• 🆕 This Week's New Products
• ♻️ The Rounds Raises $24 Million
• 🔄 People Moves: Nestlé Names New CEO
• 📸 Soulsight and Freshmade’s Merger
• 📰 What We’re Reading

These days, Peter Rahal’s take on protein bars is more labcoat than loincloth. 

A decade ago, he created RXBAR around the then-popular paleo lifestyle, using only a handful of simple ingredients like nuts and dates. The brand effectively made him the face of the clean label movement. But within a few years, he observed a shift in consumer eating patterns, namely many of the brand’s early adopters moving from caveman-friendly foods to other fads like keto dieting and intermittent fasting.

“The biggest trend that was coming was really about anti-snacking and anti-carbohydrate, and we were both of those things. I saw a headwind, and I remember [thinking] we are anchoring ourselves on whole, real foods. That’s a vulnerable position,” Rahal recalled.

With David, his new protein bar brand slated to launch in September, Rahal’s approach involves “cutting-edge” technology and “science-driven” principles of nutrition. The brand’s $10 million seed funding, led by Rahal with participation from well-known wellness influencers Peter Attia and Andrew Huberman, will be used to hire strategists, scientists and medical experts to support product development.

Not much is publicly known about the product itself, other than a few nutritional highlights – a David bar contains 150 calories, 28 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. 

“The genius of our product is it has the protein of a meal but the calories of a snack. We’re basically a weight loss product without being a weight loss product,” Rahal said.

We sat down with Rahal to learn more about retail and marketing plans for David, how the brand differs from RXBAR, and why he has evolved from the paleo era to a more modern approach to innovation. 

Nosh Insiders can access the full interview to learn more about Rahal’s second act.

Today is Friday, and you all know what that means…. It's new product gallery time! We’ve rounded up the hottest new products and packaged them up into a neat array. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:

🎃 With summer days dwindling and fall on the horizon, our inboxes are being flooded by pumpkin-flavored products. Cedar’s is launching a Limited Batch Organic Pumpkin Hommus, Brekki is introducing a limited-edition Pumpkin Spice flavor of its ready-to-eat oats, and Death Wish Coffee Co. is bringing back its Pumpkin Chai blend. 

👀 Bachan’s unveils its new line of dipping sauces, marking the brand’s first category expansion. Available in two flavors – Original and Sweet & Spicy – the sauces are crafted with ingredients like neri goma, white miso and suri goma. 

🥣 Nearly one year after securing the U.S. Open title, tennis star Coco Guaff will be featured on a limited-edition box of Wheaties. The LTO will be available at major retailers beginning this month for $6.19. 

Keep an eye out for the full roundup of new products on Nosh later today.

Waste-reducing grocery delivery startup The Rounds announced this week it has raised $24 million to fuel product development, hiring and expanding its reach to new markets. The round brings its total funding to $66 million and was led by Moderne Ventures with participation from Construct Capital, First Round Capital, FJ Labs and Redpoint Ventures.

🥫 The $10 subscription service allows consumers to order household basics, pantry staples, dry goods and personal care items which arrive in reusable bags and are packed in refillable containers.

📆 The new capital will also give consumers additional choices, including a broader product assortment and the ability to select their preferred refill and delivery day. Previously the company set the schedule per neighborhood. 

📍 The Rounds is currently active in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Atlanta. Co-founder and CEO Alex Torrey told TechCrunch the company will add a few additional markets in early 2025 but noted that New York City is not on that list. 

🗣️ “The downfall of launching in New York is it doesn’t teach you how to operate anywhere other than New York,” Torrey said. 

Go Deeper: As Circular Packaging Systems Evolve, Are Sustainable Solutions Getting Closer?

🌎 After nearly 17 years with the New Hope Network, Carlotta Mast has moved into a global role at Informa Markets. In a LinkedIn post, Mast said the new role will help her “contribute in new ways that are aligned with my purpose: community building, content, sustainability and positive impact.” 

👔 Nestlé has promoted Laurent Freixe, EVP and CEO of Zone Latin America, to CEO of Nestlé S.A., effective Sept. 1. He succeeds Mark Schneider, who has relinquished his role after eight years with the Swiss food group. 

🥚 Pasture-raised egg producer Vital Farms has hired Joe Holland as its chief supply chain officer, beginning Sept. 1. In the newly created role, Holland will oversee the company’s egg washing and packing facility in Springfield, Mo., its forthcoming facility in Seymour, Ind., and dairy operations for Vital Farms’ butter business. 

🍬 Globally-inspired gummy candy producer Better Sour has welcomed former SmartSweets CEO Douglas MacFarlane and Hawaiian Host Group president and CEO Ed Schultz to its growing advisory board. 

💵 Brent Gravlee has joined Chicago-based Egglife Foods, Inc. as its first chief revenue officer. Previously, Gravlee served as chief commercial officer for startup Munk Pack and had a 17-year career with Clif Bar.

Chicago-based Soulsight Branding Agency is picking up CPG-focused package design firm Freshmade in an acquisition that is expected to bring added in-house photography and video production capabilities to Soulsight’s business.

• Freshmade owns a photo studio in Deerfield Beach, Fla., which Soulsight said will provide its clients “with the ability to experiment early with bespoke photography for early rounds of creative concepts as well as consumer testing.”
• Freshmade will continue to operate as a division of Soulsight, and CEO David Edmundson will remain with the company, reporting to Soulsight CEO Jim Pietruszynski.

🗣️ What they said: “We’re excited to bring Freshmade on board as a division of Soulsight. Their work in fresh food, emerging, and e-comm brands complement our experience with Fortune 100 food and beverage clients while their distinct capabilities bolster our ability to connect with consumers and build emotive brands that move.” – Jim Pietruszynski

🛒 “Grocery stores boost political donations even as Democrats take aim.” Reuters published a new report this morning that outlines an uptick in political donations from Political Action Committees (PACs) run by grocery retailers Kroger and Albertsons. Read why the dollars continue flowing to Democrats despite negative headlines around price gouging, shrinkflation and corporate greed in the food industry.

🧀 Eater posed an important question this week: “Why are the Names of Vegan Food Brands So Weird?” From Vrimp, Malk, and now Plonts, the possibilities keep getting more peculiar. While the piece highlights that in some states, using traditional terms like meat in relation to vegan food is illegal, it emphasizes that many are just plain, unwarrantedly weird. 

The hosts welcome Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous to the show as they discuss Mars’ $36 billion acquisition of Kellanova, including key takeaways from the deal, its impact on the food industry and why it may spur a flow of M&A activity among entrepreneurial companies.

Listen to the episode now.