The next biggest olive oil...
CPG and Retail news from the week of 6/16/25
Hello hello!
We’re excited to see so many of you later this weekend at Fancy Food in NYC! If you’re in town and want to say hi, please hit us up! We’ll be walking the show floor, filming content, and—of course—snacking (a lot).
Now, let’s get into it →
Crush Prime Day with Settle!
Prime Day can either be your biggest sales driver… or your biggest operational headache.
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Here’s how:
Track your true landed costs before you set pricing
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Thread Wallets used Settle to stay stocked, meet wholesale demand, and avoid dilution at a critical time!
If Prime Day is on your radar, now’s the time to prep your systems and cash flow.
News From the Week
The olive oil aisle is getting a makeover. Two California olive oil brands launched squeeze bottles on the same day last week—and we need to talk about how we got here.
The launches:
Brightland unveiled its Everyday Line of California-grown EVOO in squeeze bottles, hitting Whole Foods in August
On the exact same day, O Olive Oil & Vinegar dropped its California Organic EVOO in BPA-free squeeze format…claiming to be the “first-ever” California Organic EVOO in a squeeze bottle
Ever since Graza blew up, people have been accusing literally every brand with a squeeze bottle of copying them. And while brand equity definitely matters, these California brands might actually have an edge. Let’s get into it →
Quick history lesson: Olive oil went from boring cooking fat to lifestyle flex sometime in the 2010s, partly due to the Mediterranean diet's rising popularity, and partly due to wellness culture—celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow promoted olive oil shots and topical applications, while popular Paleo and Keto diets demonized other "inflammatory" oils, positioning olive oil as the clean alternative.
By 2015-2018, olive oil was no longer just an ingredient, but a cultural signifier.
This created the perfect opportunity for premium brands… and Brightland hopped on in 2018, transforming olive oil from pantry staple to luxury gift with Instagram-worthy packaging and California terroir storytelling. They proved Americans would pay premium for domestic olive oil that felt special.
Meanwhile, chef culture was having its *moment*. Professional kitchen culture started going mainstream through YouTube cooking channels (think: Bon Appetit’s Test Kitchen), social media, and shows like "The Bear." Home cooks suddenly had a window into chef techniques—including the humble squeeze bottle. Add a pandemic, and home cooking became both entertainment and necessity.
Enter Graza. Their genius was making wellness luxury feel approachable via form factor. And the brand seemingly blew up overnight—securing national retail distribution and millions in sales in a single year.
Graza's success created an evolution. Olive oil shifted from Brightland's premium gift positioning toward something more functional. Consumers still wanted quality, but also ease of use and everyday accessibility. This is where domestic brands saw their opening—hence all of the recent squeeze bottle launches.
So, could these brands challenge Graza? These California brands offer the best of both worlds: Graza's functional packaging, plus domestic advantages—supply chain control (massive flex in 2025), quality assurance (major advantage over fraud-plagued European imports), and that good ol’ fashioned Made in America story.
The timing feels right. Consumers are educated on olive oil quality (thanks Brightland) and conditioned to want squeeze bottles (thanks Graza). California brands can now offer premium quality AND practical benefits like fresher oil and faster supply chains.
We'll see if American-made can squeeze out the competition 🫡
CPG & Consumer Goods
Bye bye Aperol spritz ✌️. Cann, the THC beverage brand, launched its first bottled product, a $64 THC-infused aperitif called Citrus Spritz with 60mg of THC per bottle (a recommended 1-oz. serving boasting 2.5mg of THC) sold exclusively direct-to-consumer.
No chance at purple ketchup now. Kraft Heinz announced it will eliminate all artificial colors from its products in the U.S. by the end of 2027, in response to growing consumer concerns and RFK Jr.’s demands.
Everyone remembers their first. Pinterest partnered with Chamberlain Coffee to launch a limited-edition coffee blend, marking its FIRST co-branded product ever.
Given Pinterest's major role in trend forecasting and deep involvement with consumer brands, it's surprising they've never done a co-branded product until now. Their choice to partner with a creator brand that has credibility and some cultural relevance is a smart move for spreading awareness. - N
A new player in protein. Equip Foods launched the Prime Bar, the first-ever grass-fed beef protein bar, featuring 20g of protein from collagen + colostrum plus fats from grass-fed tallow…yet somehow, “tastes like dessert.” The company recently closed a funding round led by HighPost Capital.
Something to note here: the brand specifically calls out that it does not use “whey or milk isolates” which is a new-to-me claim for such an animal-centric product. I’d be curious to see if other non-plant-based brands follow Equip’s lead with this callout… - J
Frozen isn't what it used to be. Laoban, a brand specializing in Chinese takeout-inspired frozen foods, is expanding its lineup with new "Crunchy Bites," including crab Rangoon, scallion pancakes, and Taiwanese popcorn chicken.
It’s so fun to see a brand focused on making “restaurant food” more accessible for the at-home diner. Laoban isn’t about being “better-for-you” or making any crazy health claims—it’s just a brand focused on making yummy, cultural food available to more people. Who doesn’t love scallion pancakes and crab rangoon!? - J
Honing in on acne. Banu Skin, a new acne-prone skincare brand, launched on Sephora's website with three products.
The skincare industry continues to see major growth in the acne category. The Inkey List strategically positioned nearly all of their SKUs to address acne concerns, Church and Dwight's acquisition of Hero Cosmetics (~$630 million in 2022), and Starface pimple patches can be seen on everyone from celebrities to your friends kids. All this demonstrates the significant value and growth potential major companies see in specialized acne treatment brands.
Bubblegum. Butt. Wipes. Yes, we’re being serious! Dude Wipes is launching Lil’ Dude Wipes, flushable wipes for toddlers aged 2 and up, exclusively at Walmart. Apparently they used Walmart's first-party shopper data to validate the product concept! The new wipes feature kid-friendly scents…like bubblegum.
Another celeb brand... Soccer star David Beckham launched a new food brand called Beeup, offering honey-based fruit snacks for kids (because, apparently, David is a beekeeper in all of his spare time?!).
Taking mayo national. Ayoh! Foods, co-founded by chef Molly Baz, is launching nationwide through its first major retail partner, Whole Foods. The company has also secured a $4.5 million seed round led by Imaginary Ventures, with participation from Habitat Partners, Simple Food Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, and Great Circle Ventures.
So why now? The condiment space is booming. With Duke's $1.5B acquisition, Bachan's projecting $100M in revenue, and even Glenn Powell launching his own line, condiments (and sauces) have become the new frontier. The category also offers massive market opportunity—Hellmann's alone generates $2 billion annually for Unilever.
There’s something special about Ayoh. Molly is using her 1M+ Instagram following and clout to spread the word without overdoing it. There’s no "by Molly Baz" plastered on packaging. As she told us in our interview, "My dream is that it's at every grocery store in Middle America and people who have no idea who I am are still like, 'Woah, that looks so good.'" They’re letting the product stand on its own—because no matter how big your following, there will always be consumers who've never heard of you.
Coffee, to help you sleep? Fresh off a gorgeous rebrand, MoonBrew is launching a new Sleepy Coffee Vanilla Latte (a non-caffeinated latte made with a blend of magnesium, L-theanine, chamomile extract, and calming superfoods), adding to their expanding lineup of magnesium based powered sleep aids.
While the sleep supplement market has become increasingly focused on optimization and biohacking, MoonBrew is taking a refreshingly approachable stance. Rather than complex supplement stacks or strict protocols, they're delivering better sleep through a familiar (and tasty) format that feels more like a treat than a supplement.
The battle over non-digestible fat continues. A judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order preventing David from “restricting, limiting, or denying access to EPG to existing customers and qualified food manufacturers who previously had access.”
David Protein argued it is under no obligation to supply Epogee's product to the plaintiffs, emphasizing that they failed to secure a long-term supply agreement. Icky!!!
eCommerce
Priced to sell. TikTok Shop is launching a live price match program during its Deals for You Days from July 7 to July 19. This all comes as TikTok Shop is seeing significant growth in sales, with over 75% of users having purchased from a livestream in the past year.
Everything is an ad. PayPal launched Storefront Ads, a new ad product that allows merchants to turn web ads into fully functional storefronts, enabling users to make purchases directly within the ad
Retail
The Goopification of retail. Goop is expanding its brick-and-mortar presence with 20-30 new locations, after just opening its seventh store in Aspen, Colorado. The new store will focus on the brand's beauty and fashion lines and aims to integrate into the local community.
Is Shein next? ASOS just wrapped up its first physical retail pop-up in NYC. This initiative marks the beginning of ASOS's exploration into physical retail in the U.S., with plans for future activations.
MORE screens? Kroger is launching a new in-store digital advertising capability through its Kroger Precision Marketing division, utilizing technology from Barrows Connected Stores. This platform will feature animated content on digital screens integrated into store fixture
Funding news
Meati finds a new home. The mycelium-based meat brand is in talks to sell to Yasir Abdul, an infomercial executive, for $4 million—a fraction of the the company's valuation which has plummeted from $650 million following its $150 million Series C funding round in 2022.
Love these gummies. Taste Tomorrow Ventures, an investment fund by L.A. Libations, made its first food investment in the better-for-you candy brand Better Sour. This marks the venture capital firm's second investment following its recent partnership with Just Ice Tea.
Coffee remains caffeinated. Danone is investing $65 million to expand its manufacturing plant in Jacksonville, Florida, to meet the growing demand for its coffee and creamer brands, including International Delight and STōK. This growth comes as the cold brew coffee market in particular is projected to increase significantly in the coming years.
Let it go. This Bar Saves Lives, initially co-founded by actress Kristen Bell, rebranded as All In Food and secured a $4 million funding round led by Obvious Ventures. The company, which was acquired by GOOD Worldwide in 2022.
They need more money? Liquid Death is seeking to raise around $20 million (while not lowering it’s $1.4 billion valuation) to increase its production capacity as it aims for profitability this year, projecting $340 million in revenue, a 40% increase from the previous year.
I guess selling Ozzy Osborne's DNA isn’t making them a ton of dough (yes it’s real) 💰 🤷
Weekly Pickups
This week we spoke with friend of the newsie, Kelly Bennett! Kelly shared her favorite new sauce, and we cannot wait to try it. Check it out and make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss our next edition! Read it here 👇
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss our next edition!
Will whey and milk isolates be the next demonized ingredients? lol