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Jam is no longer the story. Snacking is. Smash Foods has raised $18 million in a funding round led by L Catterton, with participation from The Family Fund & Founder Community and Eclair Ventures. The investment follows a year in which the company more than tripled its business, surpassed 10,000 retail doors, and reached profitability. The funding is noteworthy. The strategic shift is even more interesting. Smash Foods entered the market with fruit spreads made from 95% fruit, chia seeds and dates, without added sugar. While the company challenged a mature jam category, its strongest growth came after launching Jammy Protein Bites in 2024. This reflects a broader trend across food retail: ➡️ Brands are increasingly expanding beyond their original category to create new consumption occasions. ➡️ Better-for-you snacking continues to outperform many traditional grocery categories as consumers look for products combining convenience, protein, clean-label ingredients and familiar flavours. ➡️ Retailers continue to allocate more shelf space to differentiated snack concepts that generate incremental purchases rather than simply replacing existing products. Today, Smash Foods is expanding distribution across Costco Wholesale, Target and Walmart, demonstrating how successful innovation can move a brand beyond its original category. About the company Smash Foods is a US-based food company founded by Anna Peck and Steven Ford. The business develops fruit spreads and protein snacks using real ingredients and develops its products in-house. The company began with fruit spreads before expanding into the snacking category through its Jammy Protein Bites. Industry perspective Global snack consumption continues to grow as consumers increasingly replace traditional meal occasions with smaller eating occasions throughout the day. At the same time, demand for products with simpler ingredient lists, higher protein content and lower added sugar continues to influence innovation across the FMCG industry. For retailers and brands, the takeaway is clear: Winning innovation is increasingly defined by creating new occasions for consumption—not simply improving products within existing categories. #retail #fmcg #grocery #food #foodtech #retaitech #snacking #healthysnacking #protein #cleanlabel #nutrition #cpg #consumergoods #innovation #marketing #sales #branding #privateequity #venturecapital #investors #startup #scaleup #omnichannel #costco #target #walmart #unitedstates #northamerica #betterforyou #foodinnovation

When most people think of PepsiCo, they immediately think of beverages. But that's exactly why this article caught my attention. As emerging beverage brands continue to flood the market—especially in energy, hydration, functional wellness, protein, and better-for-you categories—competition on the beverage shelf has never been more intense. Disruptor brands are moving faster, targeting niche consumers, and forcing even the largest players to continually innovate. Rather than chasing every emerging trend, PepsiCo is reinforcing something many people forget: They are also one of the world's largest food companies. Frito-Lay, Quaker, and their extensive snack portfolio provide PepsiCo with a level of diversification that few beverage companies can match. Continuing to invest in food innovation, affordability, and portfolio optimization is a smart long-term strategy that balances the volatility of the beverage market while capitalizing on enduring consumer demand. So why am I sharing this? Because strategic decisions like these have ripple effects throughout the supply chain. Every new SKU, flavor extension, limited-time offering, value pack, club-store configuration, or retail promotion eventually has to be commercialized. That's where secondary packaging becomes a critical part of the equation. Contract packaging partners are increasingly asked to deliver: • Variety packs and mixed assortments • Club store multipacks • Retail-ready displays • Promotional and seasonal packaging • E-commerce configurations • Faster launches with greater operational flexibility Packaging is no longer just about protecting the product—it's become a strategic enabler of speed, agility, and market responsiveness. I enjoy sharing articles like this because they help connect executive business strategy with what happens on the manufacturing floor. Whether you're a brand owner, converter, supplier, co-manufacturer, or retailer, understanding these shifts helps us all anticipate where investment, innovation, and packaging demand are heading next. Sometimes the biggest story isn't what's changing... It's where an industry leader chooses to place its next bet. #CPG #PepsiCo #FoodManufacturing #SecondaryPackaging #ContractPackaging #Packaging #SupplyChain #ConsumerGoods #Innovation #Manufacturing #BusinessStrategy

Coca-Cola's New Natural Channel Team Isn't Just About Selling More Drinks. It's About Where Beverage Innovation Now Begins. When Coca-Cola announced dedicated Natural Channel roles within its Advanced Hydration business, I don't think the biggest story was the restructuring. I think it's what those roles say about where the beverage industry is headed. For decades, the path to building a successful beverage brand was fairly predictable: • Launch in conventional grocery. • Win in mass retail. • Scale through distribution. Today, that sequence has flipped. Natural retailers have become the proving ground for the next generation of beverage brands. They're often where consumers first embrace trends like functional hydration, clean-label ingredients, electrolytes, zero sugar, protein, adaptogens, and wellness-focused innovation. By creating a dedicated Natural Channel team for its Advanced Hydration portfolio, Coca-Cola is acknowledging something many of us who have worked in the natural channel have seen for years: Natural is no longer a niche. It's a strategic growth engine. What's especially interesting is that this isn't a standalone "Natural Division." It's a specialized sales organization focused on growing premium hydration brands in the retailers where innovation is discovered before it reaches mainstream grocery. That tells me Coca-Cola isn't simply chasing distribution. They're investing in the channel that increasingly shapes consumer preferences. The 2021 acquisition of BODYARMOR was an important signal. This feels like the next chapter. For emerging brands, this creates both opportunity and pressure. The opportunity is that the world's largest beverage companies recognize the value of winning in natural retail. The pressure is that competition for shelf space, distributor attention, and retailer partnerships will only intensify. The brands that succeed won't simply have the best product. They'll have the clearest strategy for creating velocity, proving consumer demand, and scaling with the right retail and distribution partners. The natural channel has quietly become one of the most important battlegrounds in beverage. Now Coca-Cola is making that official. One question I'm watching closely: Will Coca-Cola adapt existing brands like Powerade and Vitamin Water to better fit the natural channel through cleaner ingredient profiles? Or will it build the future through new premium hydration brands designed specifically for retailers like Whole Foods from day one? I'd love to hear where you think the industry is headed. #BeverageIndustry #NaturalProducts #CPG #RetailStrategy #Hydration #WholeFoods #Innovation #ConsumerTrends

Coca-Cola's New Natural Channel Team Isn't Just About Selling More Drinks. It's About Where Beverage Innovation Now Begins. When Coca-Cola announced dedicated Natural Channel roles within its Advanced Hydration business, I don't think the biggest story was the restructuring. I think it's what those roles say about where the beverage industry is headed. For decades, the path to building a successful beverage brand was fairly predictable: • Launch in conventional grocery. • Win in mass retail. • Scale through distribution. Today, that sequence has flipped. Natural retailers have become the proving ground for the next generation of beverage brands. They're often where consumers first embrace trends like functional hydration, clean-label ingredients, electrolytes, zero sugar, protein, adaptogens, and wellness-focused innovation. By creating a dedicated Natural Channel team for its Advanced Hydration portfolio, Coca-Cola is acknowledging something many of us who have worked in the natural channel have seen for years: Natural is no longer a niche. It's a strategic growth engine. What's especially interesting is that this isn't a standalone "Natural Division." It's a specialized sales organization focused on growing premium hydration brands in the retailers where innovation is discovered before it reaches mainstream grocery. That tells me Coca-Cola isn't simply chasing distribution. They're investing in the channel that increasingly shapes consumer preferences. The 2021 acquisition of BODYARMOR was an important signal. This feels like the next chapter. For emerging brands, this creates both opportunity and pressure. The opportunity is that the world's largest beverage companies recognize the value of winning in natural retail. The pressure is that competition for shelf space, distributor attention, and retailer partnerships will only intensify. The brands that succeed won't simply have the best product. They'll have the clearest strategy for creating velocity, proving consumer demand, and scaling with the right retail and distribution partners. The natural channel has quietly become one of the most important battlegrounds in beverage. Now Coca-Cola is making that official. One question I'm watching closely: Will Coca-Cola adapt existing brands like Powerade and Vitamin Water to better fit the natural channel through cleaner ingredient profiles? Or will it build the future through new premium hydration brands designed specifically for retailers like Whole Foods from day one? I'd love to hear where you think the industry is headed. #BeverageIndustry #NaturalProducts #CPG #RetailStrategy #Hydration #WholeFoods #Innovation #ConsumerTrends  

🗞️ What’s new this week in CPG? Let’s celebrate the wins from emerging food and beverage brands. Here are the stories to know: 🛒 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐒 🍫 Stars + Honey founded by Daniel Rainey is expanding into Target stores nationwide with four collagen protein bar flavors, following a $24M growth equity investment and 300% growth. 🍬 Häppy Candy founded by Maxi Heidenblut has landed in Whole Foods Market’s East and South Pacific regions, with refreshed packaging rolling out this summer. 🍪 My Better Batch founded by CEO Lindsay Hancock added 3,000+ new points of distribution in Q1 2026 and is on track to reach 6,000 doors while posting 400%+ YoY growth. 🍜 Laoban co-founded by J. Patrick Coyne and Chef Tim Ma launched frozen Lo Mein noodle bowls nationwide exclusively at Whole Foods Market. 🚀 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓 𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 🥬 Small Town Cultures founded by Cori Deans is launching single-serve fermented food pouches alongside its refreshed “Feel Human Again” brand direction. 🤝 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐒 🍪 Doich Foods teamed up with Angela Simmons, founder of Angela’s Cakes, to launch a limited-time Cinnamon Brunch Crunch snacking dough flavor. 🎉 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 🥕 Lil' Gourmets was named one of Good Housekeeping’s Best Snacks for Kids & Babies in the 2026 Snack Awards. 🌶️ MARIMIX® Crunch-Baked Snackmix founded by Mari Fassett earned its third consecutive Good Housekeeping Snack Award for its Hatch Chile Lime Crunch-Baked Snackmix. 🍪 Cooper Street Snacks founded by Max, Sam, and Elaine Surnow earned the 2026 Cookies Product of the Year honor from the Mindful Awards. 🍽️ Kidfresh founded by Matt Cohen was named “Toddler Food Product of the Year” in the 2026 Baby Innovation Awards. ☀️ Sunbear co-founded by Danielle Krueger was selected to participate in Target’s Food & Beverage Brand Discovery Day at Target HQ. In collaboration with Amber Caro from Marketbite. Read more about each story here: https://lnkd.in/gtErnWFa. Have news to share? Submit here: https://lnkd.in/gKbT5fRn #CPG #foodandbeverage #foodbevy

Just got back from a trip to Portugal and Spain, and like any CPG enthusiast, I couldn’t help but wander through the local grocery stores. When you spend your life looking at retail shelves, you notice things. Here are 4 stark differences I observed between the US and European functional food landscapes—backed by the numbers: 1. Private Label Dominance is Next-Level In the US, walking down the protein bar aisle means looking at a wall of venture-backed or massive corporate brands. In Iberia? Retailer own-brands rule. 🔹The Data: According to recent 2026 Circana data, private label unit share has reached a staggering 59% in Spain. By comparison, US private label grocery unit share typically hovers around 23%. European retailers have successfully premiumized their store brands, moving them far beyond the "cheap generic" stigma. 2. The "Bar Aisle" Simply Doesn't Exist If you’re expecting a 20-foot destination aisle packed with 50 different protein bar brands like at a Kroger Target, you’re out of luck. In most Iberian supermarkets, the bar selection is compressed into roughly two shelves, spanning about 4 feet long. The category simply doesn't command the same massive physical footprint. 3. Formulation & Radically Different Transparency The structural makeup of European bars tells a completely different macro story: 🔹The Binders: While US bars heavily rely on soluble tapioca fiber or corn fiber to keep bars soft and lower net carbs, European bars lean heavily into sugar alcohols—specifically maltitol—as the main binder. 🔹Plant-Based Deficit: The plant-based protein bar movement is noticeably smaller over there; dairy-derived proteins still reign supreme. 🔹Radical Transparency: Thanks to Europe's QUID (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration) regulations, brands are legally required to list the exact percentage of key ingredients highlighted on the package. You don't just see "almonds" on the label; it explicitly states "Almonds (25%)". 4. My Theory: The High-Protein Shift to Dairy & Fresh RTE Why is the bar aisle so small? Because Europeans are getting their portable protein fix elsewhere in the store: 🔹The Massive Yogurt Aisle: The functional dairy footprint is massive. Retailers like Mercadona have entire bays dedicated to high-protein puddings, mousses, and Greek yogurts (like their hyper-popular +Proteínas line). 🔹High-Protein Ready Meals: The Ready-to-Eat (RTE) chilled meals aisle is booming in Europe, with a massive pivot toward clean, high-protein fresh entrees (think chilled lentils with chicken, or protein-enriched fresh pastas) over shelf-stable snack bars. The Takeaway: The US looks at protein through a "snackified, shelf-stable, low-net-carb" lens. Europe looks at it through a "fresh dairy, clean whole food, and macro-balanced meal" lens. To my fellow grocery nerds and CPG founders: Have you noticed this shift when traveling abroad? Is the US over-indexing on bars, or is Europe missing a massive ambient snack opportunity?

Great insights from our team on the value of the plant-based consumer. Whether you're in retail or restaurant, we've got insights for you.

📄 New research suggests plant-based meat consumers are highly engaged and commercially valuable. Learn more from GFI's associate director of market insights, Jody Kirchner 👇

We often measure the success of plant-based foods by sales or market share. But those metrics don't tell the whole story. New data shows plant-based meat consumers create value that extends well beyond the category itself. 🍽️ Plant-based meat diners made about 50% more restaurant chain visits and spent about $500 more in 2025 than the average diner. 🛒 Plant-based meat buyers took 15 more grocery trips and spent $484 more on groceries in 2025 than the average shopper. For retailers and operators evaluating plant-based meat’s place on the shelf or on the menu, the data also suggests plant-based meat availability can deliver value in multiple other ways like driving consumer acquisition, loyalty, and brand strength. I unpack the insights in my latest piece for The Good Food Institute's Substack: https://lnkd.in/eccechRT

𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 $𝟏𝟗𝟖.𝟕 𝐁𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟑 📥 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 @ https://lnkd.in/d6bR9GUd 📊 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: The Packaged Food Private Label Market is valued at USD 126.4 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 198.7 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 5.8%. 🚀 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬: Growing consumer demand for affordable, premium-quality private label products, rising retail expansion, and increasing preference for value-driven grocery purchases are accelerating market growth. Retailers are also expanding exclusive product portfolios while focusing on healthier, organic, and sustainable packaged food offerings. 💡 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: AI-powered demand forecasting, smart inventory management, automated food processing, digital quality control, and intelligent supply chain solutions are enhancing operational efficiency. Sustainable packaging innovations and data-driven consumer analytics are enabling retailers to strengthen private label competitiveness. 🔍 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫/𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Consumers are increasingly choosing private label packaged foods due to competitive pricing, premium quality, clean-label ingredients, and environmentally friendly packaging. Online grocery platforms and omnichannel retailing continue to influence purchasing behavior across global markets. 📦 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬: Processed and ready-to-eat packaged foods remain the dominant segment, accounting for approximately 34% of the market. Organic and health-focused private label products represent the fastest-growing category, expanding at an estimated 7.4% CAGR. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 🏢 Heartland Food Products Group Kout Food Group TreeHouse Foods Nassau Candy Distributors, Inc. Seneca Foods Corporation McLane Global AJM Packaging Corporation Quicklly Mount Franklin Foods Bellisio Foods Baldwin Richardson Foods Overhill Farms Trace One The Grady Group - CPG Search Partners Weetabix Terrasoul Superfoods Cedar's Foods New Nexus Group Thomas, Large & Singer Inc Evans Food Group LTD Bobak Sausage Company OLEIFICIO ZUCCHI S.p.A. Gulf Pacific Melvin Marsh International Doumak, Inc. Agrocrop Exports Ltd. ETG North America TCC Coffee La Pizza +1 S.p.A Amrit Food (A Division of Amrit Corp Limited) Axium Foods, Inc. Maryland Packaging United Exchange Corporation Maestro Swiss Industries Sdn. Bhd. BLACKHIVE Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC. 📥 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: https://lnkd.in/d6bR9GUd #MarketResearch #IndustryAnalysis #PackagedFoodPrivateLabelMarket #PrivateLabel #FoodIndustry #RetailInnovation #ConsumerGoods