• 🌽Do Consumers Give A Chip About Your Supply Chain?
• 🥩 Florida Legislature Aims To Criminalize Cell-Cultured Meat
• 📊New Nona Lim Parent Company To IPO

James “Jim” Jones has had his sights set on revising front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels since becoming the FDA’s Human Food Program Deputy Commissioner in August. During a public meeting yesterday, hosted by The Reagan-Udall Foundation, agency executives outlined the progress that has been made so far. Here are the highlights: 

• The FDA is testing standardized color-coded FOP labels that flag fat, sodium and added sugars levels using a traffic light system: green means low, yellow means medium and red means high. 
• Research thus far has been focused on underserved communities and those most at risk for diet-related disease. 
• The results of 12, 90-minute focus groups with U.S. adult shoppers last year resulted in mixed findings, responses and some confusion around the traffic light system.
• This year the agency conducted 15 online focus groups with 90 adults, segmented by education, nutrition, motivation, literacy and knowledge and the agency is now analyzing the data from those tests.

“We are pulling multiple levers to help facilitate improved nutrition. One of our key strategies is helping consumers make healthier choices by providing at-a-glance nutrition information,” Jones said during yesterday’s meeting. 

💭What does the industry think? 

A key point of contention: During the meeting manufacturers challenged that proposed FOP changes did not include a requirement for the declaration of calories per serving. 

• Caitlin Boon, U.S. public affairs director of health and nutrition at Mars, Inc., said it is “critical” that the FDA require a factual declaration of calories per serving on FOP.
• She said without that information included, brands would need to use two separate labeling schemes to provide consumers with necessary information.

🎨Another major point of debate was the lack of a consistent color scheme ensuring the FOP system stands out. 

• Susan Bishop, director of federal regulatory affairs at The American Heart Association, said the FDA, “should consider using icons or imagery, such as a magnifying glass to draw attention to the FOP label and select either a multicolored red, yellow, green or black and white color scheme.”  

Zack Gazzaniga traveled to Italy knowing a handful of Spanish phrases (that didn’t get him very far) while in pursuit of the perfect corn cob. The kernels he eventually sourced would literally become the backbone of Zack’s Mighty chips – but who really cares? 

Gazzaniga said the various aspects of his complex tortilla chip operation stand out to different audiences, and even varies between investors, for a range of reasons. But the chip's sturdiness – and promise to hold its own against a scoop of guac – reigns king as its best selling feature on the consumer front. This week’s NOSH Podcast Gazzaniga grinds through Zack’s Mighty’s sourcing story, and the lessons he has learned on how to tell it. 

Click here to listen to this week’s episode. Like what you are listening to? Please don’t hesitate to rate our show and leave a review on your podcast platform of choice.

DayDayCook (DDC), a Hong Kong-based content creation platform and parent company to Asian food brand Nona Lim, is taking the newly-combined company to the public markets.

• DDC is aiming for a nearly $33 million valuation with 3,900,000 shares priced at $8.50 a piece.
• The company will begin trading today under the symbol DDC and the offering is expected to close on November 21.
• Net proceeds will be used for working capital, business expansion and acquisitions, and repayment of loans.
• DDC acquired San Francisco-based Nona Lim in August; the move was intended to strengthen both businesses' supply chain operations and support DDC’s expansion into the U.S. 

Read more about DDC’s first acquisition on NOSH.

Brand leaders attending NOSH Live can sign up for private meetings with Whole Foods, Thrive Market, Kroger, The Fresh Market, and SPINS. Learn how to secure shelf space, excel once you’re on the shelf, stay ahead of industry trends, and capture retailers’ attention by leveraging the data and insights that matter most to them.

Meetings are being scheduled now. The sooner you register, the sooner you'll be considered and put on the schedule. There are a limited number of spots available. Register for NOSH Live.

In typical Florida state legislature lingo, it is taking aim at what state rep Tyler Sirois has deemed the “ESG agenda” by introducing a new bill this week that intends to prohibit cell-cultured (also referred to as cultivated or lab-grown) meat from existing in the Sunshine state.

🐔Sirois, the rep sponsoring House Bill 435, has framed it as a protection for the state’s agricultural industry, calling cell-cultured meat an “affront to nature and creation.” 

👩‍⚖️ The legislation would make the production, sale or distribution of cultured meat a second degree misdemeanor in the state which is subject to fines of no more than $500, up to 60 days in prison and/or the revocation of a business’ license to operate.

🤨 Alternative proteins have been subject to numerous label restrictions and even prompted free speech lawsuits, but the proposed Florida law is one of the first to restrict cell-cultured products in the U.S.. (Just yesterday Italy passed a measure officially banning cell-grown products).

Dive Deeper: NOSH Podcast: The Right to Free Speech and Alt-Meat.

TGINPF (Thank God Its New Products Friday). It’s that time of week when we drop our weekly new products gallery – giving you a taste of the newest innovations on the market. Here’s a preview of what’s to come:

🐔Caulipower grew its crop of chicken products, releasing All Natural Chicken Bites in Dill Flavored and Classic varieties this week. The gluten-free boneless, skinless chicken breast bites feature the brand’s signature cauliflower coating. 

🍝Exploring new pastabilities: ZENB unveils Lasagna and Cavatappi offerings,  made with just one ingredient – yellow peas.

🍪Just in time for the ho, ho, holidays, Partake announces the return of its Holiday Sprinkle and Chocolate Peppermint cookie varieties at Wegmans, Whole Foods Market and Amazon.com. 

Keep an eye out for the full new product gallery on NOSH later today.