🛒 Retail Rollouts
🍫 Elavi doubles Costco presence in SoCal
Elavi, co-founded by Michelle Razavi and Nikki Elliott, is doubling its presence in Southern California Costco stores, with a refreshed look for its low-sugar, vegan chocolate cashew butters. After a successful first rotation that exceeded sales velocity targets by 40%, Elavi’s innovative, healthier alternative to traditional spreads is now available in twice as many locations. The revamped packaging and product formulation, along with eye-catching display optimization, are expected to help meet the growing demand for their 5x lower sugar, dairy- and palm oil-free chocolate butters.
🥭 Seal the Seasons expands smoothie kit lineup
Seal the Seasons, founded by Patrick Mateer and Alejandro Piasecki, is launching its Blue Spirulina Tropical Blend Smoothie Kit at Wegmans, Giant Foods, and more, expanding their locally sourced frozen fruit lineup. This smoothie kit leverages locally grown freestone peach slices from family farms, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to responsible sourcing. With demand for blue spirulina products fueled by social media trends, the new kit offers a no-measure, health-focused option for consumers craving vibrant and nutritious smoothies.
🌿 Apothékary tinctures hit 450+ Sprouts locations
Apothékary, founded by Shizu Okusa, has launched its wellness tinctures in over 450 Sprouts Farmers Market locations across the U.S., focusing on customer health store preferences. With a range of products including Wine Down™, Take the Edge Off®, and Mindcraft™, the brand is addressing a growing consumer demand for natural wellness solutions. Apothékary’s strategic partnership with Sprouts highlights the company’s rapid growth and commitment to making its plant-based remedies more accessible.
🌶️ Yellowbird lands nationwide in Kroger stores
Yellowbird Foods, co-founded by George Milton and Erin Link, has landed nationwide in Kroger, bringing their spicy sauces to more consumers. Known for their bold, flavorful hot sauces, Yellowbird’s expansion into Kroger marks a major milestone for the brand. With their popular sauces now more widely available, Yellowbird continues to heat up the market with their commitment to natural, preservative-free ingredients and spicy innovation.
🐷 Pork King Good launches at Tractor Supply Company
Pork King Good, founded by Lauren Koston, has launched their Dill Pickle Pork Rinds in Tractor Supply Company stores, offering a savory snack option to shoppers. Known for their fun and flavorful approach to pork rinds, Pork King Good is expanding its reach into new retail channels. This launch at Tractor Supply is a major move for the brand, bringing their best-selling Dill Pickle flavor to a broader audience in a fast-growing retail environment.
🍇 Realsy debuts at Wegmans in the Northeast
Realsy, co-founded by Austin Patry and Sophia Karbowski, has hit the shelves at Wegmans Food Markets, expanding their footprint in the Northeast with their dried fruit products. Known for their commitment to clean, natural ingredients, realsy’s partnership with the family-owned grocery chain brings their unique offerings to one of the most respected retailers in the region. This move is a key step in realsy’s growth strategy as they continue to expand their retail presence.
🍉 ROAR Organic adds Buffalo Strive Markets to its retail reach
ROAR Organic, founded by Roly Nesi, is now available through Buffalo Strive Markets, offering their healthy beverages in micro-markets across the region. The brand’s expansion into Buffalo Strive’s top-tier markets helps employees access “better for you” drink options throughout their workday. This partnership represents a strategic effort to expand ROAR Organic’s reach in workplace wellness spaces, meeting the rising demand for healthier hydration alternatives.
🌶️Homiah's Malaysian flavors hit Texas shelves
Homiah, founded by Michelle Tew, officially launches at H-E-B stores across Texas, offering its full range of Malaysian-inspired products, including Sambal Chili Crunches and curry pastes. Customers across the Texas Triangle, Corpus Christi, Midland, and more can now experience Granny Nonie’s cherished recipes, bringing the bold flavors of Laksa, Rendang, and Red Curry to their local H-E-B. Michelle Tew expressed her excitement about seeing her family’s traditions represented on the shelves of the iconic retailer and encouraged fans to use the store locator to find Homiah products near them.
🤝 Brand Partnerships
🥪 Haven's Kitchen partners with Hero Bread
Haven’s Kitchen, founded by Alison Cayne, has partnered with Hero Bread, offering their AIOLI on the brand’s website to help customers hit free shipping and upgrade their sandwiches. Originally starting as a gift with purchase, this collaboration has grown into a full-fledged partnership, benefiting both brands by driving higher average order values and introducing Haven’s Kitchen to health-conscious Hero Bread consumers. This creative partnership showcases the synergy between two like-minded companies committed to high-quality, healthy products.
🍪Lexington Bakes teams up for seasonal collaborations
Lexington Bakes, founded by Lex Evan, kicks off its 2024 seasonal lineup today with a Peanut Butter Chip Cookie collaboration with French Squirrel, the first of four bi-weekly drops featuring limited-edition flavors. This exciting lineup, crafted in just six weeks, includes partnerships with brands like Equator Coffees, Raaka Chocolate, and Seed + Mill, delivering a mix of nostalgic autumn and holiday tastes. Lex Evan expressed gratitude to all involved, promising more updates as each product launches and teasing which retailers will carry these innovative flavors throughout the season.
💸 Acquisitions and Investments
💼 PepsiCo acquires Siete Family Foods in a $1.2 billion deal
Siete Family Foods, founded by Veronica, Miguel, and Aida Garza, announces its $1.2 billion acquisition by PepsiCo, marking a significant milestone for the Mexican-American food brand as it plans to scale its operations. Known for healthier versions of traditional Mexican-American staples, Siete has grown rapidly in the past decade, reaching an expected $500 million in revenue this year. The acquisition signals a new chapter for the Austin-based company, with PepsiCo aiming to expand Siete’s multicultural offerings while building on the legacy created by the Garza family, whose continued involvement remains uncertain.
🎉 News to Celebrate
🥇 Myles Comfort Foods wins big at California Grocers competition
Myles Comfort Foods, founded by Myles Powell, won first place and the Audience Choice Award at the California Grocers Association pitch competition, securing major West Coast retail partnerships. The dual awards come with five golden tickets, opening the door to new retail collaborations on the West Coast. This victory highlights the brand’s rising momentum and the growing appeal of its comfort food offerings.
🌾 The Real Cereal Company achieves new certifications
The Real Cereal Company, co-founded by Daniel Abramovich and Tom Binder, is now officially Gluten-Free and OU Kosher Certified, marking a milestone in their commitment to clean-label cereal. These certifications, combined with their USDA Organic status, reflect the company’s dedication to offering high-quality, delicious cereals that meet a range of dietary needs. The brand continues to set new standards in the cereal aisle, cementing its reputation for transparency and quality.
🚀 CPG Brand Accelerator kicks off a new 13-week program for founders
CPG Brand Accelerator welcomes 15 dynamic founders to its 13-week program, providing mentorship and resources to help scale their businesses, following their completion of an intensive CPG Bootcamp led by the Accelerator’s founder. The cohort includes Leonardo Cotter (Craize Snacks), Erik Rothchild (WheyUp), Ash Ghandehari (HyBurst), Carolyn Hamlet (ōku), Hannah Minardi (Standard Self Care), Lane Matkovich (Nonny Beer), Todd Strauss-Schulson, Abe Schwartz (tizz), Michael Cressey, Phil Migliarese III (Tatsu Tea), Jonathon Soond (Spark Organics), Deborah Dworkin (Dr. Mushroom), Simon Solis-Cohen and Huxley, Chris Jordan, Jack McCabe and (Rechargeable Skincare), Gaby Macias (BRUTAL ) and Austin Wiberg (G/7 Studio).
The Accelerator, designed to guide entrepreneurs through the challenges of the CPG industry, offers participants one-on-one mentorship, resources, and the opportunity to collaborate with experienced leaders and each other. The program focuses on scaling established brands and nurturing early-stage startups, creating a collaborative environment where founders can share insights and “pay it forward” within the cohort. Following their completion of a 3-month CPG Bootcamp, these founders are now equipped with the tools and support to take their brands to new heights.