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Innovating in a commodity category as old as salt is bound to be complex. 

The competition is ancient and their products are often sold at rock bottom prices (Think: $5 or less). But Raina Kumra, a tech investor-turned food and wellness entrepreneur, found a way. 

Now, after six years of iterating its nutrient dense, ayurveda-inspired New Salt and New Pepper products, Kumra’s company Spicewell has proven there are consumers eager for a new take on a pantry staple – if you know where to find them. 

What They Said: “This year we’re focusing more on what we can see and control: if we put money in, we can see the money come out,” said founder and CEO Raina Kumra. 

The Approach: In a world where nutrient density is in high demand, Spicewell has created a simple solution. Its salt and pepper products contain one full serving of vegetables per ½ teaspoon as well as naturally-sourced trace minerals

• The salt offers 30% lower sodium than traditional alternatives and the pepper is infused with turmeric for anti-inflammation benefits. 

“The food industry has treated health as an add-on in a new category when it really should be merged,” Kumra said. 

Read the full story and analysis on Nosh

Consumer attitudes toward sugar are evolving, creating new considerations for food and beverage brands as they evaluate formulation and innovation strategies.

Brightfield Group’s August 2026 report shows that 50.8% of U.S. adults are actively cutting sugar, while processed sugar is increasingly viewed through the lens of ingredient quality and processing rather than calories alone. The report examines how these preferences are translating into consumer behavior, social conversation and emerging product opportunities.

Access the full report with an Insider subscription

California-based school meal provider Revolution Foods has acquired Ardella’s, a five decade-old maker of pizzas and burritos primarily sold to K-12 schools. Read the story.

Chicago-based Sweetmore Bakeries is extending its manufacturing network to the West Coast with the acquisition of California-based Fantasy Baking Co. Read the story.

Fitting somewhere on the “swicy” spectrum, Talkback promises to deliver “the world’s most interesting flavors in the humble shortbread cookie.” Read our full review.

You’re seeing the surface. Insider members get the full story.

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If staying ahead is part of your job, this is your silver bullet.

For more than a decade, Cheeky Cocktails has built a following with premium syrups and juices designed to elevate at-home cocktails.

Now, founder and CEO April Wachtel is pushing the brand into a first-of-its-kind functional tonic, and shares how real-world feedback is reshaping everything from where the product belongs on the shelf to how she’s thinking about Cheeky’s next chapter.

Listen to the episode.

Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.