While business operators might be ready for dark stores – it seems shoppers are hard to convince. Addie’s, which claimed to be the first pick-up-only retailer, has closed its doors – aka its parking spots – at least temporarily. The Norwood, Massachusetts-based grocer opened in January after raising $10 million in seed funding which was used to build out a custom app, inventory system and get its storefront up and running. 

While ordering online and picking up groceries at a retailer may be familiar, unlike Target or Whole Foods, Addie’s was never open to foot traffic -- the retailer’s 22,000 sq. ft. “storefront” was just a warehouse. But it seems the model may need some tweaking, with the company “temporarily” shuttered as of Friday. 

Founder Jim McQuade told NOSH the closure was “due to the current economic challenges.” As of press, the store’s website has been taken down, with a temporary closure message posted, and its apps removed from both Apple and Google storefronts. 

The announcement comes as some reports have found that order online, pickup in store sales are on the rise. According to new research conducted by Brick Meets Click and Mercatus, though the U.S. online grocery market was down 3.4% in May from the same time period last year, “pickup in store” was up, growing from $3.2 billion to $3.5 billion YOY. 

So does this mean the end for Addie’s? Stay tuned. McQuade said the company is hoping to reopen ASAP. 

Read the full story on NOSH

Protein plays a vital role in baking, conditioning dough, providing structure, and enhancing texture. But formulators face complex challenges when subbing animal proteins or gluten with plant-based alternatives. Read what makes hemp protein the ultimate ingredient for gluten-free, vegan baked goods. Learn more

Has YouTuber MrBeast given up on his burger empire to focus on sweet treats? It appears so, with the content creator reportedly posting to Twitter (in a now-deleted tweet) that he was moving on from his eponymously named ghost-kitchen and single location QSR, MrBeast Burger. MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson to his parents (we assume), told his fans he was disappointed in the burger’s quality when it was ordered via delivery, stating it varied too much among operators. Though the restaurant concept’s own Twitter feed is now set to private, Donaldson also tweeted that the brand would continue on (with his name attached) due to contractual obligation. “Young Beast signed a bad deal.” But it sounds like Donaldson won’t be exiting the food and beverage scene for good, his Feastables snack and candy brand is still going strong.

“I enjoy Feastables 100x more,” he shared in another (still remaining) tweet. “Making snacks is awesome and something I’m way more passionate about 🥰” 

Go Deeper: 

• Read about Feastables launch
• Learn about the business helping brands like Feastable find their influencer partners. 

Has a 75-year-old Nestlé coffee and tea plant in Freehold, N.J gone cold? In May, the global company said it was thinking of closing up the shop and sending the factory’s 227 jobs elsewhere. While Nestlé hasn’t commented on the matter since, Teamsters Local 11 Union which represents a portion of the factory workers, believes those jobs may be headed to Mexico. At the time of the initial announcement, a Nestle spokesperson said it was planning to meet with union reps to discuss the future of the site and hear their proposals. However, labor union organizers are holding a rally today to “demand” Nestlé keep the plant open. The global CPG giant also shuttered two of its Pittsburg-based Health Science production facilities in early May.

Looking for a bigger piece of the (pizza) pie, Ferraro Foods, a distributor of specialty Italian food and foodservice supplies, acquired GDS Foods, a New Jersey-based importer and distributor of Italian food products to pizzerias throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The deal will grow Ferraro’s network of distribution hubs in “a crucial market for pizzerias,” add hundreds of customers to its roster and help broaden its offerings. The news comes after Ferraro last month announced the addition of a 230,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Long Island. Ferraro's existing roster of brand partners includes Tuscon Spice Co., Mama Cucina and Napoli, among others, while its supplier partners include Tyson Foods, General Mills, Grandé Cheese Company and more.

A roller coaster of a year for vegan cheese brand Miyoko’s Creamery isn’t over quite yet. The company’s CEO saga began with the original dismissal of founder Miyoko Schinner and was followed by series of lawsuits and public accusations of theft and gender discrimination. Now the succession plan has taken another turn, as Miyoko’s CFO and acting interim president Jonathan Blair is reportedly stepping down at the end of the month. A LinkedIn post, reshared by former Miyoko’s board member Michele Simon, states that Blair allegedly announced his plans to leave the brand during a company-wide call Wednesday afternoon. No replacements have been named. Blair joined the vegan cheese brand in March 2022 and was moved into the acting CEO role when Schinner was removed by the board. In May, the months-long feud between Schinner and her former company ended, with both parties seeking to move on.

Millennial parents get ready for a new bop. Lipton Iced Tea is looking to transport parents back to the 90’s with a new cover and an iced tea twist on a classic summer treat. Now through June 28, parents across the country can enter to win the ice pops – available in Green Tea Citrus and Peach flavors – by following Lipton on Facebook or Instagram and commenting on their favorite throwback summer pastime. Additionally, the brand has released a cover of the 1999 summer hit “Steal My Sunshine”, re-recorded by GRAMMY-winning artist T-Pain, to further provide parents with some “sweet nostalgic bliss.”