🤩 This Week in CPG 03/16/26
🚀 Big News in CPG! Stay ahead with the latest brand updates!
👋 Hey, it’s Jordan!
Expo West is over. The real work starts now.
Expo West is always a whirlwind. Thousands of conversations, hundreds of samples, and more new products than anyone can realistically process in three days. But here’s the truth most founders realize after the show ends:
The real value of Expo West happens after Expo West.
What you do in the next few weeks determines whether the show was just a fun industry reunion or a real growth moment for your brand and your career.
Here’s how to make the most of it:
Follow up fast
Buyers, distributors, investors, and partners all met hundreds of people. A quick, thoughtful follow-up email helps you stand out while the conversation is still fresh.
Understand the Feedback
Which products had crowds around them? What feedback did you hear repeatedly? Those signals are often more valuable than the booth traffic itself.
Turn conversations into action
Set next meetings, send samples, refine your pitch, or explore collaborations. Momentum fades quickly if you don’t move on it.
Of course, Expo West only shows part of what’s happening in the industry. There are thousands of emerging brands that weren’t exhibiting this year.
That’s one of the reasons I created the Foodbevy Insider Box.
Each edition features a curated set of emerging CPG brands so industry professionals can discover and experience new products without having to walk 14 miles around a trade show floor.
My Spring Insider Box is available now and includes 10 brands you didn’t try at Expo West because they weren’t exhibiting.
Whether you were in Anaheim or watching from afar, this is a great way to keep discovering what’s next in CPG.
What was the most interesting product or conversation you had coming out of Expo West? Hit reply and let me know.
🛒 Retail Rollouts
🌮 PACHA, co-founded by Madeleine Hamann and Adam Hiner, debuted a new USDA Certified Organic Sourdough Buckwheat Tortilla recipe at Expo West, expanded into about 250 West Coast Target stores, and earned NEXTY Awards finalist recognition in the Gluten-Free Product category as it grows beyond bread into a broader platform of regenerative, gut-friendly, allergen-free staples.
🍿 Frankie’s Organic Snacks, led by President Frank Cristiano, is launching in more than 600 Sam’s Club locations nationwide through April 25 with its Organic Puffcorn Variety Pack, marking the family-owned brand’s first national U.S. retail placement.
🍪 Love&Cookies, founded by Ashley Cameron, is popping up at Costco locations across Southern California through May 17 with fresh-baked samples and a special two-for-$11.99 offer on its frozen cookie dough, while continuing its retail expansion into Sprouts, HEB, Harris Teeter, Wegmans, Thrive Market, and 23 new states.
🚀 New Product Launch
🫛 HIPPEAS, founded by Livio Bisterzo, is expanding its Chickpea Puffs lineup with Jalapeño Cheddar Blaze and All Dressed Up, rolling out nationwide now as the brand builds on its refreshed look with more bold, globally inspired flavors.
🥞 A-Sha Foods, led by CEO Young Chang, expanded its Hello Kitty Mochi Pancake Mix line with a new Banana Macadamia flavor, joining Original and Ube in a gluten-free, mochi-style breakfast mix now available at Target and Target.com.
🤝 Brand Partnerships
🧁 Baked by Melissa, founded by Melissa Ben-Ishay, teamed up with essie on a limited-edition cupcake collection inspired by the nail brand’s Gourmet Grocery polish shades, marking the dessert company’s first major beauty collaboration with flavors tied to Marshmallow, Berry Naughty, and Unsalted.
💸 Investments and Acquisitions
🍬 Harken Sweets, founded by Katie Lefkowitz, raised fresh capital from Selva Ventures as it expands nationwide into Kroger and expects to reach around 7,500 doors this year in just its second full year on the market.
🎉 News to Celebrate
🧂 N/UM, founded by Awa Kone, earned its second Food & Beverage Magazine Editor’s Pick, this time for its African Beechwood Smoked Salt, adding to the brand’s growing recognition in specialty seasonings.
🥭 Sun & Swell, founded by Kate Flynn, quietly launched an updated snack line in certified home-compostable wrappers, advancing its long-running push toward more practical, lower-impact packaging.
🍨 Smearcase FroCo, co-founded by Joseph R. Rotondo and Drew, won first place in the 2026 Expo West Albertsons Innovation Launchpad pitch competition.