Whole Foods Market has issued a variety of policy changes for vendors who come in contact with store employees as it works to cut back possible routes of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt across the country, the food and beverage industry is stepping up to give back to those directly impacted by the crisis. In this roundup, we look at the efforts brands are taking to support children reliant on school-provided meals, healthcare workers on the front lines and their own distribution partners.
Ashley Thompson, co-founder and CEO of innovative ready-to-eat oat brand MUSH, spoke about why she set out to create a “best for you” product, why she likes having a “polarizing” brand name, how she prepared for her first meeting with Whole Foods and why the company has pivoted from being “product first” to “team first.”
As grocery workers help feed Americans sheltering in place, at least 30 have died from COVID-19, with nearly 3,000 reporting missing work due to symptoms, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).
Yesterday, John Raiche, EVP of supplier services at UNFI, discussed in detail how the industry is adapting to the changes brought on by the novel coronavirus in a webinar hosted by the Hirshberg Enterprise Institute. Raiche offered advice for how brands can adapt to the new environment while providing an update on how UNFI is responding to the demands of the crisis.
Molson Coors Beverage Company is deepening its relationship with Quebec-based cannabis company HEXO, today announcing the launch of a new joint venture to produce non-alcoholic CBD-infused beverages in Colorado.
The seventh round of food and beverage brands includes PathWater, The Snack Brigade, Ficks Beverage Co. and Mason Dixie Foods. We also have a special co-host this week, Patrick Schwarzenegger, who invests in and advises emerging food and beverage brands. He'll weigh in on the brands from an investor's perspective and provide feedback.
CBD-infused beverage maker Cloud Water had been preparing to make a broad retail expansion this year, aided by a new partnership with New York DSD distributor Big Geyser. But as the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed expansion in traditional retail channels, the company is adjusting its strategy in the hope that it can still hit triple-digit growth goals.
Kate Farms, a California-based maker of medical grade meal replacement drinks, has raised $23 million in a Series A-1 funding round, the company announced this week, bringing its total financing to $48 million. According to chairman and CEO Brett Matthews, the round will primarily go towards scaling company operations and increasing sales and marketing efforts.
Ready-to-drink coffee brand FORTO has restructured its sales team and eliminated 10 regional management positions within its direct store delivery (DSD) division, BevNET learned this week.
Trey Zoeller, founder of pioneering whiskey brand Jefferson’s Bourbon, spoke about overcoming initial criticism of his experimental methods for aging bourbon, why he doesn’t consider himself a distiller, balancing consumer demand for diversity, consistency and predictability and why he’ll “never create a brand or an expression out of a boardroom.”
Plant-based beverage brand Koia has completed a bridge funding round with investment platform CircleUp Growth Partners that could possibly represent “the last money into the company,” according to CEO Chris Hunter. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Seeking a point of differentiation in the crowded cold brew coffee set, Boston-based Back Bay Roasters is shifting its focus from its single-serve line to its bag-in-box format, beginning with a rollout to 200 Walmart stores on the East Coast next month. The move comes as a number of rising cold brew startups have embraced multiserve packaging.
BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero sat down with Greg Steltenpohl, co-founder and CEO of Califia Farms, on a video call to discuss his thoughts on how both investors and brands may be considering the current and post-COVID market landscape.
