August 15, 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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Insignia kicks off sale for Tillamook Country Smoker.

• Insignia Capital Group has launched the sale process of meat snacks maker Tillamook Country Smoker, according to three sources familiar with the situation. 

Source: Mergermarket

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JBS USA to acquire production facility in Ankeny.

• JBS USA, one of the world’s leading food companies, announced it has reached an agreement to purchase a production facility in Ankeny, Iowa, with plans to build out the largest ready-to-eat bacon and ready-to-eat sausage plant in the company’s U.S. portfolio. The facility was previously owned and operated by Hy-Vee. Company to Invest $100 Million to Purchase and Enhance Prepared Foods Production.

Source: Mergermarket

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PepsiCo sees significant boost in counterparty buying – Flash Commentary.

PepsiCo has jumped on the 13F watchlist thanks to a substantial thirst for shares out of Barclays. The common activist counterparty’s 13F out yesterday showed a significant boost to its PepsiCo stake.

Source: Mergermarket

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Rubicon Bakers preps for sale.

Rubicon Bakers, a Richmond, California-based manufacturer of branded bakery products, is preparing to explore a sale, according to three sources familiar with the situation.

Source: Mergermarket

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Tribute Baking Company gears up for sale.

• Tribute Baking Company, a producer of wholesale bagels and cakes, is gearing up to explore a sale, according to three sources familiar with the situation.

Source: Mergermarket

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Post Holdings CEO signals appetite for further M&A in food sector.

• Post Holdings President and CEO Robert Vitale said he sees potential for more major deals in the food industry, during the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

Source: Mergermarket

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BUILT Brands prepares for potential sale.

• BUILT Brands, a founder-owned manufacturer of protein bars and other protein snacks is preparing to explore a potential sale, two sources familiar with the situation said.

Source: Mergermarket

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Century Pacific Food acquires Loma Linda brand from Atlantic Natural Foods.

• Century Pacific North America, Inc., the U.S.-based subsidiary of Century Pacific Food, Inc., announced that it has acquired the Loma Linda brand from Atlantic Natural Foods, Inc.

Source: Mergermarket

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Global Market Foods gets ready for sale launch.

• Global Market Foods, a sponsor-backed food platform, has been having fireside chats with suitors for a potential sale, three sources familiar with the situation said.

Source: Mergermarket

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Food companies consider switching from seed oils.

• Real Good Foods announced it will transition its entire frozen meal portfolio away from seed oils in favor of beef tallow, citing consumer demand rather than political motives, with positive reception but no set timeline due to supply chain and production complexities.
• The move reflects a broader “seed oil-free” trend — despite most nutrition experts defending seed oils’ health benefits — with other brands like Saffron Road making similar changes and sales of certified seed oil-free products surging over 200% in early 2025.
• Scaling beef tallow use could be challenged by limited cattle supply and higher production demands, but Real Good Foods chose it over olive oil for its taste and lower cost.

Source: Food Dive

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Mars to release Skittles and M&M’s without artificial dyes.

• Mars will launch natural dye versions of M&M’s Chocolate, Skittles Original, Extra Gum Spearmint, and Starburst Original in 2026, but is not committing to converting its full portfolio yet.
• The company had previously pledged to remove artificial dyes by 2021 but slowed efforts after finding many consumers were not concerned; new legislative and regulatory pressure, including an investigation by Texas’ attorney general, has renewed momentum.
• Candy manufacturers face greater challenges than other CPGs in removing artificial dyes due to reliance on petroleum-based colors, limited supply of natural alternatives, and potential impacts on product appearance, price, and shelf life.

Source: Food Dive

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Bazooka chews up $48B confections space by turning candy into ‘edible entertainment’.

• Bazooka Brands is focusing on “edible entertainment” to differentiate in the $48B confectionery market, launching interactive products like Juicy Drop Gummy Mystery Cube and Juicy Drop MashUps that encourage consumers to play with their food.
• Innovation across its portfolio includes new textures, flavor combinations, and formats, such as Ring Pop’s debut chocolate version, while the flagship Bazooka gum — now its smallest brand — retains its playful comic inserts and sees limited-time flavors and new shapes.
• Ring Pop is currently the best-selling brand with expected sales over $100M in 2025, while Bazooka explores sugar-free gum and other innovations to stay competitive in a challenging candy market.

Source: Food Dive

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New frozen snacks debut from Mad Genius Snack Lab.

• Mad Genius Snack Lab introduced four new frozen snacks with globally inspired flavors: Korean barbecue quesadillas, cheeseburger quesadillas, bacon macaroni and cheese snack rolls, and General Tso’s chicken empanadas.
• The products feature combinations like seasoned beef with sweet-savory sauce, bacon mac and cheese in a crunchy wrapper, and chicken with vegetables in a flaky crust, designed to appeal to younger consumers’ “culinary curiosity.”
• All items are available at Walmart, aligning with the brand’s strategy to break traditional snacking norms and target a new generation of adventurous snackers.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Danone launches Oikos yogurt drink aimed at GLP-1 users.

• Danone is launching Oikos Fusion, a yogurt drink formulated for GLP-1 medication users like Ozempic patients, aiming to help prevent muscle loss during weight loss by providing 23g of complete protein, leucine, vitamin D, and prebiotic fiber.
• The product, based on an existing formula from Danone’s specialized nutrition division, will debut at Walmart in August 2025 before rolling out nationwide to Target, Kroger, and Wakefern in October, in strawberry, mixed berry, and vanilla flavors.
• Oikos Fusion targets both GLP-1 users (about 10% of U.S. consumers) and active individuals seeking muscle maintenance, aligning with Oikos’ high-protein positioning and building on the brand’s strong growth, including a 40% sales increase in 2024.

Source: Food Dive

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How Mondelēz is modernizing Ritz as it turns to snacks to drive growth.

• Mondelēz aims to transform Ritz from a traditional cracker into a modern savory snack leader through culturally driven marketing, bold innovation, and omnichannel presence, building on its $1.5B in sales and nearly 50% U.S. household penetration.
• Recent activations include NCAA partnerships, athlete endorsements, and a “Salty Club” pop-up tied to Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico residency, targeting multicultural consumers — especially the Hispanic market, where Ritz is the top multicultural cracker brand.
• The savory snacks portfolio (Ritz, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Good Thins) is being managed separately from sweet snacks to better meet consumer demand for value, convenience, flavor variety, and better-for-you options, with strategies to maintain brand relevance and fend off private label competition.

Source: Food Dive

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Monster Energy executives aim to revitalize Thrifty Ice Cream.

• Hilrod Holdings, owned by Monster Beverage executives Hilton Schlosberg and Rodney Sacks, acquired Thrifty Ice Cream from Rite Aid for $19.2M during bankruptcy proceedings and plans to revitalize the brand through new flavors, retail expansion, and manufacturing upgrades while preserving its nostalgic appeal.
• The strategy aims to strengthen Thrifty’s presence on the West Coast and expand into new geographies, competing against larger, well-known brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs with a focus on quality, nostalgia, and affordability.
• The U.S. ice cream market is worth about $7B but facing consumption declines; Thrifty hopes to leverage its legacy to attract both longtime and new consumers amid changing dietary trends.

Source: Food Dive

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Why Coke and Pepsi think dirty soda is a win for restaurants.

• Coca-Cola and Pepsi are tapping into the “dirty soda” trend — sodas enhanced with syrups, creamers, fruit, and other add-ins — to meet rising consumer demand for premium, customizable, and social media–friendly beverages that can drive higher check averages.
• Pepsi’s Drips line, piloted at colleges, features creations like Strawberry Basil Starry and Lipton Mango Horchata, selling for $5–$9 with strong repeat purchases; Coke is exploring similar customization through syrups, rim flavors, and inclusions, plus tests of flavor-infused soft serve.
• Both companies see premium sodas as a way for restaurants to boost sales and compete with specialty drink shops like Swig, with Gen Z’s preference for customization and familiar-yet-visually-appealing flavors (e.g., Blue Raspberry, Mango) shaping product innovation.

Source: Food Dive

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Locally sourced ground beef product introduced by Oregon Country Beef.

• Oregon Country Beef (OCB) launched its Ground Beef Brick Pack in the Puget Sound area, offering a locally sourced, non-GMO product free from antibiotics, added hormones, and GMO feed.
• The brick-pack format provides convenience with packaging suitable for freezing, catering to consumers seeking flexible, ready-to-store protein options.
• The product is now available at all 16 PCC Community Markets across cities including Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Edmonds, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, and Seattle, WA, as part of a partnership focused on quality and transparency.

Source: Meat + Poultry

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Chemical contamination lawsuit against Perdue proceeds.

• A Maryland federal judge allowed a class-action lawsuit against Perdue AgriBusiness to proceed, alleging PFAS contamination from its Salisbury, MD, facility, while dismissing parts of the plaintiffs’ claims.
• Plaintiffs Stephen Jones and Richard Renshaw allege that Perdue’s wastewater — estimated at 180,000 gallons per day — contains elevated PFAS levels that have migrated into groundwater toward their properties, based on 2023 Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) findings.
• Perdue said it will continue cooperating with MDE, citing ongoing measures such as testing well water, installing filtration systems, implementing PFAS treatment and non-PFAS fire suppression, and providing community updates to protect health and safety.

Source: Meat + Poultry

JUST FOR FUN

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Trolli and Mountain Dew collaborate to capture Gen Z snacking trends — FoodBev Media

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