May 23, 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 holiday weekend!

Glen Clarke

Head of Food & Beverage

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Kraft Heinz evaluating potential strategic transactions to unlock shareholder value.

• The Kraft Heinz Company announced that the Company’s Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team have been evaluating potential strategic transactions to unlock shareholder value.

Source: Mergermarket

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Kellanova/Mars notify merger to EC.

• The European Commission has received a notification for the proposed acquisition of Kellanova by Mars, an update on the agency’s mergers registry shows.

Source: Mergermarket

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Follow-ons pick up steam during tariff pause – ECM Pulse North America.

• After a quiet April, North American follow-ons are regaining momentum as stabilizing markets, a wave of sponsor-led block trades, and renewed long-only investor participation are driving steady issuance activity.

Source: Mergermarket

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Sequel-backed Chairmans Foods explores sale with Truist.

• Chairmans Foods, a Nashville-based refrigerated and frozen food manufacturer, is exploring a sale alongside financial advisor Truist, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Source: Mergermarket

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Sofina Foods set to purchase Canadian poultry cooperative.

• Sofina Foods Inc., a privately owned Canadian company that manufactures primary and further processed protein products, recently announced the acquisition of poultry company Exceldor Cooperative.

Source: Meat & Poultry

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Marfrig, BRF propose meat merger.

• Brazilian meat company Marfrig Global Foods S.A. recently announced its plans to merge with BRF S.A. The two sides proposed in public disclosures that the new business would be named MBRF Global Foods Company S.A., if approved.

Source: Meat & Poultry

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Develey sells US-based plant to Newly Weds Foods (translated).

• Develey, a Germany-based mustard producer, has sold its Tennessee, US-based plant to food manufacturer Newly Weds Foods, Lebensmittel Zeitung reported.

Source: Mergermarket

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Kraft Heinz confirms $3B investment in US manufacturing.

• Kraft Heinz confirmed a $3 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing, its largest in decades, to help mitigate tariffs and weak consumer spending.
• The investment could add 3,500 jobs, including a $400 million distribution center in DeKalb, Illinois, creating 60 jobs.
• The company is expanding its product offerings, including new Lunchables with PB&J, and is exploring strategic transactions to drive profitable growth amid declining sales.

Source: Food Dive

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Meat Institute urges approval of reconciliation bill.

• The Meat Institute and other major industry associations support the proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would provide tax relief for meat and poultry companies, including bonus depreciation and immediate expensing for R&D investments.
• The NCBA praised provisions aimed at boosting disaster recovery and enhancing foreign animal disease detection, highlighting the lack of prior funding for livestock health threats.
• The National Turkey Federation endorsed the bill’s focus on animal health infrastructure, especially in response to ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) challenges affecting turkey producers.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Food industry fights for SNAP as program faces massive cuts.

• The House Agriculture Committee advanced legislation that could slash up to $300 billion in nutrition spending, overhauling SNAP and shifting funding responsibilities to states.
• Food industry groups like FMI and the National Grocers Association are warning the cuts would hurt both consumers and local economies, as SNAP makes up 5% of grocery sales and generates $1.79 in economic activity for every dollar invested.
• Nebraska became the first state to gain federal approval to restrict SNAP purchases of soda and energy drinks, part of a broader trend of state-level attempts to limit what SNAP benefits can be used for.

Source: Food Dive

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Meat matters: Protein-driven offerings win foodservice customers.

• Consumers remain highly focused on protein-rich foodservice offerings, especially animal protein, with 74% stating that eating meat is an important part of their diet.
• Limited-time offers (LTOs) and bold, globally inspired flavors—particularly those targeting Gen Z and influenced by social media—are key strategies for differentiation and driving value perception.
• To win repeat customers, consistency in preparation (especially for premium items like steak) is critical, with front- and back-of-house tools recommended to ensure satisfaction in doneness, flavor, and presentation.

Source: Food Dive

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FDA to revisit approval of food chemicals that ‘concern consumers most’.

• The FDA will re-evaluate food chemicals like ADA, BHT, and BHA, with a new systematic review process that could result in labeling changes or bans based on safety concerns.
• HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the FDA and NIH are now prioritizing links between food additives, ultraprocessed foods, and chronic disease as part of a broader health strategy.
• FDA staffing cuts may hinder these expanded safety reviews, prompting the agency to expedite hiring of outside contractors to support its efforts.

Source: Food Dive

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Geopolitical tensions upend pork trade flows.

• Geopolitical tensions, especially between the U.S. and China, are reshaping global pork trade, with the EU, Chile, and Brazil gaining market share as U.S. exports face added tariffs and slowing demand.
• Despite limited production growth due to herd health challenges and market uncertainty, tighter hog supplies have supported pork prices, with retail demand potentially benefiting from high beef and poultry costs.
• Disease outbreaks — including foot-and-mouth disease in the EU, African swine fever in Asia and Europe, and PRRS in North America — continue to constrain supply, while feed costs are expected to remain stable barring further geopolitical or weather-related disruptions.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Johnsonville debuts pre-cooked sausage line for foodservice.

• Johnsonville launched three new pre-cooked, pre-sliced sausage flavors — Ultimate Italian, Jalapeño Cheddar, and Southwestern — designed to reduce prep time and labor for foodservice operators.
• The sausages are clean label, gluten-free, and frozen with a 270-day shelf life, offering versatility for use in dishes like pizzas, wraps, burritos, and bowls.
• Developed in collaboration with operators, the product line emphasizes bold flavor, real ingredients, and efficiency for high-volume kitchens.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Popping breath mints, chocolate with protein: 5 products showcase the future of snacking.

• breathROX, a popping breath mint brand, relaunched with retail expansion and is set to introduce a caffeinated version with functional ingredients like ashwagandha and B vitamins.
• New functional snacks at the expo included protein-rich Hormbles Chormbles chocolate bars and FocusFuel energy gummies targeting health-conscious, on-the-go consumers.
• Legacy kid-focused brands like GoGo Squeez and Magic Straws are evolving with products for older, active consumers, adding electrolytes and wellness features to their formats.

Source: Food Dive

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Campbell’s V8 launches powdered energy drink mixes.

• Campbell’s launched powdered versions of its V8 Energy drinks in Peach Mango, Strawberry Lemonade, and Pomegranate Blueberry, each with 80mg of caffeine from tea plus vitamins and antioxidants.
• The move expands V8’s presence into the $3B+ drink enhancer category, where mixable powders have gained popularity for their affordability and convenience.
• This launch supports Campbell’s strategy to modernize the V8 brand and tap into growing demand among active, on-the-go consumers.

Source: Food Dive

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Inside Poppi’s push into gaming as prebiotic soda marketing bubbles up.

• PepsiCo completed its $1.95 billion acquisition of Poppi, a fast-growing prebiotic soda brand, praising its “community- and culture-first” marketing approach driven by social media and influencer campaigns.
• Poppi entered the gaming space with Alpine Blast, launching a Fortnite mini-game and retro arcade-style game, both aimed at engaging Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and nostalgic gamers.
• The brand’s Coachella-adjacent event and merch drop, featuring Post Malone and social influencers, helped it rebound from recent Super Bowl ad backlash and reestablish cultural relevance.

Source: Food Dive

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Coca-Cola launches Sprite + Tea appealing to TikTok-steeped Gen Z.

• Coca-Cola launched Sprite + Tea, a limited-time soda inspired by a viral TikTok trend, now available in both regular and zero sugar versions through October.
• The drink originated from an intern-led R&D project and reinforces Coke’s strategy of leveraging social media trends to develop new flavors and boost engagement.
• Sprite continues to evolve its product lineup to compete with both traditional rivals like PepsiCo’s Starry and “better-for-you” upstarts like Poppi and Olipop.

Source: Food Dive

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Nearly 10,000 lbs of frozen chicken product recalled.

• Nearly 10,000 lbs of frozen chicken coxinhas from Snack Mania Brazilian Delights Corp. were recalled after being produced without federal inspection and lacking the USDA mark of inspection.
• The products were made between June 27, 2024, and May 2, 2025, and shipped to retailers across eight states, including NY, NJ, and FL.
• No illnesses have been reported, but the USDA flagged the issue during routine surveillance and is urging consumers to check for affected packages.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Darling forms $1.5B collagen ingredients venture amid health and wellness boom.

• Darling Ingredients is forming a new joint venture called Nextida with Belgium-based Tessenderlo Group, combining their collagen and gelatin businesses into a $1.5B revenue operation, with Darling holding an 85% stake.
• The venture aims to capitalize on collagen’s growing popularity in food, beauty, and wellness, including emerging applications like glucose control and natural GLP-1 stimulation.
• With production spanning 23 global facilities, Darling expects the deal to boost shareholder value and further expand its presence in the functional ingredients space.

Source: Food Dive

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USMEF Spring Conference: Record meat demand with cautiously optimistic herd rebuild.

• U.S. red meat demand is at a 37-year high, according to CattleFax CEO Randy Blach, with beef seeing especially strong performance driven by quality-focused consumers willing to pay premium prices; a slow but steady herd rebuild is underway.
• Global demand remains robust, with U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President Dan Halstrom emphasizing long-term market strategies and expansion into West Africa, Malaysia, and Indonesia to counter rising competition from countries like Brazil.
• Superior Farms successfully defeated a slaughter facility ban in Denver, leveraging community outreach, economic impact data, and transparency, which CEO Rick Stott credited for rallying widespread industry and local support.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Albertsons beefs up its private label offerings.

• Albertsons launched Chef’s Counter, a new private label line of globally inspired, ready-to-cook marinated meats priced from $4.99 to $12.69, targeting shoppers looking for affordable, restaurant-style meals at home.
• The brand will initially appear in the self-service meat department and expand to deli, frozen, and center store sections next year; the launch includes a digital push with shoppable recipes and social media content featuring celebrity chef Antonia Lofaso.
• Chef’s Counter adds to Albertsons’ growing private label portfolio, joining recent launches like Overjoyed snacks and Bee Lightly wines, as the grocer aims to stand out in a competitive market and appeal to value-driven consumers.

Source: Food Dive

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Mars opens $450M Ohio facility.

• Mars opened a $450 million Royal Canin facility in Lewisburg, Ohio — its largest dry pet food plant to date — expected to create up to 270 jobs and feed 4 million pets annually.
• The 450,000-square-foot facility is part of Mars’ $6 billion U.S. manufacturing investment over the past five years and features high automation, sustainable systems, and co-location with Royal Canin’s global R&D hub.
• Executives cited the facility’s role in enabling full portfolio production, personalized nutrition, and improved service levels amid rapid growth, while aligning with Mars’ climate plan to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

Source: Manufacturing Dive

JUST FOR FUN

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The Weekly Sip: BodyArmor chills out for summer | Health-Ade’s SunSip soda goes grape – Food Dive

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