:45 - Brad gives an update on veteran-founded brand Battle Bars. He compares the snack bar brand's strategy to a different military-aligned beverage Echelon.

10:30 - There is a fresh lawsuit between large food companies alleging that big sugar providers have colluded to artificially raise the cost of the sweet ingredient.

12:00 - Amid the launch of fall flavors, Brad and Lukas relate their opinions (and hot takes) about pumpkin spice and apple as limited time offerings.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week, the podcast tackles a series of M&A deals from Goodles' recent acquisition by Barilla, a renewed partnership between Keurig Dr Pepper and Chobani, Nestlé's divestments and Peter Rahal's big news week.

Show Highlights:

1:00 - Brad and Lukas dive into Barilla's acquisition of next-generation mac and cheese brand Goodles and why it's a strong fit for the legacy pasta company.

4:30 - KDP has agreed to sell its minority stake in Chobani, along with a Pennsylvania production facility. The podcast duo discusses the implications for both companies.

9:00 - Brad provides context on Nestlé's recent divestitures, including the offloading of Nuun less than five years after acquiring the hydration tablet brand.

12:00 - The parent company of David Protein, Medici Brands, had a big week raising a $250 million Series B and launching new products. Brad hears what Lukas learned from his multiple conversations with founder and CEO Peter Rahal.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week, senior reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard break down a series of lawsuits targeting the use of allulose in energy drinks and protein bars as well as an update on a crustless sandwich trademark case. The hosts also discuss a simmering dispute between Red Bull and Kroger, and break down a new report on the state of private label.

Show Highlights:

1:00 - Brad explains why Liquid Death and David Protein are fighting legal complaints against on-pack zero-sugar.

4:00 - Smucker's case against Trader Joe's Crustless PB&J Sandwich product will move forward after a district judge denied a motion to dismiss the case. Lukas and Brad discuss the history of J.M. Smucker Co.'s litigious protection of its Uncrustables product.

7:30 - Why is Red Bull disappearing from Kroger banner store shelves? Brad untangles the mystery pitting one of the largest energy drink brands against this major grocery company.

10:00 - Lukas dives into a recent private-label data report from SPINS, explaining how and why store brands are bringing more than just value-minded shoppers to the set.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

This week on the podcast, BevNET and Nosh senior reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard discuss the top trends on display at Newtopia Now. They also get into a new report from the Acosta Group on long-term changes in consumer spending behavior and break down the shareholder rebellions at several CPG brands, including Zevia and OWYN.

0:20 - Lukas shares his takeaways from Newtopia Now, held this month in Denver, including the proliferation of mushroom-infused products, seed-oil-free formulations and, of course, protein.

4:45 - A new report from the Acosta Group found that although grocery affordability has improved since the high inflation of 2022, consumers remain overly cautious about spending, as higher prices remain a concern.

8:20 - A Zevia shareholder wants the company to begin pursuing a sale to take the business private, claiming that it "missed the category" in modern soda it helped to create. Brad and Lukas discuss the issues at play.

9;45 - The shareholder pushback conversation continues as Lukas breaks down the legal issues facing OWYN after shareholders called out the "failed" integration following the brand's acquisition.

13:15 - We cover the new Bevnet CPG Media 2026 Launch Explorer, an interactive tool tracking more than 1,000 new food and beverage products that have hit the market since the beginning of the year.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard break down the federal government's first proposed definition of ultraprocessed foods and a rocky quarter for Celsius. The hosts also dig into Khloé Kardashian's latest Khloud innovation and Keurig Dr Pepper's lime-forward reformulation of 7UP.

Show Highlights:

0:20 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services kicked off the week unveiling its proposal for significant changes to the federal food regulatory framework that would establish, for the first time, a proposed government definition of ultraprocessed foods.

2:00 - All is not well at Celsius these days. The energy drink maker – which now houses the Alani Nu and Rockstar brands – reported second-quarter earnings that fell below investor expectations.

5:50 - Khloé Kardashian's snack startup debuted Khloud Plus, a new platform that combines protein with additional functional ingredients, beginning with collagen.

8:55 - Dr Pepper Keurig announced a reformulation of its 7UP soda that puts lime in the limelight.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Brad Avery break down a possible reprieve for hemp beverage makers, a high-profile sports drink acquisition backed by NBA star Victor Wembanyama, Kodiak's remarkable growth story under private equity ownership and the emerging wave of Christian-themed energy drink brands betting that faith can help carve out a niche in the increasingly crowded functional beverage market.

Show Highlights:

0:20 - Hemp beverages may have earned a temporary reprieve from upcoming federal restrictions after the U.S. Senate passed a continuing budget resolution over the weekend that extends the deadline until December 11.

2:20 - Hydration sports drink Barcode has been acquired by Axum Capital Partners, in partnership with investor and NBA star Victor Wembanyama.

5:30 - Kodiak has emerged as one of the fastest-growing brands in center store, more than doubling its business since private equity firm L Catterton acquired a majority stake in 2021.

7:30 - There's been an emergence of Christian-themed energy drink startups that are putting their faith front and center. Brands like Agape Energy, 4GVN and Praise Energy have all sought to use their religious faith as the basis for their businesses.

About CPG Week

CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage.

New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected].

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts