CPG Week by BevNET & Nosh

In this episode:

This week, BevNET and Nosh senior reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard question whether or not better-for-you candy is impacting trick-or-treat bags. Then the CPG Week podcasters discuss Oatly's newest innovation, a not-so-undercover majority investment from one of the largest chocolate companies and how Simply Good Foods is attempting to right the ship for Atkins.

Show Highlights:

2:30 - Oatly is answering cost pressure with innovation, including a Fiber line announced last week. Brad and Lukas discuss how Oatly is positioning for future growth as macroeconomic headwinds persist.

6:30 - Lukas explains why Mondelēz took a majority stake in chocolate-covered quinoa brand Undercover Snacks and its relation to the broader price fluctuations happening in the cocoa supply chain.

11:15 - Simply Good Foods continues to struggle with its challenged portfolio brand, Atkins. Brad describes how the parent company is attempting to turn around the diet-based brand and its other protein snack and shake brands, Quest and OWYN.

In this episode:

In this week's episode, the podcast looks at Vita Coco's continued success in the coconut water category despite the headwinds. Co-hosts Brad Avery and Lukas Southard also discuss a number of mass layoffs plaguing the food and beverage industry, Whole Foods 2027 trend predictions and longevity-positioned meal kits.

Show Highlights:

0:20 - With sales lifting 34% year-over-year at Vita Coco, Brad and Lukas crack the shell of the coconut water category, discussing how Vita Coco has succeeded in remaining at the top of the category.

6:00 - Food industry layoffs are up significantly this year. Lukas and Brad unwind what's driving this trend

9:30 - Whole Foods released its Top Food Trend Predictions for 2027. The podcasters discuss their favorites.

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].

In this week's episode, co-hosts Brad Avery and Lukas Southard discuss the knowns and unknowns surrounding Jetty, the upcoming new brand from Poppi's co-founding husband-and-wife team. They then cover several investments in packaged food and the state of the hemp industry as the December 11 ban approaches. Plus, does protein belong in a White Russian cocktail?

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