Upgrade to BevNET & Nosh Insider, our all-in-one membership for exclusive insights, data reports, on-demand CPG video courses, the full Daily Briefing and Insider-only content.

Explore Insider Member Benefits

Insiders also gain access to the Newsletter Archive, including all previous Insider-only editions.

Low-sugar chocolate is about to get the Peter Rahal treatment.

The RXBAR and David Protein founder is launching HallPass at the end of the month alongside serial entrepreneur Michael Tierney (founder of paleo bakery brand Mikey’s and Stuffed Puffs).

HallPass will be housed under David’s parent company, Medici Brands, but will operate with a separate team as the protein bar maker.

The Details: HallPass is starting with a 3-SKU line of chocolate candies: Peanut Cups, Chocolatey Candy Pieces and Peanut Creme Crispy Wafers. The line will launch in Walmart on August 29 and will be priced in line with the leading category brands for $1.82.

• Each single-serve pack contains 1 gram of sugar and 70 calories

• The formulation features Epogee’s plant-based ingredient EPG, which reduces calories from fat

• Its sweetener system comprises soluble corn fiber, tagatose, allulose, erythritol, and trace amounts of sucralose and ace-K balance

Zooming Out: The new brand is taking a different approach than Rahal’s protein-laced candy Hormbles Chormbles, with a position firmly rooted in low-sugar chocolate. 

By leveraging his company’s EPG ingredient (see more on that here), HallPass can carve out territory in the growing better-for-you candy set and compete on-shelf with incumbent brands like Lily’s, Unreal or Skinny Dipped. 

What They Said: “We are a hall pass between having to choose between taste, price, and nutrition; a trade you have always had to make in some form until now. You don’t pay more for a diet soda, but you do for better-for-you candy. We’re changing that.” – Michael Tierney, HallPass co-founder and president

Read the full story

Chicago’s food, beverage, and beer community is getting together this Thursday, August 13 for a free evening of networking, Taste Radio podcast interviews, and plenty of time to connect with local founders and others working across the industry.

Doors open at 5:00 PM, with live conversations featuring Adam Spriggs of The Angel Group, Alex Witt of Battle Bars, and Pilot Project Brewing co-founders Jordan Radke and Dan Abel — followed by more drinks, conversation, and networking.

It’s free to attend, so grab your spot and come hang with us!

:INCLUDED's 2026 Impact Report suggest that while diverse founders are demonstrating capital efficiency and real business traction, access to the resources needed to scale remains uneven. Read the story.

B&G Foods posted a net sales drop of 9.7% ($41.1 million) year-over-year during its second-quarter earnings results. But that trajectory is expected to change considering the decrease was largely due to portfolio reshaping efforts. Read the story.

Fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen has teamed up with premium tinned fish purveyor Fishwife to create a limited-edition Summer Niçoise salad, available at all locations through August 24. Read the story.

Tired of chasing food, beverage, and beer reports across sites? The Nombase Data Hub, powered by BevNET, brings together consumer trends, category shifts, retail data, all in one searchable archive, powered by top research partners.

Insider-only access here.

It’s Hump Day! Here’s a taste of the latest marketing moves from around the food industry.

🥯 Dave's Killer Bread is pumping up the pumpkin spice timeline with the return of its “Pumpkin Spice Madness” Bagels for the first time in seven years. Learn more.

🍅 Saturday Sauce has received a makeover as parent company Sababa Foods pushes the ready-to-eat Mediterranean simmer sauce toward a national retail expansion. Check out the details.

🍩 Bakeful announced a new partnership with Keep Austin Beautiful to supply its better-for-you baked snacks to volunteers at community events throughout the year. Check out our latest report on the business.

Hungry for more? Access the latest marketing news with Nosh Insider

Many founders think private label can compromise opportunities for their brand. 

Derek Brawley thinks that's backwards. He's spent nearly two decades running private label programs internationally, most recently at Prana, and mentors emerging brands on how to make the most of private label business. 

In this episode, he makes the case for private label as one of the most underused tools for cash flow, accurate forecasting, and long-term growth – and explains how to use it without compromising the brand you're building.

Listen here

Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.