From recall to rebound...
CPG and Retail news from the week of 5/12/25
Hello hello!
I’ll be at The Lead Summit next week (May 28-29th)! If you’re around, let me know—I would love to say hi! Want to come? Brands and retailers can attend for free. Everyone else, use this link for 25% off your ticket.
I’m also doing a webinar with Air, Inc on May 21st at 1pm EST covering the hottest trends brands should participate in to keep up with consumers this summer. RSVP HERE!
- Nate
Let’s get into last week’s news →
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News From the Week
Daily Harvest is back in the limelight…and this time for a good reason: it’s been acquired!
Chobani scooped up the frozen meal company for an undisclosed amount—its second acquisition ever following La Colombe Coffee Roasters for $900 million in 2023.
For those that don’t remember, here’s the Daily Harvest lore:
Founded in 2015 by wellness enthusiast Rachel Drori, Daily Harvest quickly became a cult favorite among health-conscious millennials looking for convenient, nutrient-dense meals they could feel good about.
The company became known for its Instagram-worthy frozen smoothies in minimalist cups, well before Sakara life became the ”it” meal subscription.
At its peak in 2021, Daily Harvest was valued at $1.1B and had expanded its product lines to include Harvest Bowls, Flatbreads, Scoops (their plant-based ice cream), and even coffee with adaptogenic mushrooms.
But the company had a major setback in 2022 when its French Lentil + Leek Crumbles caused hundreds of illnesses, resulting in a recall, lawsuits, and a serious blow to consumer trust.
Over the past 3 years, Daily Harvest miraculously bounced back—expanding into retail at Kroger and Target, reformulating products, and gradually rebuilding their reputation in the wellness space.
The acquisition might seem unexpected at first glance—a yogurt giant buying a DTC frozen meal service that's faced its share of turbulence. But the two companies actually have a lot in common:
Complementary expertise: Chobani brings a litany of food scientists, manufacturing scale, and distribution prowess. It’s exactly what Daily Harvest needs to refine its products (and avoid another…snafu…) while continuing to expand its retail presence.
Shared values: Both brands emphasize high-quality, minimally processed whole foods with strong nutritional profiles.
Category expansion: This gives Chobani immediate entry to the premium frozen foods category, a category that’s seen serious growth and consumer adoption
Daily Harvest's recent challenges actually make the timing perfect for Chobani. After weathering a significant recall and subsequent lawsuits, Daily Harvest needed a lifeline—and Chobani likely secured very favorable acquisition terms while gaining a brand with dedicated followers.
Meanwhile, Chobani gets to continue building what looks like the next great American food empire, thoughtfully expanding from yogurt into coffee and now frozen meals.
Check out or deep dive on why we think Chobani is the next 100-year brand here!
CPG & Consumer Goods
Another week, another protein shake. Danone is launching new Oikos Protein Shakes—featuring 30g of protein and 5g of prebiotic fiber—in three flavors.
You might be thinking, isn’t Oikos already known for high protein products? And you’re right. But this is their highest protein SKU by a cool 7 grams.
30g is the new 15g, after all. Brands like Koia, Slate, Quest, and OWYN all have 30g+ beverages now—Oikos is just keeping up with the times 🤷
Pop-pop! Pop Secret is launching its first-ever ready-to-eat (RTE) popcorn—its first new product after being acquired by Our Home.
This move makes sense for both brands. RTE popcorn is a fast-growing category—just look at Hershey’s recent acquisition of Lesser Evil, which joins their existing RTE popcorn brand, SkinnyPop (acquired in 2023 at the top of the market). And lest we forget Khloud trying their hand at protein popcorn.
For Our Home—parent company of brands like Popchips and ParmCrisps—this fills a gap in their popcornless portfolio. Rather than build a new brand from scratch, it’s a smart play to leverage Pop Secret’s existing brand equity and recognition to enter the RTE popcorn space.
The Swedish candy takeover. The popular Swedish confectionery brand Bubs, known for its fluffy gelatin-free gummies, is entering the US market through a partnership with Mount Franklin Foods (owners of Stuffed Puffs).
I first saw this brand on TikTok shop and on Lil Sweet Treat’s account. I really don’t think that this brand would have come to the US if it wasn’t for the rise in Swedish candy over the past couple years. - N
…and this “rise in Swedish candy” wasn’t random. As US rhetoric shifts its focus from diet products to “non-artificial” products, Americans are loving Swedish candy’s lack of artificial colors/flavors and corn syrup. In 2025’s rewrite of the ever-changing definition of “healthy,” a gummy candy, of all things, might just might make the cut. - J
Our childhood dreams are reality. The Original Crumbs Bakeshop—yes, the same Crumbs that kicked off the cupcake craze in 2003—is bringing its famous Colossal Cupcake to Krogers across the country.
The Colossal Cupcake is just a giant cupcake, which sounds like it should just be a normal cake until you realize that the ratio of frosting to cake on a cupcake is wildly different to that of a cake-cake and wonder how you never noticed that before now. Or at least, that’s what happened to me. - J
All roads lead to Target. Blueland, the sustainable cleaning product company that popularized plastic-free cleaning tablets, is expanding into over 1,800 Target stores nationwide and introducing exclusive scents. The company has steadily grown its retail presence in stores like Whole Foods, BJ's, and The Container Store.
eCommerce
Bridging the digital with the physical. Roblox introduced new Commerce APIs that allow creators to sell physical merchandise—from beauty to clothing—directly within their games.
The initiative includes partnerships with prominent brands like Fenty Beauty and other major retailers, offering users the option to bundle physical and digital items.
Retail
And they said retail was dead. Wayfair announced plans to open a new large-format retail store in Yonkers, New York, set to launch in early 2027, building on the success of its first store outside Chicago.
Wayfair’s Chicago store drew over 720,000 visitors in its first year, with more than 50% of buyers new to Wayfair. They saw a 15% higher growth rate than the national average after the store opened, and categories like impulse buys (+50%) and big-ticket renovations (+35%) surged.
With their eComm growth slowing last year, physical retail is proving to be a powerful new tool for new customer acquisition and growth.
Here come the vultures. Rite Aid, a recently bankrupt U.S. pharmacy chain, is selling pharmacy assets from over 1,000 locations to companies including CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Kroger. The company is pursuing a rapid sale process after entering bankruptcy with over $2 billion in debt….yikes.
Funding news
The hottest new lifestyle brand is…hand sanitizer. Touchland, the second-largest hand sanitizer brand in the US (beat out only by Purrell), was just acquired by Church & Dwight Co for $880 million. Touchland has seen rapid growth, with net sales of ~$130 million over the past year.
Touchland isn’t like the other girls (read: hand sanitizers). This company took an everyday essential and seriously elevated it—pairing the aesthetic of sleek tech brands with the quality and “sensory experience” of luxury skincare. COVID made hand sanitizer as ubiquitous as chapstick—it only makes sense that consumers were craving an upgrade from the sticky alcohol-y stuff.
Also, I want to credit good ol’ Bath and Body Works for being the first (to my knowledge) to make yummy scented hand sanitizers. - J
Church & Dwight has a good eye for acquiring category leading brands - they picked up Hero Cosmetics for $630 million in 2022 which at the time was also #2 in its category!
One of the interesting discussions to come out of this acquisition was the fact that Touchland’s founder wasn’t really that public of a founder. A fact I personally think is smart. Friend of the newsletter, Ali Kriegsman wrote an interesting substack on this subject. - N
Pouch beans for the win. Verde Valle Foods acquired A Dozen Cousins, a brand founded in 2019 and known for its culturally authentic ready-to-eat beans, rice, and sauces. Founder Ibraheem Basir will stay on board as General Manager. As a manufacturer of rice, beans, and ready-to-eat meals in a pouch, Verde Valle Foods is the perfect partner for A Dozen Cousins.
A Dozen Cousins has been killing it: Its line of rice cooked in bone broth saw double-digit growth in 2024, while sales in its category stayed flat.
This is such an awesome example of what CPG innovation can look like: an authentic founder story, cultural flavors, and better-for-you ingredients disrupt an otherwise unsexy category (pouched meals). Sometimes it’s not about reinventing the wheel—it’s about taking something that already exists and making it that much better. - J
BET ON CONSUMER! VMG Partners, a consumer and tech growth equity firm, closed its $1 billion Consumer Fund 6. The firm intends to continue supporting innovative consumer brands and has invested in over 60 brands, including KIND Snacks and Drunk Elephant.
Danone is acquiring a majority stake in Kate Farms, a maker of plant-based organic formulas, which includes specialized products for people with health conditions. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
That’s some BDE. DICK’S Sporting Goods just acquired Foot Locker for ~$2.4 billion. Though Foot Locker is coming off of some tough times (shares are down 41% this year), this could be big for DICK’S. Foot Locker gives the company access to international markets and a more urban consumer, while allowing Foot Locker to operate as a standalone business unit.
Weekly Pickups
Last week, we spoke with Dylan Barbour, Bachelor franchise alum turned CPG powerhouse. He shared his latest CPG obsession and insights on breakfast innovation! Read it here 👇
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