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This Week in CPG 09/30/24
🛒 Retail Rollouts
🥭 Jack & Friends' NYC Debut
Jack & Friends, founded by Jessica Kwong, is now live in its first Whole Foods Market location—the new Whole Foods Daily Shop in Lennox Hill, NYC. All three of their signature jackfruit jerky flavors are on the shelves at 1175 3rd Ave, and the brand is thrilled to be part of the curated selection in this new retail format. This is just the beginning, as Jack & Friends will roll out across all Whole Foods Northeast locations next month, marking a significant expansion for the brand. Special thanks go out to John Lawson, Luis Camino, and the Whole Foods team for making this milestone possible.
🌾 Chasin' Dreams Farm Hits Whole Foods South Pacific
Chasin’ Dreams Farm, founded by Sydney Chasin, is now available at Whole Foods South Pacific, bringing its regeneratively farmed sorghum snacks to the shelves. This launch is a fulfillment of a dream that started in Sydney’s kitchen, where she experimented with quality ingredients to create a unique product. The brand is also debuting new packaging in these stores, offering a refreshed look alongside their wholesome snacks.
🌿 Seedly Foods Expands to MOM's Organic Market
Seedly Foods, founded by Mateen Pouyafar, has officially launched in MOM’s Organic Market, making its nutritious, low-sugar Seed Bark available to even more shoppers. The bark, available in flavors like Celtic Sea Salt, Raspberry Bliss, and Vanilla Quinoa Crunch, is packed with the protein power of seeds and made from organic ingredients. Mateen is proud of this partnership, as it aligns with Seedly’s mission of delivering healthy snacks that also support sustainable agriculture.
🍛 Lentiful Expands in Major Retailers
Lentiful, founded by Ben Bacon, has made a major leap in distribution, landing in Wegmans Food Markets, 370 Walmart stores, and Misfits Market. These new placements give Lentiful access to key regions and shoppers, especially in the Northeast, where there is high demand for its convenient, lentil-based products. In addition, the brand is celebrating the success of its recent Pitch Slam win at the Colorado Food Collision, bringing further visibility to their products.
🌶️ Maazah Secures Major Retail Deals
Maazah, founded by Sheilla Sajady and Yasameen Sajady, is preparing for a major retail expansion with upcoming partnerships with Costco, Whole Foods, and Target. The news, which was recently featured in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, highlights the rapid growth of the brand and its increasing demand among customers. The Maazah team credits their loyal community of “saucy super fans” for supporting them every step of the way as they prepare for this next phase.
🚀 New Product Launch
☕ Bauer's Brew Launches COLDSPRESSO
Bauer’s Brew, founded by Mike Bauer, has launched its new product, COLDSPRESSO, a cold-brew espresso created using a proprietary Cold’Xtraction process. After years of research and development, Bauer’s Brew delivers this innovative beverage to coffee lovers, elevating their coffee experience beyond the ordinary. Mike describes COLDSPRESSO as a tool for crafting exceptional coffee, embracing the brand’s philosophy that coffee is an art, not just a commodity.
🤝 Brand Partnerships
🧃 MIZO Lands Sam’s Club Deal
MIZO, co-founded by Holly Paul and Chris Tran, secured a Walmart Open Call Golden Ticket, setting the stage for their hard juice pouches to be sold in Sam’s Club stores nationwide in 2025. The founders are ecstatic about the opportunity to bring their nostalgic, adult-friendly juice pouches to a larger market, thanks to Walmart’s support. This partnership will allow MIZO to expand its consumer base and continue creating joyful moments for its fans.
💸 Acquisitions and Investments
🥣 Lil Bucks Closes $3M Series A Round
Lil Bucks, founded by Emily Griffith, recently secured $3 million in Series A funding, led by Proterra Investment Partners. This achievement is a significant milestone for Emily, who overcame various challenges as a solo, first-time founder in the CPG space. With this new capital, Lil Bucks will continue to build its brand and expand its product line, which focuses on nutritious, buckwheat-based snacks. Emily is deeply grateful to her supporters and advisors for helping Lil Bucks reach this point.
🎉 News to Celebrate
🥄 Little Spoon Sets New Baby Food Safety Standard
Little Spoon, co-founded by Ben Lewis and Angela Vranich, has set a new precedent in baby food safety, becoming the first U.S. company to test every batch for 500+ toxins, including heavy metals and pesticides. Inspired by stringent European Union standards, the company is raising the bar on product quality and transparency. Little Spoon’s commitment is clear: if a batch doesn’t meet their standards, it won’t be sold. This initiative marks a significant step forward in the baby food industry.
🌱 Wild Bay Featured in Baltimore Showcase
Wild Bay, founded by Sid Sharma, was honored to be part of the Ignite Capital and Innovation Works Baltimore showcase, which highlighted the brand’s current fundraising efforts. As part of a portfolio that supports growth-stage businesses in Baltimore, Wild Bay is excited about the exposure and potential partnerships this opportunity brings as they continue their mission to innovate in the beverage space.
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