CPG Week by BevNET & Nosh – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode:

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard discuss how Gatorade is courting dehydrated non-athletes, Laird Superfood's acquisition strategy, the impact of GLP-1s on consumer purchasing behavior and what's happening in hemp.

Show Highlights:

0:20 - Gatorade is entering a "transformational new era" as it broadens its addressable audience beyond elite athletes and platforms with multiple tiers of hydration products.

2:45 - With help from its new majority investor, Nexus Capital Partners, Laird Superfood has made its second acquisition in less than six months, establishing itself as a buyer in the functional wellness set. 

6:00 - How are GLP-1 drugs impacting CPG food and beverage? Monica dives into recent data from sales and marketing company Acosta Group, tracing purchasing trends.

9:45 - Lukas goes through the latest intoxicating hemp category news, including a legislative solution proposed by Sen. Rand Paul and how industry stakeholders are safeguarding against the impending November ban.

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 cpgweek@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Brad Avery discuss Unilever's acquisition of Grüns, Suja Life's initial public offering, Ithaca Hummus' plans for category domination, and Mark Anthony Brands' purchase of Finnish Long Drink.

Show Highlights:

0:20 - Less than three years after launching, supplement gummy brand Grüns has agreed to be acquired by personal care and beauty multinational Unilever. Monica breaks down the deal.

2:20 - After submitting a draft registration statement last year, Suja Life Inc. has filed for a U.S. initial public offering, revealing total 2025 revenue of $326.6 million. Brad outlines the beverage maker's public market debut.

4:45 - Fourteen years in, Ithaca Hummus is rolling out its first major brand campaign, transitioning to olive oil formulations and refreshing its packaging. Monica shares more about the brand's broader push toward sustained category leadership.

6:55 - Mark Anthony Brands announced it has struck a deal to acquire the Finnish Long Drink, the popular gin-based, ready-to-drink canned cocktail. Brad explains why it's a solid fit in the White Claw owner's portfolio.

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 cpgweek@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard dig into the latest development surrounding the beleaguered maker of The Better Bagel, Barron Trump's involvement in a beverage startup and the recent departure of Impossible Foods' chief executive. The podcasters also review the impact of deflated cocoa prices on chocolate makers and consumers at the checkout.

Show Highlights:

0:20 - The Better Bagel drama continues. Easy Lunches & More, a specialized food delivery service that claims to be the "last retailer of Better Bagel," began shipping its own version of the product, called The Fit Bagel, in September after it was "ghosted" by BetterBrand. Monica spills the tea.

2:40 - President Donald Trump's youngest child, Barron, is entering the beverage business, per a recent form filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by a pre-launch yerba mate brand. Lukas details what is known so far about the product and Barron's involvement.

4:10 - A little over a week after Peter McGuinness stepped down as chief executive of Impossible Foods, it was announced he has been appointed to lead U.S operations at global food company Bel Group, the owner of brands including Laughing Cow, Babybel and GoGoSqueez.

5:35 - The cocoa crisis appears to have abated, with prices dropping significantly from record highs last year. Lukas shares what this means for chocolate makers.

7:45 - Monica and Lukas discuss the most memorable ads that aired during the Super Bowl.

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 cpgweek@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

In a jam-packed episode, the CPG Week podcast covers a lot of ground from cannabis to kava with a healthy recap of the Specialty Food Association's Summer Fancy Food Show from earlier in the week.

To start, senior reporter Brad Avery explains the big news out of the cannabis industry as Curaleaf announced it was entering hemp-derived THC with edibles and beverages available in a new DTC store. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard review some of the innovative products and trends they saw in New York City this week at Summer Fancy Food. The team wraps up talking about kava beverages and why the category's future seems to be intertwined with the slightly more controversial kratom ingredient.

Show Highlights:

0:30 - Curaleaf, marijuana cultivator and dispensary company, is moving into the hemp-derived THC market by launching a new DTC website: thehempcompany.com. Not only could this shake up the regulatory environment but is a statement by a leading cannabis industry stakeholder.

3:30 - Amid the cheese and hot sauce, Monica and Lukas discuss what they saw and tasted while wandering the aisles of the Summer Fancy Food Show. Lukas talks about a brand pairing savory biscuits with adult beverages while Monica snacked on the latest entrant in the freeze-dried trend.

7:10 - The team discusses how texture and experiential snacking are driving innovation by many brands across a multitude of categories including jerky, frozen desserts, sweets and convenience meals.

13:30 - Lukas explains what he learned while reporting on the kava category and why its future as a functional, non-alcoholic alternative is linked to another mood-altering ingredient, kratom.

About the 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 podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

Fresh off of BevNET Live in New York City, the CPG Week team shared the best parts of the summer conference. The group goes on to talk bottled water after two category powerhouses, BlueTriton and Primo Water, announce plans to merge and create the largest producer in the country. In the second half of the show, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous explains the Omsom's acquisition by DayDayCook and what it means for how Americans consume Asian-inspired CPG brands.

Show Highlights:

0:30 - What happened at BevNET Live last week? Brad enjoyed trying new products like Uncle Waithley's Ginger Beer, Lukas ate mushrooms and chatted with various hemp-derived THC brands like BRĒZ, Flyers and Upstate Elevator Supply Co., and Monica went on an expensive shopping spree with BevNET community director Melissa Traverse.

3:20 - Brad explains the implications of the proposed merger of bottled water giants BlueTriton and Primo. The group discusses how this might become not only the largest bottled water conglomerate in the country but also impact politics and policy through its scale.

6:15 - Missed the acquisition news for Omsom? The podcast team dives into how the Pham sisters created something special in their brand of cooking sauces and noodles and how it fits into DayDayCook's aspirations of becoming the "General Mills of Asian food."

About the 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 podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week, the podcast team of Monica Watrous, Brad Avery and Lukas Southard is joined by BevNET and Nosh reporter Adrianne DeLuca to unpack UNFI's recently implemented new supplier policy and some less-than-favorable industry reactions.

Show Highlights:

0:50 - Adrianne explains UNFI's Simplified Supplier Approach (SSA), and she and Lukas share early industry reactions to the policy.

4:35 - Brad ponders whether this is simply a cash grab by the distributor. Who stands to benefit from the new flat rate?

5:50 - Monica reviews highlights from UNFI's third-quarter earnings report.

About the 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 podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week, the podcast team gets ready for BevNET Live in New York City by sharing what they are looking forward to at the summer conference. Then the CPG Week hosts jump into all the legal drama in the industry from the past week. Senior reporter Brad Avery shares the latest from the family power struggle over kefir brand Lifeway Foods. The group talks about gut health claims after Poppi is hit with a class-action lawsuit, and, lastly, the team wades into the claims that General Mills allowed a discriminatory workplace in one of its manufacturing facilities for over two decades.

Show Highlights:

1:40 - Brad explains the legal drama between family members at leading U.S. kefir maker Lifeway Foods and why the most recent development centers on a yet-to-be launched kefir brand created by the Lifeway CEO's brother.

6:00 - Better-for-you soda maker Poppi has entered the "class action club" as it has been slapped with a lawsuit alleging that the brand's "gut-friendly" claims are not backed by scientific research on prebiotic fiber benefits.

10:10 - The podcast team discusses the unsettling claims made against General Mills regarding an alleged decades-long environment of racism and discrimination existing at the food giant's Covington, Ga., production plant.

About the 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 podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

How does artificial intelligence fit into the CPG industry? Senior reporter Brad Avery walks the podcast team through A.I.'s impact on everything in food and beverage from product ideation and formulation to streamlining operations. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous shares data on the granola segment and the CPG Week group discusses how recent product launches speak to enlivening a staple category. Lastly, the team examines the news that Suja Life has acquired the trademark for former Pepsi soda brand Slice.

Show Highlights:

0:30 - After reminiscing about the '90s era game show "Supermarket Sweep," Monica quizzes Brad and Lukas on CPG trivia from the show (with a little help from BevNET CMO Mike Schneider).

5:20 - Brad talks A.I. machine-learning, how it is being implemented in CPG food and beverage, and why having a human touch is still important to brand-building. 

10:30 - Monica shares what she found when looking more closely at the granola category.

15:00 - The team discusses the news that Suja Life has acquired soft drink brand Slice and might be relaunching it as a new functional, gut-health soda. The group goes on to throw out some other nostalgic beverage brands they would like to see resurrected.

About the 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 podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

This week, the podcast team digs into the growing trend among major retailers to invest in new modern white label programs. The CPG Week crew discusses why retail chains from CVS to Walmart to Grocery Outlet are launching expanded private label programs and what these next-generation brands might mean for consumers and independent CPG businesses.

Later, the group dives back into the GLP-1 diet trend after the news that Nestlé is set to launch Vital Pursuit, a 12-SKU line of frozen meals specifically positioned toward semaglutide drug users and consumers looking to manage their weight.

Show Highlights:

0:30 - After sharing his pre- and post-half marathon food and drinks from this past weekend, senior reporter Lukas Southard finds out that Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous has been known to imbibe some interesting alcoholic beverages over the years running 25 marathons.

2:30 - The team dives into the recent slew of private label brands that have been launching this year with senior reporter Brad Avery explaining the new line that was announced by CVS.

4:10 - Monica shares what we know so far about Walmart's new store brand bettergoods and how it aligns with other mass retailers moves in the category.

6:15 - The team discusses what this says about the changing formula for private label strategy in major retailers and how this exemplifies what has happened in grocery post-pandemic.

11:20 - Lukas goes through what we know so far about Nestlé's expected Q4 release of a GLP-1 positioned frozen meal line. The group talks about how this is not the first – and likely not  the last – weight management brand to come out of the "Ozempic Era." 

About the 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 podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

In this episode:

What did the CPG Week team think of Netflix's "Unfrosted" movie? The group dives into Jerry Seinfeld's Pop-Tarts biopic and why it is a (partially) accurate portrayal of the R&D process of creating a CPG food product. Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous shares some of the latest snack trends as related to the Sweets & Snacks Expo happening this week. Senior reporter Lukas Southard goes on to unpack the unfolding cocoa pricing crisis and what that means for chocolate producers. Finally, senior reporter Brad Avery talks about the latest update from Foxtrot's sudden dissolution and what happened at the asset auction.

Show Highlights:

1:40 - Monica takes the temperature of Brad and Lukas' opinions of Netflix's "Unfrosted" movie. They discuss their personal takes on the comedy centered on Pop-Tarts and discuss how the CPG industry is interpreting its representation of the R&D process in packaged food.

7:00 - In light of the Sweets & Snacks Expo happening this week, Monica talks about the latest trends in the categories released by the National Confectioners Association in conjunction with the food show.

8:10 - What's happening with cocoa pricing, and how that might impact chocolate producer margins as waning supply continues to push pricing up? Lukas explains what has happened in the last six months and how food tech innovation might be a growing solution to the problem.

12:05 - Brad updates the team on the latest from the abrupt closure of Foxtrot including what happened at the asset auction for both Foxtrot and Dom's Kitchen & Market.

About the 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 podcast@nosh.com.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts