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🚨NOSH INSIDER WEEKLY: Momofuku Turns up the Heat, Popcorn Gets Floury, Del Tic Tac Taco & More |
This week we're investigating popcorn flour, uncovering new distribution methods with Mable, and looking at the latest plant-based product innovations. But, more on all that below. And, over in the Mad Men lookalikes aisle, check out this trailer for Unfrosted with a star-studded cast including Jerry Seinfeld. The movie chronicles Kellogg's and Post Cereal's attempts to create a certain breakfast pastry in 1963. Wowzers. H/T Toaster Champion Adrianne DeLuca. Alright! On with the Sunday newsletter.
FIRST UP! Is it getting hot in here? Momofuku is turning the screw in the chili cru- eh crisp aisle. |
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🌶️ Crunch Time: Momofuku Fires Off Spicy Cease & Desist Letters |
| Things are spicing up in the condiments aisle with the revelation that David Chang's Momofuku empire is sending cease-and-desist letters to food brands for allegedly infringing on the group's trademarks of “chile crunch” and “chili crunch” writes Food Fight Editor Lukas Southard. | |
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According to Homiah founder Michelle Tew (who received a C&D) at least five brands received almost identical letters, with several intending to comply. Tew claims this is because the brands don’t have the resources to fight the claims.
Chili c̶r̶u̶n̶c̶h crisp has proved to be a serious cross-cultural winner with American consumers of all backgrounds picking up jars of the crunchy chili garlicky oily loveliness. Its origins are “culturally common […] from China to Korea to Malaysia,” says Tew, who will be fighting the claims. Get the full crunch over on Nosh.com. 🥡 Key Takeaway: Speaking to The Guardian Homiah's lawyer Stephen Coates called Momofuku a “trademark bully”. Some feel it's an attempt to stifle competition, while others wonder why the company didn't trademark “Momofuku Chili Crunch” if it wanted to avoid consumer confusion. Regardless, many small and rising AAPI food entrepreneurs are looking over their shoulders. |
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✍ Expo West: Plant-based Innovation, Snacking Evolution |
| Expo West of course saw a dizzying array of product launches - especially in the plant-based and snacking spaces. The Nosh team has gone and round up some of the more interesting finds, including veggie kimbap from Konscious Foods and cookie dough snack bars from Whoa Dough.
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🔊 CPG Week Podcast: NA Bevs with Ferron Salniker |
| On this week's CPG Podcast the Nosh trio of managing editor Monica Watrous and reporters Brad Avery and Lukas Southard are joined by spirits editor Ferron Salniker to explore the world of non-alcoholic bevvies.
The cagtegory was struck recently by the news that retailer Boisson is closing its brick-and-mortar stores. The team discuss what this means and how NA continues to move into larger retail.
Later, Monica & co take a look at provocative energy drinks branding (hi, Lucky F*ck Energy!).
Spin this week's podcast here. | |
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📣 Community Call: Finding Buyers with RangeMe |
| This week's Community Call sees Vir Satyan, Senior Vice President of Supplier Success at RangeMe, divulge the inner workings of the retail buyers platform.
Vir will talk about optimizing your brand's presence on the service and how to make the most of it on a budget.
Listen up: Community Call open meetings are free to take part in and are as easy as hopping on a 30min Zoom call - except way more exciting, obviously.
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🍓 Juicy Quote |
| "We’ve all been working in silos, brands limited to our own geographic locations"
This week's deep dive comes from Distributions Editor Adrianne DeLuca who sat down with Arik Keller to discuss his drop-ship distro platform, Mable.
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| Mable allows brands selling into distributors to receive orders from any retailer on that distributor's network, thus greatly increasing the number of retail partners. Importantly, it integrates into a retailer's existing ordering system, meaning they're not adding another portal to deal with.
And, it's already in use by companies such as Better With Buckwheat (formerly The Maine Crisp Co) and Bon Bee.
What are your thoughts, Sunday readers? What's been your experience in grappling with larger-scale distribution? And does Mable offer a solution that could fit your needs? Click here to send in your comments. | |
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🥑 Quick Bites |
A look at some of this week's new product launches.
Hey: some of these sound pretty good.
The brand's sales skyrocketed after appearing on Shark Tank in January 2023 - but how will it keep up momentum, asks Kernels Editor Lukas Southard? |
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📰 Jobs Market |
Orlando, FL
Fort Collins, CO
South Brunswick Township, NJ
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🚫 Pasta Co Tolerant Foods Has Closed its Doors |
| Barilla-owned pasta brand Tolerant Foods has closed its doors and is running out its existing stocks over the coming months, writes Adrianne DeLuca.
The company specialized in organic legume-based pasta products and had found success with widespread distribution including Whole Foods and Walmart. No reason was given for the closure.
🥡 Key Takeaway: The sudden closure puts a spotlight on the alt-pasta market which has become crowded as consumers increasingly look for clean labels with high protein content. Competitor Banza has taken a lion's share of the sector (up t0 10% of the total pasta space in some retailers), while parent company Barilla even began selling similar products. | |
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👀 ICYMI 👀 |
| With a solar eclipse due to happen tomorrow (dont forget your glasses... or not) it was inevitable CPG businesses would get in on the action. While Cracker Barrel is offering free pancakes (a missed opportunity to introduce some squid ink into the batter if you ask me), the city of Irving Texas is really getting into it with its World's Largest Moon Pie.
The showstopping pie will weight 150-180 pounds and will be 5ft in diameter by 4ft thick, offering upwards of 1,400 servings. Get yourself down to the Levy Event Plaza for a slice of the p̶i̶e action.
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| AND FINALLY: something I can wear to work and feel comfortable in - Kellogg's has teamed up with Crocs for these limited edition Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops Crocs. Yes, really.
What's more the Frosted Flakes Crocs will come with a faux fur lining, while the Froot Loops strap will be wing-inspired. Excuse me while I stock up on these.
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