You’re receiving the Lite Edition of Nosh’s Daily Briefing. Join us as a BevNET & Nosh Insider to receive the full version, which includes:

• Inside an intuitive take to convince consumers to give balanced protein a second bite
• A broad sweep tracking how AI is infiltrating the industry
• News of regulatory approval for a new sweet protein
• An new athlete-investor partnership for an emerging produce brand
• Protein proliferates within private label

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Any parent will tell you that slipping chopped-up veggies into a burger or meatball is an easy way to get more nutrition into a picky eater, yet for brands taking the same bait-and-switch strategy, results have been mixed.

Carnéa is the latest business aiming to tackle blended meat, or “balanced protein,” taking an “elevated” approach to the niche category. The Houston-based brand is attempting to reel in consumers by focusing on “fine-dining flavors,” with sustainability claims as a secondary value proposition.

Insiders can access the full story to understand the full scope of Carnéa’s strategy to bring consumers to the blended meat set.

The deadline is coming up fast. 

🎤 Craft and present your pitch on the main stage to a diverse audience, including a panel of expert judges from the fields of branding, retail, investment, consulting, and design. 

📸 Participating brands often achieve celebrity-like status among attendees, naturally facilitating conversations with industry experts, investors and potential partners.

📝 Our judges will also provide immediate feedback on market potential, packaging, viability, and overall presentation. 

🏆 The winner will be awarded the prestigious title of Pitch Slam Champion, a livestream interview, a promotional package valued at $10,000, and a strategy session with Vdriven. 

🗓️ The deadline to apply is Friday, October 10. Apply now. 

Hy-Vee debuted a new partnership with nutrition intelligence platform FoodHealth Company, becoming the first grocery retailer to bring the color-coded, numerical nutritional score directly to products sold in-store.

Become an Insider for all of the details.

Here’s a look at leading headlines from around the food industry. Insiders get access to the full story.

1. Khloud Names Jeff Rubenstein As CEO
2. After Conquering Olives, Freestyle Snacks Tackles Pickles
3. NotCo Expands Beyond Plant-Based With Magnum Ice Cream Partnership
4. Absurd Snacks Ramps Up Production With New Co-Man, Goes Nationwide
5. Can Big Food Compete Among Entrepreneurs?

Looking to make more data-based decisions for your business? The Nombase Data Hub is your centralized resource for food, beverage, and beer industry reports, available exclusively to Insiders.

📊 Gain access to reports built from consumer insights, social listening, scan data, and on-premise surveys.

Unlock the full archive here.

This week, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard discuss the most recent twist in Ben & Jerry’s battle with Unilever as co-founder Jerry Greenfield steps down from his iconic ice cream brand.

• Need more high-protein drinks? Lukas discusses how Slate Milk has ridden the trend to a $23 million investment.
• How will SlimFast fare under another new owner? Monica explains how the diet brand could have a rebirth under Spenda-owner Heartland Food Products Group.
• Hear about the newest celebrity to enter NA beers. Hint: He is “winning” again.

Click here to listen to this week’s episode. Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

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