• 🥗 Expo West: Dressings & Dips
• 📝 Unilever Forcing Out B&J CEO?
• 🌱 Kuli Kuli ‘Failed Our Way Forward’
• 💰 Bread & Butter Announces New Fund
• 😠 Holy! Water Co-Founder Speaks Out
• 🆕 What Else Is New?

First it was snacking as a love language. Now, snack category savant Shauna Golden is diving back in to examine the relationship between the category and an omnichannel strategy. 

Online snacking is a $30 billion opportunity, according to consumer intelligence company NIQ’s recent report, “Unwrapping Omnichannel Success.” Snack manufacturers must think outside the box or, rather, the brick-and-mortar store to remain competitive and capitalize on emerging trends. 

“Whether they’re scrolling on the couch or seeking AI recommendations. The landscape is evolving and unlocking tremendous opportunities, from driving consumer interest and riding viral trends to creating the next big wave in snacking,” said Chris Costalgi, VP of Food Insights at NIQ, in the report.

Ecommerce Is Winning Brick-and-Mortar Sales: Online snack shoppers spend 1.7x more and buy, on average, 1.3x more units than their in-store peers per occasion. Sixty-seven percent of units that shifted away from in-store sales were purchased online with this trajectory suggesting consumers are seeking greater variety beyond flavor. 

These findings signal a major opportunity amid today’s low-unit-growth operating environment, the report states. According to Costalgi, brands should optimize online platforms with a mobile-first mindset and use a push-and-pull strategy to build awareness.

Emerging Versus Traditional Channels: Though TikTok Shop’s future hangs in the balance, it’s clear the $1 billion+ social shopping channel is succeeding. TikTok Shop pulled in $124 million in snack sales alone during the 52-week period ending July 27, 2024. 

But snack manufacturers must strategize beyond simply driving awareness to mine success and keep on top of online trends. Right now, only 37% of snack manufacturers say they feel well-prepared to respond quickly to emerging social trends, and less than half are allocating funds toward supporting those efforts.

Go Deeper: Inside The Love Language of Snacking

Snack makers send a signal: Which channels have given an unexpected boost to your sales strategy? Let me know at sgolden@bevnet.com.

An array of elevated pantry staples, salad dressings and sauces launched at Natural Products Expo West. Here’s a sampling of the latest:

🥑 Chosen Foods debuted four new avocado oil-based dressings: Honey Balsamic, Zesty Italian, Greek Artichoke and Strawberry Pistachio. 

🫒 Ithaca Hummus partnered with Graza on a co-branded Olive Oil & Sea Salt hummus, launching nationwide at Whole Foods Market. 

🥜 Justin’s introduced Classic Crunchy Peanut Butter, a new no-stir option made with simple ingredients.

Check out the full gallery for more new condiments and cooking staples spotted at the show.

The battle between Ben & Jerry’s and parent company Unilever continues to heat up after the ice cream brand alleged the multinational conglomerate is trying to force out its CEO for standing up for its social mission in a new proposed amended complaint filed on Tuesday.

📣 Ben & Jerry’s requested the judge add these new allegations to the existing dispute where the ice cream maker has claimed Unilever is violating its 2000 merger agreement by repeatedly silencing the brand’s public support of its social mission.

🍦 Efforts to suppress B&J’s mission have been ramping up, including a ban on Black History Month posts to the ice cream maker’s social media pages, the complaint alleges.

⛔ Unilever also allegedly blocked the release of a statement calling for First Amendment protections after the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student who was detained for expressing pro-Palestine views.

🏛️ In other courtroom chatter: Hershey’s has been freed from a consumer-led suit alleging it sold dangerous products contaminated with heavy metals, citing the findings of a 2022 study Consumer Reports. The chocolate company claimed it never promised the products were heavy metal-free, just that they are safe to consume. 

Catch Up: Ben & Jerry’s Sues Unilever For Blocking Public Stance on Gaza

Kuli Kuli is rolling out a refreshed brand identity as it goes through a period of “unprecedented” growth and readies for its Target debut, founder and CEO Lisa Curtis tells Nosh Managing Editor Monica Watrous.

🍵 Curtis talks through the brand’s sales spike, new sourcing challenges and how its innovation strategy has evolved over the past decade during Natural Products Expo West.

Watch the full interview to learn about Kuli Kuli’s continued mission to make moringa a staple in American diets.

Early-stage VC firm Bread & Butter Ventures has closed a $40 million fund to invest in food technology, digital health and enterprise SaaS. It is the fourth fund from the Minnesota-based firm.

• Investors in the fund include Allina Health System, Bernick's, Fifth Third Bank, F.R. Bigelow Foundation, MSP Equity Fund, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Stella, among others.
• Bread & Butter has previously put cash in CPG brands, agritech and food tech outfits including Renewal Mill, Bizzy Coffee, Tender Food and Chiyo.

It’s been a long couple of weeks for Holy! Water co-founder Jasmine Mooney (and BevNET Live Summer 2024 finalist). After submitting an incomplete immigration form at the southern border, the Canadian national was taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs, spending two weeks in detention, but it has now been confirmed she was deported to Canada.

Mooney wrote about her experience for The Guardian, including how one official told her to prepare for the possibility of being held for months. The account explains what she went through, details on others she met being detained under questionable circumstances and reflects on the trials seeking asylum in the U.S.

Here’s a look at the latest marketing activations that have caught our attention:

🍦 Tillamook embraced a recent viral moment (a 4-year-old calling 911 after his mom ate his ice cream) with the debut of the Tillamook Meltdown Line, “a special number just for those who have fallen victim to ice cream theft.” By calling (863) MLT-DOWN, consumers can claim a free tub of ice cream while supplies last.

🧀 Irish brands Kerrygold and Native Denims teamed up on Cheese Pocket Jeans, finally giving a purpose to that extra little pocket often found on a pair of dungarees. The team claims that the pocket inside the pocket is perfect for storing the brand’s cheese snacks. 

🏃 CLIF Bar has been named the Official Energy Bar of the Boston Marathon, kicking off its three-year partnership with the Boston Athletic Association in the run up to this year’s 129th race day. 

🌴 HI-CHEW dropped its new Getaway Mix alongside the activation of an immersive pop-up for spring break travelers at the Miami International Airport through the end of March. The brand’s new mascot Chewbie will be there, samples in hand.