Express Checkout #112

Hello hello!

Two years ago when I first came across Oobli, I thought they were making better-for-you chocolates.

After sitting down with CEO Ali Wing, I realized I had it completely wrong. Oobli isn't aiming to be the next great CPG brand - they're a biotech company on a mission to transform how we sweeten food using proteins that are up to 5,000x sweeter than sugar!

Read our latest Checkout Chat with Ali to learn more about how Oobli is reimagining the future of sweetness!

CPG & Consumer Goods

• Now that Dry Jan is over… the boozy news is pouring in:

  • Absolut Vodka is expanding its RTD portfolio with new bottled cocktails (Espresso Martini and Classic Cosmopolitan at 20% ABV) and Ocean Spray canned drinks (White Cran-Peach and Cran-Mango at 4.5% ABV).

    • Welcome to the RTD cocktail renaissance. Trailblazers like High Noon, Cutwater Spirits, and NUTRL have set new standards for quality and innovation, while premium offerings from Gardenista and Via Carota are elevating the category further. Even whiskey giants Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam have entered the fray, underscoring the category's broad appeal.

    • With IWSR forecasting a 6% CAGR for spirits-based RTDs in the US from 2023 to 2028, it's clear that this boom is far from over.

  • DUG Group's Cocuy Saroche has become the first Venezuelan agave spirit to enter the US market, launching initially in South Florida through Breakthru Beverage Group.

  • Diageo plans to build a $415 million manufacturing and warehousing facility in Montgomery, Alabama, creating 100 full-time jobs and expected to be operational in late 2025. The 360,000-square-foot site will produce multiple brands like Smirnoff and Don Julio.

• Narrowing their focus. The J.M. Smucker Co. is selling its Cloverhill and Big Texas brands, along with certain private label products and a Chicago manufacturing facility, to JTM Foods for ~$40 million. Smucker's is aiming to focus on growing the Hostess brand and optimizing its portfolio in the sweet baked goods category.

• New year, new me. VEGA, a plant-based protein brand, announced a rebrand (2nd in less than 5 years) featuring new formulations, performance-focused products, and packaging with a “celestial-inspired” design.

  • Reactions have been mixed…Some feel the new look leans too heavily into traditional sports nutrition tropes, losing the plant-based identity that made Vega stand out. Others see it as a smart evolution, positioning the brand alongside premium performance products rather than niche vegan alternatives.

  

  • There’s concern that longtime customers who valued the natural, approachable branding may not connect with the more “aggressive” aesthetic. Whether this shift attracts new consumers without alienating the core audience will be key to its success.

eCommerce

• Group order > Group chat. Gopuff is launching GoGroup, a new feature that allows multiple users to add items to a shared cart for delivery in as fast as 15 minutes.

Retail

• We bought a mall. Walmart purchased the Monroeville Mall near Pittsburgh for $34 million, partnering with Cypress Equities to manage and redevelop the nearly 200-acre property. While specific plans haven't been revealed, the project aims to transform the iconic mall (famous for its appearance in the "Dawn of the Dead" movie) into a mixed-use destination featuring retail, hospitality, and possible residential development.

• Time to put Martha on tour. Skechers plans to open 180-200 new company-owned stores in 2025, following strong 2024 performance with sales up 12.8% to $2.21 billion in Q4.

I guess this is what they’re up to….

@nate.rosen

What is Skechers up to??? #cpg

• Millennials everywhere are mourning. Quiksilver, Billabong, and Volcom's parent company, Liberated Brands, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, leading to the closure of over 100 retail locations across the US in 2025.

• Adding “Dietician consultation” to your cart. Kroger launched OptUP Your Nutrition, a free program for Kroger Plus loyalty members that offers virtual nutrition coaching with registered dietitians.

• ALDI U.S. sold Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket banners to a consortium of private investors led by Southeastern Grocers' CEO Anthony Hucker and C&S Wholesale Grocers. The transaction involves approximately 170 grocery stores across five southeastern states.

Funding news

• Who says gum is dead. Refresh Gum raised $2M in seed funding, led by Santatera Capital, to scale its plant-based, clean-label chewing gum business that has seen 290% year-over-year sales growth across retailers including Whole Foods and Wegmans.

• Facebook marketplace dupe. Sotira, an AI-powered platform that helps companies offload and monetize their surplus inventory by connecting vetted suppliers with brick-and-mortar buyers across the US, raised $2M in pre-seed funding.

  • They’re the latest startup tackling this issue. Ghost is another significant player in this space, raising substantial funding in multiple rounds: a $30 million Series B in August 2023, and a $40 million Series C in 2024 by L Catterton.

• Everist, the hair care “concentrate” brand founded by Jayme Jenkins and Jessica Stevenson, secured a new funding round led by Sandbridge Capital.

• The bros love a glow. Hakkawise, an e-commerce brand acquirer, purchased men's skincare brand Wolf Project for an undisclosed amount. Wolf Project is preparing to launch online at Target by Q2 2025 and has doubled its footprint at Nordstrom.

  • What’s going on here? The men's skincare market is experiencing remarkable growth. Recent data shows that more than half (52%) of US men now use facial skincare products, marking a significant 68% increase from 2022. This trend is particularly strong among Gen Z men, with 68% using facial skincare products.

I talked about it in a recent TikTok!

@nate.rosen

Men’s skincare is going to start really taking off this year, I think we’ll see new brands with dedicated products for men. Def check out... See more

Weekly Pickups

Congrats to my buddy Adam Simone, founder of Leaf shave, on making another freaking solid product! Leaf is an amazing sustainable razor company and they just launched a shave bowl and brush set…and it is SOLID.

I LOVE my Sodastream so having an option on-the-go is also great. Aerflo is literally that, a portable carbonation machine! And this company is going places, they raised a cool $10M in August 2024.

See ya next week!

Nate + Jenna :)

📰 Got news? Submit it here! 📰

Any other questions or inquiries you can respond to this email or DM me on Twitter or LinkedIn or TikTok

If you are enjoying my newsletter please share with anyone you think would benefit from it! 🙏