Month November 2023

Functional beverage brand opens crowdfunding round

FREEHOLD, NJ. — Functional beverage brand NERD Focus has opened an equity crowdfunding round with a goal of raising $15,000 to $1.23 million at a $19.6 million valuation. The campaign is hosted on StartEngine, a crowdfunding platform. Billed as the “original…

Nostalgia to drive flavor innovation in 2024

CHICAGO — Consumer demand for nostalgic foods will be a significant driver for flavor and product development in 2024, according to the foodservice category market research firm Datassential. Identified as a key trend in the company’s annual FoodBytes trend report,…

Building a frozen dessert empire, from sorbet to fudge pops

SARASOTA, FLA. — Store-bought sorbet, as Nicole Cardone recalled it, was basically “really sweet… icy fruit juice,” a forgotten frozen dessert among “all the other options for craft ice cream” cropping up in supermarket freezer cases more than a decade ago. …

Bagel entrepreneur launches online marketplace for contractors

SAN DIEGO — The founder and chief executive officer of CaliBagels, a brand of bagels and bagel chips, has launched an online marketplace connecting consumer packaged goods companies with freelance and fractional experts across a range of skillsets. Phil Gorman said…

Emerging ingredients accelerating gluten-free innovation

KANSAS CITY — Formulators know to choose ingredients that provide the desired texture and flavor in gluten-free products. They also may consider ingredients consumers know about and view favorably. Consumers are familiar with oats and quinoa, both gluten-free grains, along…

Flowers Foods details ESG progress from 2022

THOMASVILLE, GA. — Flowers Foods, Inc. has reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 21% per tonne of product compared to its 2015 baseline, far exceeding its initial goal, according to the company’s 2022 corporate responsibility report. The GHG emissions progress…

Kim Kardashian’s private equity firm snags stake in Truff

LOS ANGELES — SKKY Partners, a private equity firm founded by Kim Kardashian and Jay Sammons, has agreed to acquire a “significant minority stake” in specialty condiment brand Truff. Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in…

Golden West, Hershey roll out frozen fruit snacks

LOS ANGELES — Golden West Food Group has entered a licensing partnership with The Hershey Co. to create a new line of chocolate-covered fruit products. Aiming to capitalize on the mindful snacking trend, the product line combines frozen fruits and…

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