The food industry and healthcare system are becoming increasingly interconnected, according to numerous panelists during the Consumer Federation of America’s 46th annual National Food Policy Conference on Tuesday in Washington D.C.

The USDA, FDA as well as Medicare and Medicaid programs are looking into new approaches to treat diet-related illnesses – and produce as well as natural, whole food products are at the center of those efforts.

These sentiments come a year after the White House hosted the first Hunger, Health and Nutrition conference in 50 years, and introduced a new definition for the term healthy. According to discussions throughout the conference, more changes – spurred by the White House efforts – are coming soon to the industry such as FDA-guided front-of-pack nutrition labels and the impacts of ongoing food additive battles in state legislatures. Here are our top takeaways from the conference:

• According to Jennifer Hatcher, chief public policy officer and SVP of government relations at The Food Industry Association (FMI), 90% of the organization’s food producing members now have a nutritionist or dietician on staff. 44% of consumers reported focusing more on nutrition when grocery shopping this year than in the past. She believes the medical field and food producers are going to continually converge as regulatory agencies look to the food industry for products that can help reduce the risk of diet-related illness. 
• The FDA has been conducting consumer tests on a range of Front-of-Package nutrition labels designs over the past year. While some experts believe the labels should be mandatory, they followed up by stating it is most likely the FDA deems this a voluntary program and urges food producers to highlight calories and key nutritional information like sodium, fat and sugar contents on front labels. Formal draft guidance can be expected by November. 
• California's state legislature passed a bill on Monday night banning brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye 3 from being used in food products sold in the state. While the original bill also targeted titanium dioxide, industry pushback eventually led AB148’s authors to drop the ingredient (which is commonly used in processed baked goods like Hostess’ Donettes). During the conference, New York State senator Brian Kavanagh (27th District) highlighted that a similar bill was introduced in April within his jurisdiction, but noted a vote is not expected until next year.

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Plant-based bacon maker Hooray Foods has closed up shop, according to a post on social media. The company said that despite reaching its national distribution goal, the economics of running the company have not caught with its revenue.  

• Founded in 2019, the company steadily expanded the reach of its soy-free bacon product in both grocery and foodservice. 
• Only three months ago, Hooray announced it would now be available on e-commerce meal kit and grocery delivery platforms Hungryroot and Purple Carrot. 
• The coconut oil and rice flour based product had also recently been added to the menus of Veggie Grill and Just Salad in addition to securing distribution at Raley’s, Wegmans and Whole Foods, among others. 
• In 2021, the company raised nearly $3 million to scale production capacity and continue expanding into retail, and later unveiled new formulations of its hero line.   

Hooray said it expects to sell out of existing inventory over the next few months and plans to share simplified recipes on social media to teach its followers how to make the product from scratch. 

Mexican food brand SOMOS has expanded its retail footprint by launching to all 1,800+ Target locations nationwide, starting this month. The retailer will carry two Target-exclusive Burrito Bowl Kits as well as several core SOMOS portfolio products like rice, beans, veggie sides and Salsa Macha. 

• Available in Salsa Verde and Smoky Chipotle varieties, the two-serving Burrito Bowl Kits pack between 16 to 26 grams of plant-based protein, depending on the variety, and retail for $7.99 each. The kits feature a QR code that brings consumers to a video of SOMOS co-founder Miguel Leal and his mother preparing the kits together in her Monterrey, Mexico kitchen to show how easy they are to prepare. 
• SOMOS forged a relationship with Target last year when it was selected as part of the retailer’s 2022 Target Takeoff Food and Beverage Cohort. The product-focused accelerator program is designed to help emerging brands deepen their mass retail knowledge through mentorship and personalized curriculum. 
• Since its launch in 2020, the Mexican food brand has launched 23 ready-to-eat products and has become available at over 8,000 retail locations nationwide.

Go Deeper: Listen to Leal on a recent episode of The NOSH Podcast for advice on becoming an effective leader in CPG.

Plant-based cheese maker Nuttin’ Ordinary has rebranded to ‘Shire’s – Premium Plant-Based’ in an effort to enhance its market presence and “enrich the customer experience,” according to an announcement this week. The comprehensive rebrand includes a revamped visual identity, new logo, pack design and website enhancements.

• “We are thrilled to unveil the new identity [...] as it represents a significant step forward in our dedication to delivering exceptional plant-based food that nourishes and inspires,” said founder and CEO Joshua D. Velasquez, in a press release. “The rebrand captures the essence of our products and reinforces our mission to promote well-being and a greener planet.”
• Launched in 2014, Shire’s produces a portfolio of dairy-free products including cheese spreads, cream cheese, and cheese ravioli – all made with cashew cheese base. The spreads and cream cheese products retail for a SRP of $9.99 per 6 oz. tub. 

The news comes a month after the New Hampshire-based brand announced it had created a new Delaware-based holding company, known as Clean Simple Foods. Clean Simple Foods welcomed three strategic advisors: Richard “Rick” Antonelli, Elliot Begoun and Bob Burke upon its founding.

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Factor, a ready-to-eat meal delivery service, announced the opening of a new production center on Tuesday in Goodyear, Arizona designed to help the growing brand continue to scale. The new 300,000 sq. ft. facility is expected to bring more than 800 jobs to the area. 

• The production center includes state-of-the-art technology to meet the “increasing complexity of options offered to customers” while streamlining and accelerating production. The facility also features some eco-friendly elements, such as CO2 refrigeration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Factor will partner with local food rescue organizations like St. Mary’s Food Bank to distribute fresh, surplus ingredients to community members facing food insecurity. The company is also partnering with the Buckeye Union School District in Goodyear to launch a mentorship program to students with hands-on experience and career guidance around topics such as kitchen management. 
• “The city of Goodyear is happy to provide a home for Factor’s expansion into the West Valley,” said Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo in a press release. “The added workforce opportunities are great, but we also truly appreciate that Factor prioritizes community service and is partnering with local non-profit organizations and schools to give back to the community.”  
• Since its acquisition in 2020 by the HelloFresh Group, Factor has been leveraging HelloFresh’s direct-to-consumer capabilities and technology infrastructure and increased its menu offerings by 75%. 

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