Express Checkout #116

Hello hello!

Jenna and I are finally all rested up from Expo West! Our tummies are feeling a bit better (thank you Wonderbelly) and we are ready with our thoughts from the show! First a couple of housekeeping items….

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News From the Week - Expo West Edition!!!

What a SHOW. As per usual, the energy in Anaheim did not disappoint. There’s so much we want to share, so instead of taking up precious newsie real estate, we drafted a FULL RECAP HERE :)

Quick highlights: I got to emcee the New Hope Pitch Slam with the best of the best, Asa Mckee! Thank you New Hope for having me!

• We also hosted an amazing 200-person event at Bubba Gump Shrimp - thanks to our partners Glimpse, Drivepoint, and Shopline!

• Don’t forget: We partnered with Glimpse on a giveaway of $26,000 towards your Expo West 2026 booth! Glimpse is an AI-powered platform that streamlines deductions management for CPG brands working with KeHE, UNFI, Target.

CPG & Consumer Goods

• Yes, this brand still exists. Crystal Light launched Vodka Refreshers, a low-calorie, zero-sugar RTD cocktail. They’ll only have an ABV of 3.8%, providing a lighter alternative to hard seltzers and traditional vodka sodas.

  • A data-backed innovation: 1-in-5 Crystal Light users have used the product for a cocktail mixer, so this only makes sense!

• Speaking of RTD cocktails…Lil Yachty launched a line of Tequila seltzers called Yacht Water, inspired by the Texan cocktail Ranch Water. Each variant has a 5.8% ABV and, for now, is available exclusively in select retailers in Georgia and Tennessee.

• Another hydration beverage goes nationwide. Leisure Hydration, founded by friends of the newsletter Steve and Alex Michaelsen, is now nationally distributed at Whole Foods Market after gaining popularity in tech offices.

• As DJ Khalid says, Anotha One ☝️ Bloom Nutrition is launching their own better-for-you soda called Bloom Pop with only 4g of sugar and 25 calories per can, featuring prebiotics and apple cider vinegar for gut health. Three flavors are confirmed: Shirley Temple, Raspberry Lemon, and Orange, with two additional mystery flavors on the way.

• Rough out there for plant-based meats. Meati Foods is planning mass layoffs due to a bank-induced crisis, as a lender unexpectedly removed two-thirds of its available cash, jeopardizing the company's operations. Meati is actively seeking additional funding to continue its operations.

  • CNBC also just put out a video on the downfall of Beyond Meat and the alt-meat category as a whole.

• Orange & Creme is the next big flavor. Vita Coco launched a new flavor, Orange & Creme, for its Vita Coco Treats™ line, following the success of the Strawberries & Creme flavor. This new coconutmilk-based beverage is catering to consumer demand for lighter yet indulgent options.

• No one is safe from oat milk. Diageo launched a Non-Dairy Liqueur made with oat milk, offering two flavors: Coffee Toffee and Cookies & Creamy, aimed at providing dairy-free options for coffee lovers. This product aligns with the increasing demand for plant-based alternatives, as the oat milk market is projected to grow significantly by 2030.

  • If you want a delicious start-up alternative, check out Oatrageous oat milk liqueur from the makers of Misunderstood Whiskey Co.

• Slugging behind... Futurewise, a slugging-focused skincare brand, is shutting down after facing tough competition in the market. The founders, Julie Schott and Brian Bordainick, will now focus their efforts on their other successful ventures including Starface (pimple patches on track to do $90 million in 2024 sales), Julie (emergency contraceptives), and Overdrive Defense (harm reduction).

  • The brand's remaining products are available at 60% off until March 24.

• Love a collab. Character Home, a design-focused maker of modern home goods, is teaming up with iconic tool manufacturer Dremel for a special collaboration. This partnership brings together Character's contemporary design sensibilities with Dremel's 90+ year legacy of tool innovation, resulting in a limited-edition toolbox that combines style with practicality.

• A lesson in brand naming. Cocofloss rebranded as Cocolab to better represent its expanded range of eco-conscious oral care products, including toothbrushes and toothpaste. Founded in 2015 by sisters Dr. Chrystle Cu and Catherine Cu, the brand retains "coco" in its name to honor their Filipino-Chinese-American heritage and love for coconut.

• Purple is the new black. Taro, AKA purple sweet potato, was everywhere this Expo—and it’s only fitting that ALOHA launched its limited edition plant-based Taro Bar this week, which will be sold to support Kupu, a nonprofit focused on youth education and workforce development in Hawaii.

• Beauty’s new fave two-in-one. Tower 28 launched its new GetSet Blush product—the first blush + setting powder in one—with the hilarious The Blush Lives of Sensitive Girls skit series on social, supporting the LA film industry.

eCommerce

• It’s giving….recession. A recent J.D. Power survey found that Gen Z used buy now, pay later services more than credit cards during the 2024 holiday shopping season, with 54% opting for BNPL compared to 50% for credit cards. This marks the first time BNPL has surpassed credit card usage among this demographic.

• Can’t go a week without an AI update. Google Shopping introduced new AI tools that help users find clothing and beauty products by matching their visions to real-world items. Users can describe garments or search for makeup looks, and the AI provides visual suggestions and virtual try-on options for a more immersive shopping experience.

• There’s something weird here... Uber Eats partnered with FreshDirect to offer same-day and on-demand grocery delivery in New York City, marking FreshDirect's first availability on a third-party app.

Retail

• Private label is getting serious. Target’s premiere private label brand Good & Gather is launching a new line called Good & Gather Collabs, featuring collaborations with celebrated chefs, starting with Ann Kim. This is the first-ever chef collab by Target! The collection includes four premium frozen pizzas and three restaurant-quality frozen appetizers

  • Target's private label business does more than $30 billion in revenue across 45+ brands. And according to Numerator, private label brands account for 24% of all unit sales across categories, it's serious.

• Size does matter. CVS Health plans to open small-format stores focused on pharmacy services, eliminating many retail items to better serve areas with limited prescription access.

• Entering the ‘4th wave of coffee’: Sur La Table has announced the acquisition of Seattle Coffee Gear, enhancing its specialty coffee retail offerings.

Funding news

• Love a good mezcal. Pronghorn, a spirits incubator backed by Diageo, has made an undisclosed investment in Doce Mezcal, a female-founded mezcal brand based in New York. Launched in 2022, Doce Mezcal aims to enhance its market presence through a distribution partnership with Blueprint and is focused on amplifying underrepresented brands in the spirits industry.

• Tackling tariffs. Swap, a London-based startup, raised $40 million in Series B funding to develop tools for eCommerce companies to navigate challenges in cross-border trade, particularly in light of new tariffs.

• The year of celeb-backed tequila RTDs. SipMARGS, a ready-to-drink sparkling margarita brand, is officially relaunching—now backed by a $3 million investment led by Palm Tree Crew with influencer Alix Earle as the largest single investor and brand partner.

Weekly Pickups

See Expo West deep dive 🥴 

See ya next week!

Nate + Jenna :)

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