November 14, 2025

Please see below for a listing of what the North Point Food & Beverage Team has been tracking this week. We hope that you find the content insightful and a nice way to summarize the most noteworthy Food & Beverage events of the week.

Have a nice weekend!

Glen Clarke

Head of Food & Beverage

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Investindustrial to acquire TreeHouse Foods in USD 2.9bn EV deal.

• TreeHouse Foods, Inc. and Industrial F&B Investments III Inc., an independently managed investment subsidiary of Investindustrial VIII SCSp, part of a leading European group announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which TreeHouse Foods will be acquired by Investindustrial in an all-cash transaction for a total Enterprise Value of $2.9 billion.

Source: Mergermarket

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Lucky Energy raises USD 25m in Series B.

• Lucky Energy, one of the fastest-growing energy beverage brands in the U.S., announced today that it has successfully closed an oversubscribed USD 25m Series B funding round, led by Paine Schwartz Partners.

Source: Mergermarket

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McCain Foods to acquire Penobscot McCrum.

• McCain Foods, a global leader in prepared potato and appetizer products, has entered into an agreement to acquire Penobscot McCrum LLC, one of North America’s premier suppliers of frozen potato specialty products.

Source: Mergermarket

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SNH Capital Partners acquires majority stake in Arctic Fisheries.

• Antarctica Advisors Acts as Exclusive Investment Banking Advisor to Distributor Arctic Fisheries in its Majority Sale to SNH Capital Partners.

Source: Mergermarket

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Turnspire Capital Partners acquires LifeLine Foods, ICM Biofuels.

• Turnspire Capital Partners LLC announced that an affiliate has acquired LifeLine Foods LLC and ICM Biofuels LLC. The operations will be combined under The LifeLine Group, with the food business continuing to operate as LifeLine Foods, and the biofuels business being rebranded as LifeLine Biofuels. Turnspire’s partner in the formation of LifeLine is AgraMarke Quality Grains, Inc., a Missouri cooperative of corn farmers.

Source: Mergermarket

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Bain-backed Valeo Foods explores options for Irish division.

• Bain Capital-backed Valeo Foods is exploring options for its Irish business, including a potential sale, according to two sources familiar with the situation.

Source: Mergermarket

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GoodLeaf Farms raises USD 52m in funding.

• GoodLeaf Farms, Canada's only national and largest vertical farming operator, has completed an equity financing totaling $52 million, to expand the production capacity of GoodLeaf's farms in Alberta and Quebec and establish a new research and development centre in Ontario.

Source: Mergermarket

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Manchester Farms would consider sale to expand quail business – president.

• Manchester Farms, a second-generation family-owned producer of quail eggs and meat, would entertain inbound sale interest to accelerate growth, said President Brittney Miller.

Source: Mergermarket

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Smolyansky slams Lifeway Foods' Shareholder Rights Agreement extension.

• Edward and Ludmila Smolyansky, long-term shareholders of Lifeway Foods, Inc. who together exercise voting control with respect to approximately 26% of the outstanding shares of Lifeway Foods today provided a response to the Company's extension of its existing Shareholder Rights Agreement as well as an update on the upcoming Lifeway Foods 2025 election.

Source: Mergermarket

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Record-high profitability in beef sector leads to optimistic livestock producers.

• U.S. farmer sentiment ticked up in October, driven by strong optimism from livestock producers, who are benefiting from record-high beef sector profitability, while crop producers remain pessimistic due to compressed margins.
• The Farm Financial Performance Index dropped sharply to 78 (down 31 points since May), revealing widening financial disparities: crop farmers expect significantly weaker performance vs. last year, while livestock producers anticipate stability.
• In response to low commodity prices, crop producers plan 2026 cost cuts (e.g., reduced phosphorus/nitrogen use, lower-cost seed traits), while most farmers would use potential USDA support to pay down debt (53%) or strengthen working capital (25%). Policy uncertainty around tariffs continues to affect outlook.

Source: Mergermarket

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State of the Dairy Industry: Heavenly growth for natural cheese.

• Natural cheese sales hit $21.1B, up 4.3% YoY, with strong growth in chunks (+9.4%), slices (+2.3%), shredded (+1.3%), and refrigerated grated (+12.9% — fastest-growing). Snack cheese rose ~6% as consumers seek high-protein, on-the-go options.
• Processed cheese declined 2.9%, with slices, loaves, and spreads all falling; only cheese spreads/balls grew (+3.5%). Plant-based cheese continues to contract except for shredded (+1.8%).
• Innovation and consumer trends are driving momentum: seasonal/limited-time flavors, functional ingredients (protein, probiotics, prebiotics), and global formats; cheese consumption per capita continues rising, doubling over 50 years and contributing to record U.S. dairy intake.

Source: Dairy Foods

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Ag groups respond to federal government shutdown ending.

• President Trump signed a bill reopening the federal government after a 43-day shutdown, funding operations through January 2026 and extending farm bill provisions through FY26.
• Agriculture groups including NPPC and NCBA welcomed the reopening, emphasizing restored USDA animal health programs, critical market data services and reduced operational disruption for producers.
• Industry stakeholders noted that despite efforts to ease the shutdown’s impact, the prolonged closure caused significant strain across livestock and ag sectors.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Republican senators express support for Trump’s meatpacking inquiry.

• Several Republican senators publicly backed President Trump’s call for a DOJ investigation into major meatpackers, arguing that consolidation among the four dominant packers (controlling 80%+ of the market) is driving high consumer beef prices while producers struggle.
• Others in the GOP voiced skepticism, including Rep. Thomas Massie, who criticized conflicts of interest and argued that without mandatory country-of-origin labeling, an inquiry won’t meaningfully address pricing issues.
• The NCBA warned that market manipulation or increased imports (e.g., Argentine beef) could harm U.S. cattle producers and fail to lower retail prices, noting that broader systemic factors — demand, tariffs, labor, and NWS concerns — continue driving beef price inflation.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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AAMP provides small business perspective after Trump DOJ investigation statements.

• AAMP pushed back on President Trump’s call for a DOJ investigation into beef pricing, emphasizing that small processors are not manipulating prices and are instead struggling with the lowest cattle supplies in decades, operating at ~70% capacity.
• Broader industry responses remain mixed: some lawmakers are engaging the administration on beef market concerns, while NCBA criticized proposals to increase Argentine beef imports, arguing it would harm U.S. cattle producers without lowering consumer prices.
• Rising beef costs stem from multiple structural pressures — tight cattle inventories, tariffs, labor constraints and NWS concerns — rather than processor-driven price fixing.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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NWS efforts discussed during USDA trade mission to Mexico.

• USDA led its largest-ever agribusiness trade mission to Mexico, hosting 500+ B2B meetings to strengthen bilateral ag ties, reinforce commitments under the 1944 Water Treaty, and advance joint efforts to eradicate New World screwworm.
• Secretary Brooke Rollins and senior USDA officials met with Mexican leadership (including President Sheinbaum and SENASICA) to review NWS containment, enforcement practices, and a comprehensive joint response strategy.
• Mexico remains the top market for U.S. agricultural exports ($30.2B in 2024), with consumer-oriented products accounting for ~50% and bulk commodities (corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, pulses) representing one-third.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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USDA confirms new sterile fly facility in Northern Mexico.

• USDA opened a new sterile fly dispersal facility in Tampico, Mexico, enabling aerial release across northeastern Mexico to combat New World screwworm and prevent northward spread toward the U.S.
• The facility expands USDA’s capacity beyond southern Mexico, supporting a five-pronged binational strategy with Mexico, dispersing ~100M sterile flies per week and shifting Nuevo León operations from ground release to aerial deployment.
• USDA is simultaneously investing in major production capacity expansions, including a $750M domestic sterile fly facility in Texas and $21M to help Mexico upgrade its Metapa site, targeting doubled production by 2026.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Chobani posts red-hot growth as food rivals languish.

• Retail sales up 28.3% YoY, driven by strong growth in yogurt, coffee, and creamers as consumers favor clean-label, protein-rich, low-sugar options despite broader CPG category slowdowns.
• Recent acquisitions — La Colombe ($900M, 2023) and Daily Harvest (2025) — expanding reach into RTD coffee, frozen meals, and plant-based platforms, fueling innovation and diversification.
• Raised $650M to support capacity expansion and innovation, including a $1.2B New York plant and Twin Falls (ID) upgrades, signaling confidence in sustained double-digit growth.

Source: Food Dive

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Indiana Meat Packers & Processors Association to administer USDA loan program.

• The Indiana Meat Packers & Processors Association (IMPPA) will administer USDA’s Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program in Indiana, deploying $15M in low-interest loans to small and very small independent processors.
• Loan amounts range from $100K to $5M with 15-year terms, offered at 3.75% interest for general projects and 2.75% for wastewater-related upgrades, supporting equipment, facility construction, compliance, packaging expansion and pollution control.
• The program operates as a revolving loan fund, with future rounds set to support additional sectors of Indiana agriculture beyond meat and poultry processing.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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The Save Mart Companies readies private label meat line.

• Save Mart is launching a value-priced private label line of minimally processed beef, pork and poultry across Save Mart, Lucky and FoodMaxx to help consumers manage rising meat inflation.
• Meat prices are up 8.5% YoY in 2025, and the new program is part of the retailer’s broader “Right By You” savings initiative, including free delivery and enhanced digital coupons.
• Executives said the regional grocer’s smaller scale and local supplier relationships allow faster execution, with plans to further expand private label offerings in 2026.

Source: Food Dive

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The rise of new pizza concepts.

• Growth in pizza is coming from innovation + value, with unexpected toppings (fries +50%, butternut squash +48%, brisket +42%), seasonal/limited-time offerings, and cross-category collaborations (e.g., Cheez-It Pizza, Ragu Pizza, Surfer Boy/Stranger Things).
• Weekly pizza consumption is rising (24% → 35% since 2022), but consumer polarization requires strategies that serve both frequent buyers (novelty, bold flavors, new crust types) and value-seeking households (budget-friendly, family-oriented “pizza night”).
• Smaller and premium brands focus on differentiated flavors and high-quality ingredients, while the category overall remains anchored in core drivers — great taste, convenience, and low cost per serving — positioning pizza as a reliable comfort meal despite economic uncertainty.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Danone’s Too Good & Co enters coffee creamers.

• Danone is expanding its Too Good & Co low-sugar yogurt brand into coffee creamers, offering ~3g sugar per serving and leveraging strong consumer demand for natural, lower-sugar ingredients.
• The move positions Danone directly against Chobani’s fast-growing creamer business and taps into high overlap between yogurt and refrigerated creamer buyers (~86%).
• Too Good & Co serves as a platform for broader low-sugar innovation as Danone invests in creamer capacity and capitalizes on at-home premium coffee trends.

Source: Food Dive

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Keurig Dr Pepper eyes $200M in supply chain savings from spinoff.

• Keurig Dr Pepper will spin off its coffee business following the JDE Peet’s acquisition and expects ~$200M in supply chain savings over three years driven by sourcing resiliency, manufacturing consolidation and logistics optimization.
• The new standalone coffee entity aims to better navigate external volatility (tariffs, commodity swings, climate-driven crop shortages) through enhanced procurement scale, blend optimization and a streamlined operational footprint.
• The spinoff represents roughly half of a broader ~$400M cost-reduction plan, with the remaining savings coming from SG&A and IT, supported by a newly formed transformation management office.

Source: Food Dive

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Pilgrim’s breaks ground on prepared foods facility in Georgia.

• Pilgrim’s (JBS) broke ground on a $400M, 300,000-sq-ft prepared foods facility in Walker County, GA, which will create 630+ jobs and produce fully cooked chicken products under Just Bare, Pilgrim’s and Gold Kist.
• The multi-phase facility will begin construction this fall, with hiring starting in 2027; it expands Pilgrim’s existing Georgia footprint of seven production sites and ~7,500 jobs.
• Pilgrim’s is extending its Hometown Strong and Better Futures community programs to Walker County and is donating 700+ lbs of chicken to local partners as part of its community support efforts.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Atkins Ranch brings Verified Regenerative lamb products to San Diego retailer.

• New Zealand producer Atkins Ranch expanded its Verified Regenerative lamb line into Jimbo’s stores in San Diego, offering a wide range of regenerative and grass-fed lamb cuts and value-added items.
• All products are Land to Market–verified, indicating measurable improvements in soil and ecosystem health alongside high animal-welfare standards.
• Atkins Ranch positions the expansion as part of its commitment to sustainable farming, biodiversity and long-term land stewardship across its 100+ family-farm collective.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Tropicana appoints former Pabst leader as CEO.

• Tropicana Brands Group appointed former Pabst CEO Paul Chibe to lead the company as it faces financial pressure, declining orange supply and challenges following its $3.3B spinoff from PepsiCo.
• The business has shown signs of distress, including a $30M emergency loan from PAI Partners and PepsiCo writing down its stake by $135M, amid bankruptcy concerns and major supply disruptions.
• Chibe brings prior leadership experience from Pabst, Ferrero North America and AB InBev, and is expected to drive innovation and stabilize performance across Tropicana, Naked, KeVita and other brands.

Source: Food Dive

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West Texas A&M breaks ground on research feedlot complex.

• West Texas A&M University broke ground on a $15M research feedlot and education complex to advance beef cattle feeding research, innovation and student training, funded by USDA grants and significant private donations.
• The facility will include 90 ten-head pens, 40 seventy-head pens, an animal-processing facility, feed mill, and technology for monitoring and feed manufacturing, positioned as a major hub for fed-beef research.
• Construction begins winter 2025 for the education center and in 2026 for the feedlot, supported by a 42.8-acre land gift and contributions from industry partners including Merck Animal Health, Champion Feeders and multiple regional feedyards.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Unilever sustainability officer steps down amid company’s corporate restructuring.

• Unilever’s longtime Chief Sustainability Officer Rebecca Marmot is stepping down amid a major corporate restructuring that includes spinning off the ice cream division (Magnum) and eliminating ~7,500 jobs.
• Michael Stewart, who joined Unilever two months ago after leading corporate affairs/communications at PwC, will take over sustainability responsibilities as part of broader leadership consolidation.
• Marmot exits after nearly two decades and significant progress on sustainability goals, including major Scope 1 & 2 emissions reductions driven by renewable energy and efficiency initiatives.

Source: Food Dive

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Update on deadly Listeria outbreak linked to cooked pasta.

• Update on deadly Listeria outbreak linked to cooked pasta.  A multistate Listeria outbreak linked to pre-cooked pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods has resulted in 6 deaths and 25 hospitalizations across 18 states; affected products were sold at major retailers including Sprouts, Kroger, Albertsons, Giant Eagle and Trader Joe’s.
• The recall—expanded Sept. 30—covers multiple pasta types (fettuccine, linguine, farfalle) and prepared meals made with the pasta; the initial positive sample came from meal provider FreshRealm, not FDA testing.
• Nate’s Fine Foods says FDA’s extensive facility testing has not found the outbreak strain, while CDC continues investigating additional potential contamination sources; high-risk groups include pregnant women, seniors and immunocompromised individuals.

Source: Meat + Poultry

JUST FOR FUN

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Leftovers: Torani unveils 2026 flavor of the year | Brown-Forman brings Mexico’s top RTD to US –  Food Dive

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