September 12, 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

—

Smithfield Foods prices offering of 19.5 million shares at USD 23.25 apiece.

• Smithfield Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: SFD) (the “Company”), an American food company and an industry leader in value-added packaged meats and fresh pork, today announced the pricing of a secondary public offering of 19,531,698 shares of common stock of the Company sold by SFDS UK Holdings Limited, the principal shareholder of the Company, at a price to the public of $23.25 per share.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Capol acquires Blue Pacific Flavors.

• Blue Pacific Flavors, a pioneer in natural and organic flavor systems, is entering a new era of global flavor innovation through its acquisition by Capol, a company of the Freudenberg Group, effective September 1, 2025.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Marfrig-BRF merger approved by Brazil agency.

• The proposed merger between Marfrig Global Foods S.A. and BRF S.A. has been approved by the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE).

Source: Meat + Poultry

—

MBC Companies acquires Alpha Foods.

• MBC Companies, a diversified frozen foods company, today announced that it has acquired Alpha Foods, a family-owned frozen pizza manufacturer based in Waller, Texas. 

Source: Mergermarket

—

Five Star Breaktime Solutions acquires Georgia Vending Services.

• Five Star Breaktime Solutions, a leading provider of micro markets, vending services, and office coffee solutions across the Southeast, has acquired Georgia Vending Services, a well-established vending services operator based in Alpharetta, GA. 

Source: Mergermarket

—

Durational Capital makes strategic growth investment in Garage Beer.

• Garage Beer, the fastest growing, independent beer brand in the U.S., announced a strategic growth investment from Durational Capital Management, LP.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Charcuterie Artisans acquired by private equity firm.

• Private equity firm Industrial Opportunity Partners (IOP) acquired Charcuterie Artisans, the parent company of premium charcuterie and meat brands Daniele and Creminelli Fine Meats.

Source: Meat + Poultry

—

Cargill in talks to partner with Grassi for Vicentin takeover – report.

• Cargill is in discussions to partner with Argentine firm Grassi to acquire distressed soy exporter Vicentin SAIC, according to a newswire report.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Nutrabolt invests in Bloom Nutrition.

• Nutrabolt is pleased to announce a significant new investment in Bloom Nutrition, the approachable wellness line founded by Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Ardian assesses non-binding offers for Frulact.

• Vendor Ardian is assessing non-binding offers (NBOs) for Frulact, the Portugal-based food ingredients company, three sources familiar with the situation said.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Seaboard Foods acquires three hog farms.

• Seaboard Foods announced three farm acquisitions on Sept. 11 that will directly supply the company’s pork processing plant in Guymon, Okla.

Source: Meat + Poultry

—

Peak Rock launches sale of Global Market Foods.

• Peak Rock Capital has launched the sale process for food platform Global Market Foods, according to three sources familiar with the situation.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Rubicon Bakers conducts fireside chats.

• Rubicon Bakers, a private equity-backed manufacturer of branded bakery products, has been conducting fireside chats with potential suitors, according to three sources familiar with the situation.

Source: Mergermarket

—

Supply shortages, tariffs weigh on global beef trade.

• Global beef production is tightening, with volumes down 1% in the first half of 2025 versus 2024, led by contractions in Europe (-5%), the U.S. (-5%), and New Zealand (-17%). RaboResearch forecasts a 2% global contraction for the year, though Australia and China are increasing output.
• Prices are diverging by region: U.S. and Canadian cattle prices have cooled slightly, but Southern Hemisphere markets continue to climb due to stronger demand, especially as China shows signs of recovery.
• Tariffs are reshaping trade flows: U.S. import tariffs on Brazilian beef (now up to 50–66.4%) are expected to reduce shipments by 10,000–15,000 tonnes per month in the second half of 2025. This poses challenges for Brazilian processors reliant on U.S. trimming demand, forcing them to redirect cuts toward China, the Middle East, and Egypt.

Source: Meat + Poultry

—

Study finds that all proteins are not created equal when recovering from intense training.

• A Texas A&M study, funded by the National Pork Board and USDA, found that the type of protein consumed after intense training impacts recovery: pork-based MREs led to less muscle soreness, reduced muscle breakdown, and lower inflammation compared to plant-based MREs.
• Despite equal protein amounts (45g per meal), plant-based options contained 30–40% fewer essential amino acids and negligible creatine, leading to weaker recovery outcomes. Pork’s natural creatine and amino acid profile provided better hormonal responses and recovery support.
• Researchers recommend fortifying plant-based MREs with 6–10g of essential amino acids and 2–3g of creatine to ensure military personnel and athletes maintain performance and recovery capabilities.

Source: Meat + Poultry

—

FDA takes first step toward closing GRAS ingredient ‘loophole’.

• The FDA is proposing a new rule requiring companies to submit mandatory health data and documentation when declaring a food ingredient “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS), replacing the current voluntary self-affirmation process criticized as a loophole.
• The move follows Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s directive to close the self-affirmation pathway, amid concerns that manufacturers have introduced new chemicals without sufficient safety data.
• Legal experts caution the proposal could face court challenges over FDA authority, and ongoing agency layoffs may further slow approvals, though the rule aims to improve transparency and consumer safety.

Source: Food Dive

—

Food companies could be required to disclose when products contain gluten.

• The Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” strategy report suggests requiring food companies to disclose when products contain gluten, alongside other potential allergen-related labeling rules.
• The FDA would evaluate whether packaging must explicitly note gluten, which affects ~2 million Americans with Celiac disease; currently, only wheat is disclosed as one of the nine major allergens.
• While the roadmap emphasizes voluntary industry action and consumer education, a mandatory gluten disclosure could add costs for packaging redesign and signal future labeling expansions.

Source: Food Dive

—

Campbell’s expresses impact of tariffs.

• Campbell’s expects tariffs to represent about 4% of cost of goods sold in FY2026, with steel and aluminum for soup cans accounting for roughly 60% of the impact, as limited U.S. supply forces reliance on imports subject to tariffs as high as 50%.
• The company is offsetting about 60% of tariff costs through inventory management, supplier negotiations, alternative sourcing, productivity savings, and selective price increases.
• Despite these challenges, Campbell’s reported FY2025 net earnings of $602 million (up 6% year-over-year) on $10.25 billion in sales (also up 6%), driven in part by the Sovos Brands acquisition completed in March 2024.

Source: Meat + Poultry

—

Mondelēz bets on collaborations as M&A costs climb.

• Mondelēz is leaning on collaborations like Oreo x Reese’s, Oreo x Biscoff, and even a Selena Gomez-inspired Oreo to spark consumer excitement, offset volume declines, and avoid costly M&A in a tough spending environment.
• CEO Dirk Van de Put emphasized that price promotions no longer drive growth; instead, partnerships deliver in-store buzz, respect brand territories, and expand geographic reach while preserving financial flexibility amid high cocoa costs, tariffs, and supply chain pressures.
• While M&A isn’t off the table, Mondelez is focusing on selective bolt-on deals in chocolate, biscuits, and baked snacks, using collaborations as a faster, lower-cost alternative to generate consumer engagement.

Source: Food Navigator

—

Kroger to roll out ‘deli of the future’ in new Kentucky store.

• Kroger is introducing a “deli of the future” prototype at a new 101,000-square-foot Marketplace store in Edgewood, Kentucky, opening Sept. 19, which includes a gas station, apparel, and liquor.
• The 6,500-square-foot open-kitchen deli will be three to four times larger than a typical Kroger deli, featuring made-to-order sandwiches with house-roasted meats, homestyle sides, a Murray’s Cheese station, Snowfox sushi, and seating where shoppers can watch food being prepared.
• Kroger invested $25 million in the location, aiming to set a new standard in prepared foods, while competing chains like Weis Markets and Schnuck Markets are also expanding deli and foodservice sections to attract shoppers.

Source: Grocery Dive

—

Molson Coors is brewing a future beyond the beer tap.

• Molson Coors is diversifying beyond beer as U.S. per-capita beer consumption has dropped nearly 25% since 2007. The company has moved into nonalcoholic cocktails (Naked Life), mixers (Fever-Tree), and energy drinks (Zoa), with these categories now generating more U.S. revenue than its nonalcoholic beers.
• With $11.6 billion in 2024 revenue, the company is also eyeing functional beverages, premium waters, and RTD teas/coffees. The strategy aims to capture more drinking occasions and keep distribution partners engaged as consumer alcohol consumption patterns shift.
• Despite the expansion, beer remains the core business. Analysts note Molson Coors faces pressure to clarify whether it will fully reposition as a broader beverage company or continue doubling down on its beer heritage, a decision that may hinge on its next CEO.

Source: Food Dive

JUST FOR FUN

—

Wonderful Pistachios introduces chocolate-covered pistachios – Produce Bluebook

www.nptma.com

Member FINRA/SIPC