CPG startups on 2024: Tierra Negra, RMBR, Mez Foods share high, low moments of the year
Startup CPG hosts emerging Chicago-based startups at annual holiday event
Startups & entrepreneurs
Startup Spotlight
BAKR Cookies collaborates with co-manufacturers to scale clean-label brand
Former Proctor & Gamble director Alexa Ryan is using her logistic and supply chain know-how to expand her clean-label frozen cookie dough brand, BAKR Cookies, beyond the Midwest in 2025.
Startup Spotlight
Eat Senza builds its pasta brand one dollar at a time
The pasta makers’ crowdfunding approach to organic growth.
Founders’ Fundamentals Podcast
Startup CPG, Emil Capital Partners, SPINS share tips for success in 2025
To break out in 2025, CPG founders must conserve capital, strategically plan promotions and offer value and premiumization, according to experts during an episode of the Founders' Fundamentals podcast.
Startup Spotlight
Throne Sport Coffee shares why investing in a team is essential to achieve CPG dream
To keep overhead low, entrepreneurs often wear multiple hats and work long hours with a skeleton crew when first launching a business, but the founder of the ready-to-drink coffee startup Throne Sport Coffee suggests this may be penny-wise, but...
Startup Spotlight
Happy Wolf’s Whole Foods expansion is a ‘make or break’ moment for kid’s snack brand
Clean-label children snack brand Happy Wolf is leaning on brand ambassadors to spread awareness of its Whole Foods Market launch and where the product can be located, Jana Goodbaum, co-founder of Happy Wolf, shared in a recent Startup Spotlight interview.
Founders’ Fundamentals podcast shares strategies for enduring CPG brands
Building a successful food and beverage CPG business often requires the right mix of ingenuity – knowing where the market is heading before it is there – and carefully expanding retail distribution while keeping an eye on margins, velocities and cash...
One Trick Pony bucks CPG industry’s high failure rate to celebrate second birthday
As peanut butter brand One Trick Pony celebrates its second anniversary, co-founder Lucy Dana acknowledges how few startups reach this milestone and she reflects on lessons she learned to achieve this rare success, including the concept that “done is...
Real California Milk Excelerator features 'herd' of game-changers in dairy
In its sixth year, the Real California Milk Excelerator powered by VentureFuel brought together a diverse cohort – or herd – of startups, students and processors that are “harnessing the nutritional benefits of real dairy” to improve digestion, boost...
Startup Spotlight
Pistakio secures retail deals with last-minute recipe pivot
Pistachio spread brand Pistakio landed key retail partnerships despite a last-minute formula change driven by logistical challenges — a feat made possible by the founders’ pistachio expertise and their commitment to filling a gap in the nut butter market.
Packaging with starch: Thai firm offers tapioca-based thermoplastic material as sustainable option for food industry
Thai Wah is aiming to use its tapioca-based thermoplastic starch (TPS) for its consumer food packaging to create a closed-loop solution starting with cassava cultivation and ending with eco-friendly waste that enriches the soil.
Startup Spotlight
An unexpected strategy for startups to land retail shelf space: Saying ‘no’
Knowing when to say ‘no’ to a retailer, distributor or broker can be just as powerful of a growth driver for emerging brands as saying yes, as illustrated by the initial success of the clean-label barbeque sauce startup Tamarind Heads.
Big Interview
A sensible rebel: Juicy Marbles' boss on breaking even, NPD and beyond
After raising “peanuts” to launch a plant-based meat business around Covid-19, Juicy Marbles is set to break even within its fourth year and is planning NPD along with another funding launch.
Love + Chew navigates cocoa price hikes to expand Whole Foods partnership
Cocoa shortages cannot stop vegan superfood cookie brand Love + Chew's retail growth as the company expands its Whole Foods store count from 135 to over 500 stores and tees up product innovation in 2025.
Belly Brand taps into functional, clean-label trends with gluten-free baking mixes
Belly Brand Foods is delivering gut and skin health benefits with its collagen-infused and gluten-free bakery mixes, as the company gears up to spread brand awareness in 2025 with trade shows.
Dairy innovation and trends
Letter from the editor: Innovations, trends & startups reshaping the dairy category
The dairy case is no longer a limited selection of fat-free, low-fat or whole milk in generic white bottles or a bare-bones choice between just “orange” or “white” cheese – rather an explosion of innovation in recent years has dramatically multiplied...
Why buy the cow? Animal-free casein grows to drive the future of dairy alternatives
The growing interest in animal-free casein, the key protein responsible for the flavor, texture and nutritional profile of conventional dairy, is driving innovation in the alternative dairy space as a solution that replicates dairy’s complex qualities...
11 startups disrupting dairy across categories from the farm to store shelf
Dairy’s nutrient density and decadent eating experience create a powerful canvas for startups innovating across categories to offer better-for-you moments of permissible indulgence while simultaneously supporting the health of consumers, the planet and...
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast
What is the business proposition for 100% grass fed dairy?
Research and advocates for 100% grass-fed dairy suggest the practice is better for people, the planet and animals – but is it better for business?
Startup Spotlight
Fishwife reels in bold flavors, creative branding to revive canned fish category
Tinned fish brand Fishwife launched in response to the lack of innovation and bold branding in the multi-billion-dollar canned fish category, with a strategic focus on culinary-inspired flavors and artistically-driven packaging, CEO and Co-Founder, Becca...
Video
Ask the experts: What do F&B start-ups get wrong?
What do food and drink start-up businesses get wrong? It’s the big question facing many fledgling businesses. FoodNavigator speaks to nine industry experts to find out.
Startup Spotlight
Tips to secure deals in writing: ‘A verbal commitment means almost nothing’
Long gone are the days when a deal was sealed with a handshake and verbal commitment, which is why the co-founder of veggie snack startup Theo’s advises entrepreneurs to be persistent – but not annoying – about securing commitments in writing before acting.
Start-up fights iron deficiency through precision fermentation
A biotech start-up is producing iron compounds, through precision fermentation, that are more bioavailable than much naturally occurring iron in plants.
Superguts' Target expansion underscores new retail playbook for addressing Ozempic era demands
Demand for GLP-1 support products helped gut-health brand Supergut triple sales in the last year and opened retail doors, including at Target.
Future Food-Tech 2024
How two start-ups are improving food safety and quality with innovation
Food safety and quality are two sides of the same coin. But how is the process of making food not only safe but beneficial for the consumer being made more efficient?
How Bumpin Blends’ founder turned a flight delay into a Barbie collab
When a delayed flight could have ruined her day, Bumpin Blends' founder, Lisa Mastela, used the downtime to network with fellow travelers and, in doing so, connected with representatives from toymaker Mattel that ultimately landed the smoothie brand a...
Founders’ Fundamentals Podcast
Christy Lebor of SmashBrand discusses ‘the head and the heart’ of brand strategy
Successful CPG startups not only strike the right balance between delivering on product claims and branding aesthetics — the head and heart of building a food and beverage business — but also provide consumers easy ways to learn about their brand when...
Soup-to-Nuts Podcast
Steward’s novel lending model reinforces supply chains for regenerative, regionally produced ingredients and products consumers want
Consumer interest in products made with ingredients from regional smallholder farmers or those practicing regenerative agriculture is on the rise, but CPG companies and suppliers are struggling to meet their demand in part because most farmers are unable...
Recoup launches gut-friendly beverage at Sprouts, raises awareness on benefits of regen ag
Recoup’s prebiotic sparkling beverages hit the shelves at 420 Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide, as the company leans into gut health and regenerative agriculture claims to deliver consumer demands for functional and environmental benefits.
Funding alt-protein: Investors shift to supply chains, startups eye govt grants
Venture capitalists are focusing further down the alt-protein supply chain when investing, as startups partner up and use government grants to survive and thrive in a challenging funding environment.
Future Food-Tech 2024
Three hot start-ups designing and creating sector-challenging proteins
There are myriad ways to design and create proteins. We spoke to some of the key players in this varied space.
Startup Spotlight
Beekeeper Coffee taps into youth culture to build its RTD honey-sweetened coffee
Beekeeper Coffee's co-founders leveraged their extensive brand-building expertise from giants like Nike and Beats by Dre to stand out in the crowded RTD coffee market with a distinct honey-sweetened brew, emphasizing authenticity and sustainability...
Data, discipline, differentiation: How CPG brands can find market success by focusing on the basics
Building a successful CPG business often hinges on a combination of telling investors a compelling story, conserving capital and resources, and providing true differentiation in a product category, a panel of CPG experts shared on a recent Naturally...
Babylife Organics rebuilds trust in baby food category with transparency, regen ag focus
Babylife Organics is reducing the levels of heavy metals in baby food by carefully sourcing ingredients and committing to certified regenerative organic processes while providing caregivers an easy way to check arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury levels...
Watch on demand: Innovating low- and no-sugar beverages that meet function & flavor
Consumers increasingly want more from their beverages – more benefits, more flavor and more fun, but they do not want more sugar nor do they want to compromise on taste, which creates a challenge for manufacturers to find the sweet spot between shoppers’...
Startup Spotlight
Regenerative organic agriculture certification opens retail doors, drives sales for SIMPLi
Fast-growing pantry staples brand SIMPLi is reinvigorating sleepy center-store categories and unlocking additional distribution in thousands of regional and independent grocers nationwide after growing nearly 500% year-over-year at Whole Foods Market...
Rebellyous Foods deploys Mock 2 system to lower plant-based meat costs with continuous production
Rebellyous Foods launched its much-anticipated Mock 2 plant-based meat production system with RMS Foods following delays of its launch in Dec. 2023 after plans with an initial co-manufacturer fell through.
Startup Spotlight
Coffee for children? Kiid Coffee takes a functional twist on the morning cup of Joe
Coffee is not just for adults thanks to Kiid Coffee, a functional beverage mix designed to help children hit their daily recommended intake of iron, magnesium, calcium and other important nutrients, the brand's co-founder David Sanborn told...
Calling all Sports & Active Nutrition start-ups!
NutraIngredients-USA is inviting early-stage active lifestyle brands to enter its "Start-up Stars" competition which will see three pioneering entrepreneurs gain industry notoriety at the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit 2025.
Startup Spotlight
Ayo Foods’ expansion reflects a growing ‘cultural movement’ among consumers and retail
West African frozen meal and sauce brand Ayo Foods’ expanded from 200 retail doors to more than 20 retailers nationwide through a combination of cold calling and working with brokers to land shelf space.
Founders' Fundamentals Podcast: Understanding product-market fit, branding basics with Jordan Buckner
Food and beverage CPG startups can set themselves up for long-term business success by slowly and strategically growing their retail footprint, focusing first on product-market fit, unique branding and wisely allocating marketing dollars to build loyalty...
Lil Bucks raises $3m in Series A funding to fuel retail growth, product innovation
Sprouted buckwheat food brand Lil Bucks secured $3 million in Series A funding in a round led by Proterra Investment Partners, following measures to extend its runway amid continued capital-raising challenges, company founder and CEO Emily Griffith told...
What are the barriers to innovation in food and beverage?
Many of food and beverage's greatest innovations are born from from start-ups. But why is innovation on a decline and what's the future of food and drink NPD?
David protein bars secure $10M backing, led by CPG veterans emphasizing nutrition over diet trends
Protein bar brand David’s founders, including RXBAR Co-founder Peter Rahal, attracted investors with their industry experience and an emphasis on protein as a science-backed, enduring macronutrient over fleeting diet trends, Rahal told FoodNavigator-USA
Startup Spotlight
Functional beverage startup Yesly’s viral social media posts underscore big ad budgets are not necessary for big impact
Big advertising budgets are not a requirement for big sales or an indicator of how successful a marketing campaign will be as illustrated by a viral video on social media by functional beverage newcomer Yesly, which generated more than 16 million views...
Startup Spotlight
Mission MightyMe’s snack puffs hit Target shelves, as brand aims ‘to drastically reduce the rate of nut allergies’
Children's snack brand Mission MightyMe is taking its first big step beyond ecommerce, launching in select Target stores, after raising $2.3 million earlier in the year to fuel growth and raise awareness on reducing peanut allergies by introducing the...
NutriFusion’s flexible minimum orders resonate with emerging brands
NutriFusion’s flexibility in minimum order quantities (MOQs) of its fruit and vegetable concentrate blends to startup companies can be a significant advantage for new and smaller brands looking to enter the competitive functional beverage market.
From high-protein dairy to coffee with collagen: Who’s made it into the 2024 Real California Milk Excelerator final?
We look at the food and beverage start-ups that will go head-to-head in the 6th edition of the competition . . .
Whipnotic reveals holiday LTOs, seeks to expand use of patented nozzle technology
Whipnotic is releasing two new holiday flavors of its whipped cream, as the company hits business milestones ahead of schedule with the help of its patented nozzle technology, the two co-founders shared with FoodNavigator-USA.
Ummino self-affirms GRAS status for enzyme producing bio-derived lactosamine, focuses on rebalancing adult microbiome
Biosciences company Ummino achieved self-affirmed GRAS status for the enzyme to produce its bioidentical prebiotic bioactive lactosamine composition, Hummino, as it readies for commercial expansion of this fiber normally found in human breast milk,...