This week we're talking about evolving consumer habits and the effect it's having on how and when traditional foods are being eaten - from breakfast sandwiches to tamales. But, more on all that below.

And, check out this piece by Julie Creswell over at the NYT on why CBD-infused products have hit a low ceiling thanks to a twisted bundle of local state and federal red tape, allied to consumer confusion over what CBD is. H/T John Craven's LinkedIn feed.

Alright! On with the Sunday newsletter.

FIRST UP! The feds have Donkey Kong'd the Kroger/Albertsons deal - what's next?

With the not-so-shocking news - we did report on it last week - that the feds have gone and filed a lawsuit to prevent the retail industry's biggest merger since Amazon bought Whole Foods, it's time for our Checks & Balances Editor Adrianne DeLuca to ask the serious question: what happens next?

What’s the deal?

According to the FTC the merger will eliminate competition, lead to higher prices and harm the combined businesses 700,000 employees (all claims countered by Albertsons and Kroger). The feds are also disputing whether the divestiture plan with C&S Wholesale will create a sustainable standalone business. Of course, 9 attorneys generals have piled in on the District of Oregon filing.

Yikes. What’s next?

Every move against the merger has slowed the process and this lawsuit will at least temporarily put the brakes on everything while it’s before the court. Kroger and Albertsons have indicated they’re willing to go to bat, and the FTC will no doubt put up a fight.

Who’s right?

Firstly, don’t ask me difficult questions. Secondly, that depends. The last time a retailer merger was challenged was in 1988, so the precedent is, well, old. Big box stores and discounters are all in on the grocery game these days and club warehouses have skyrocketed in popularity. Even merged, Kroger/Albertsons (16%) pales in comparison to Walmart/Sams Club's (29%) market share.

Read the full debrief over on Nosh.com.

🥡 Key Takeaway: The only (almost) certainty here is that the planned marger date of August 17 will probably be missed as the two titans duke it out, Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla style. At the heart of it, say Adrianne and economist Brian Albrecht, is how the merger will affect a dispersed grocery landscape and the end result on consumer costs. It's anyone's game at this point.

Hey! Expo West is just over a week away! Are you ready? Because the Nosh team most definitely is - and the Unofficial Nosh Survival Guide to Expo West 2024 is dropping tomorrow, Monday March 4!

In the meantime - we’re looking to steal a march with your news and company updates.

Want to showcase your planned product launch? Maybe you have a big acquisition looming - or a total brand refresh. Submit your press release here and tell us all about it.

This week’s Community Call sees Bub Burke of Natural Products Consulting share his hot tips on how brands can do more with less.

Join Bob as he discusses conserving capital while improving cashflow, SKU rationalization, trade spend, high return sales opportunities and more.

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.

Click - hey! - here to register.

On this week's CPG Week podcast the Nosh monarchy of 'Queen' Monica Watrous, 'Prince' Brad Avery and 'Grand Duke' Lukas Southard get into a fight over the FTC's Kroger/Albertsons merger lawsuit, but not before discussing the idea of living in an Eggo house in rural Tennessee (yes, really).

The rulers also discuss why Mason Dixie is betting on clean comfort food, and explain to the rest of us what yaupon is (hint: think caffeine).

Spin this week's podcast here.

"We like the idea that you can take a tamale with you and enjoy it on the go"

This week's hot t̶a̶m̶a̶l̶e take comes courtesy of On The Go Editor Shauna Golden, who sat down with Fillo's co-founder and prez Daniel Caballero to discuss the brand's additions to its Walking Tamales ready-to-eat line.

The new SKUs - Corn Poblano Rojas and Sweet Corn Elotes - are available exclusively at Whole Foods and bolster the company's goal of making traditional Latin-American foods available in new, convenient ways.

Part of the success has been something that is the bane of most other brands - store location. Some retailers stock Walking Tamales in the meals and sides area, while others have them beside canned tamales. Some even stock them by the check-out counter.

Latin-American food is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.6% between 2021-28. Adding a ready-to-eat dimension to something traditionally seen as a carefully planned lunch/dinner experience is helping fuel that growth, while the company has kept investment tight to control expansion.

Read the full interview over on Nosh.com.

What are your thoughts, Sunday readers? What other sectors are ripe for disruption by way of nontraditional preparation methods? And how does the growth in authentic global flavors factor into this? Click here to send in your comments.

Notable new products: Barbie Freezer Squeezers, Graza Olive Oil chips.

A roundup of some of the more interesting product launches this week.

BelliWelli bringing fiber to Walmart, Abbot's vegan meats enters Publix.

A look at what the big rigs are packing across the country.

Elevator Talk: Myna Snacks, Força Foods, Doosra and Zesty Z.

Tune in to the latest episode of Elevator Talk with Editor Ray Latif joined by Nicolas Mindel, partner with VC firm Amberstone.

Brewery Microbiologist - Milford CT - Athletic Brewing Company

Milford, CT

Sales Director - Torch Distribution

New York, NY

Brand Manager - Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Houston, TX

Mason Dixie Foods has relaunched and expanded its range of frozen heat-and-eat breakfast offerings - giving an elevated take on traditional biscuits and sandwiches, writes hash brown enthusiast Monica Watrous.

Founder and CEO Ayeshah 'Mine's an English Muffin' Abuelhiga pointed out that consumers are religious with breakfast - once a biscuit girl, always a biscuit girl, she told Nosh.

And, breakfast sandwich sales have skyrocketed during the pandemic - going from $1.5BN sales in 2019 to $2.4BN in 2023. They're even the fastest growing items at fast foot restaurants.

Read the full ingredients list on Nosh.com.

🥡 Key Takeaway: Mason Dixie has hit a sweet spot with its breakfast lineup. Clean ingredients, a rapidly growing market segment, and a proven hit with consumers all add up - it's no wonder sales have increased 87% over the last 3 years. A move away from frozen scones and sweet rolls was a clever move that allowed it to focus on Gen Z's apparent love of the breaktast staple.

Over in the 'Too Cute for Words' aisle, Pebbles cereal is kicking things up a notch with its Susan Alexandra-designed collection of cereal-inspired accessories.

Available on susanalexandra.com the collection includes a vignette bag and Pebbles and cereal bowl bag charms, all part of a campaign launching new Berry Pebbles cereal. A snip at $275 and $88 respectively. H/T Adrianne 'Flintstone' DeLuca.

AND FINALLY: over in the 'Is This Microwave Safe?' aisle, someone at Subway has been busy with a documents tube and some green paint - the footlong forger has released 100 limited edition Sidekick Safes so you can (finally) transport a footlong cookie, pretzel or churros without risk of it breaking.

Apparently Subway commissioned a whole team of engineers to design the tube, which has three inner units (one for each treat), a keypad lock and a carrying strap. I don't care, I'm sold.

Now if you'll excuse me, like Commissioner Gordon plugging in the Bat-Signal on a Friday night, Taco Bell is calling me with these limited edition Tajín tacos. Until next week, your host,

Mark Murphy (catch me on LinkedIn)

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