CPG Week by BevNET & Nosh

In this episode:

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard chat about the acquisition of TreeHouse Foods, the regulatory outlook for hemp beverages, a new verification standard for non-ultraprocessed foods, and Lucky Energy's latest funding round.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - TreeHouse Foods is going private in a deal valued at $2.9 billion. Monica explains what's next for the private label food and beverage manufacturer.

1:45 - Hemp beverages could be sacrificed in a deal to reopen the federal government, as spending legislation moves through Congress that includes language effectively prohibiting such products. Lukas shares details and insight.

4:20 - A new verification program for non-ultraprocessed foods has debuted. Monica breaks down which ingredients are unacceptable under the Non-UPF Verified standards.

7:45 - Lucky Energy has landed $25 million in a Series B round led by Paine Schwartz Partners, with former leaders from Suja Juice joining its board.

9:15 - The podcasters weigh in on pickle-scented candles and female-coded energy beverages.

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 chat about the acquisitions of Caulipower and Justin's by private equity firms, Keurig Dr Pepper's new $7 billion investment, and new funding for popped sorghum startup Cob.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - Caulipower has been acquired by its longtime private equity-owned co-manufacturing partner Urban Farmer. Monica breaks down the details of the deal.

2:40 - Keurig Dr Pepper announced $7 billion in new investment and offered nervous investors a confident appraisal of its much-scrutinized plan to separate its coffee and refreshment beverage businesses.

4:35 - Hormel has sold its ownership stake in Justin's to private equity firm Forward Consumer Partners. The hosts discuss what this means for the nut butter brand and its previous leadership.

6:55 - Game, set, match. Popped sorghum startup Cob netted $5 million in funding and added a tennis legend to its founding team.

8:20 - The podcasters discuss PepsiCo's new corporate logo and an unusual seasonal offering from Kraft Mac & Cheese.

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 talk about Recess' new funding round and leadership addition, a premium bourbon brand on the block, and new cash for Robert Downey Jr.'s coffee brand. The podcasters also discuss the closure of an alt-cheese maker and the surge in demand for gummy formats in supplements and in candy.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - Recess Drinks has closed a $30 million Series B round led by CAVU and other repeat investors and named a new leader. Brad breaks it all down.

1:50 - Pour one out for Four Roses? Japan's Kirin Holdings is looking to unload the bourbon brand for $1 billion. Monica explains.

3:40 - L.A. Libations' Taste Tomorrow Ventures has made a strategic minority investment in happy products, the coffee brand co-founded by CPG industry veteran Craig Dubitsky and actor Robert Downey Jr.

5:15 - Stockeld Dreamery, a venture-backed Swedish producer of plant-based cheese, has shuttered after six years in business. What went wrong?

6:25 - A fiber brand gets gummy. Speaking of gummies, the kids are low key obsessed. Trade show mascots… scarier than Halloween costumes? Discuss.

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 discuss trends and new products featured at the NACS Show held Oct. 14-17 in Chicago. The event drew thousands of convenience store operators to view the latest offerings from food and beverage brands seeking to expand within the channel.

Show Highlights:

0:35 - Lukas dives into the latest trends in convenience store snacks, including protein bars with bonus benefits and new twists on meat sticks and jerky.

4:15 - Monica highlights new packaging formats and designs in the ready-to-drink coffee and bottled water categories seen on the show floor.

6:15 - What's brewing in the iced tea segment? Lukas spills the details.

9:00 - PepsiCo showcased big bets and subtle tweaks at the event ranging from new high-protein and lower-sugar offerings to its take on a prebiotic cola.

11:00 - Coca-Cola featured less innovation than its top rival – aside from the notable comeback of Mr. Pibb. Lukas shares insights from his tour of the booth.

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 Avery dig into Whole Foods Market's annual trends forecast and DayDayCook's shift away from its recent brand acquisitions to focus on bitcoin. The podcasters also discuss the potential of a new food processing technology and the legal battle brewing between Liquid Death and Death Wish Coffee.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - What trends are on tap for the year ahead? Whole Foods Market forecasts fiber, beef tallow and fine dining in the frozen aisle.

1:30 - DDC Enterprise Limited, which does business as DayDayCook, has raised a whopping $124 million in equity financing – but it doesn't seem likely that much, if any, of it will be put into the Hong Kong-based company's recent CPG acquisitions.

3:15 - The startup formerly known as Tender Food is expanding beyond plant-based meat alternatives into additional categories following a new $6.5 million funding round. Monica explains what's next for the company now known as Lasso.

5:55 - Why is Death Wish Coffee suing Liquid Death? Brad breaks it down.

7:40 - Pop-Tarts jumps on the protein trend, and "Saturday Night Life" spoofs near beer.

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 dig into Walmart's decision to remove synthetic dyes from its store-branded products. The team goes on to discuss how certain brands are repositioning in the plant-based cheese category, the abrupt closure of Nor-Cal Beverages and the data behind the high-protein craze.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - Walmart has announced it will remove all synthetic dyes from its many private-label brands. Monica explains why Walmart's move aligns with how other big food companies are responding to calls for food ingredient transparency.

3:05 - Plant-based cheese ingredient provider Climax Foods has rebranded to Bettani Farms after raising $6.5 million in a Series A round. Along with its new name, Bettani Farms has appointed former Califia Farms CFO Sandeep Patel to lead the food tech company as it prepares for its next stage of growth.

4:45 - Unexpectedly, Manna Beverages shut down its California-based co-manufacturer, Nor-Cal Beverages. The sudden closure comes after rumors earlier this summer that Manna was seeking to divest the drink producer it acquired in 2023.

7:00 - It's no secret that protein is all the rage in food and beverage. Monica and Lukas chat about a pair of exclusive Brightfield Group reports on the category for BevNET and Nosh.

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:

On this episode of CPG Week, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Brad Avery unpack Once Upon A Farm's IPO announcement, a grocery retailer's adoption of a food health scoring system, breakfast maker Seven Sundays' step toward vertical integration, and Beckett Industries' new food and beverage focused fund.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - Once Upon A Farm has filed for an initial public offering. Monica explains what this means for Jennifer Garner's next-generation childhood nutrition brand.

3:35 - Grocery chain Hy-Vee has a new partnership with nutrition intelligence platform FoodHealth Company, becoming the first retailer to bring the color-coded, numerical nutritional score to its shelves. But will shoppers bite?

6:00 - Seven Sundays took a step toward vertical integration with the acquisition of its longtime manufacturer Birch Packaging. Monica details how the move positions the breakfast maker for explosive growth.

7:25 - Beckett Industries launched a $50 million venture capital fund that will target early-stage food and beverage businesses. Brad breaks it all down.

8:25 - Uncrustables bulks up, the Dew gets dirty, and the podcasters provide a peek at the Nosh Live lineup.

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:

On this episode of CPG Week, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Brad Avery unpack Once Upon A Farm's IPO announcement, a grocery retailer's adoption of a food health scoring system, breakfast maker Seven Sundays' step toward vertical integration, and Beckett Industries' new food and beverage focused fund.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - Once Upon A Farm has filed for an initial public offering. Monica explains what this means for Jennifer Garner's next-generation childhood nutrition brand.

3:35 - Grocery chain Hy-Vee has a new partnership with nutrition intelligence platform FoodHealth Company, becoming the first retailer to bring the color-coded, numerical nutritional score to its shelves. But will shoppers bite?

6:00 - Seven Sundays took a step toward vertical integration with the acquisition of its longtime manufacturer Birch Packaging. Monica details how the move positions the breakfast maker for explosive growth.

7:25 - Beckett Industries launched a $50 million venture capital fund that will target early-stage food and beverage businesses. Brad breaks it all down.

8:25 - Uncrustables bulks up, the Dew gets dirty, and the podcasters provide a peek at the Nosh Live lineup.

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:

On this episode of CPG Week, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard discuss the most recent twist in Ben & Jerry's battle with Unilever over its stance on the Gaza War, how Slate Milk has ridden the high-protein trend to a $23 million investment, SlimFast's new owner and why one seasoned beverage industry executive thinks energy drinks need to grow up.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - Monica discusses why Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield has stepped down from his iconic frozen dessert brand and how this is the latest escalation between the brand's founders and its parent company Unilever.

2:40 - Lactose-free chocolate milk and iced coffee brand Slate has closed a $23 million Series B round. Lukas explains why the brand has capitalized on the high-protein trend and its ability to draw in celebrity backers.

4:30 - SlimFast has been acquired once again. The diet shake brand's new owner, Heartland Food Products Group, is an Indiana-based co-manufacturer that owns the low-calorie sweetener and drink mix brand Splenda.

8:15 - Mōcean is a new energy drink from the mind of former White Claw brewmaster Tony Vieira. The brand is launching this fall with a differentiated formulation that includes shiso leaf and echinacea for immunity benefits. Lukas explains how the brand is targeting adult consumers with its marketing strategy.

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 of CPG Week, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Brad Avery analyze the evolution of private label from off-brand to on-trend. The podcasters also discuss recent examples of the protein craze in Wandering Bear's new latte line and Brami's lupini bean-based pasta. Additionally, the hosts dig into British mixer brand's partnership with Molson-Coors and an interesting new innovation in the frozen aisle.

Show Highlights:

0:15 - Grocer retailers are beefing up private label assortments with a focus on protein, global flavors and premium positioning. Monica explains how consumer perceptions of store brands are changing.

3:15 - Cold brew coffee maker Wandering Bear is leaning into the protein craze. Brad highlights the strategy behind the latest launch.

5:00 - Can America's obsession with protein drive mainstream adoption of the lupini bean. Italian food company Brami believes so.

6:30 - British mixer brand Fever-Tree is benefiting from its partnership with Molson-Coors. Brad breaks down the deal.

8:05 - Brad and Monica discuss functional ice cubes and the return of RC Cola (What? It never left?).

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