Express Checkout #96 - the latest in CPG, Retail, and eComm

Hello hello!

On the back of Bumpin Blends launching in 1,400 Walmarts nationwide, I sat down with Lisa Mastela to discuss what it takes to build an authentic health brand in today's crowded market.

We dove into her unique perspective as a registered dietitian on the opportunities for truthfulness in health-focused products, the challenges of expanding into major retailers like Target and Sprouts, and how she hustled to get her product into the hands of celebrities—without the usual pricey endorsement deals.

🎉 🎂 Next month marks two huge things for Express Checkout, 2 years and 100 issues. That can only mean one thing: I’ll be hosting a major celebration in NYC! Want to partner to help put this on? Email me for more info!

Also, sponsorships are open for 2025 👀. I have a new website coming (featuring more long-form editorial content), a podcast, and YouTube channel! Plus I host tons of events each quarter. Don’t miss out on the chance to partner—spots are filling up fast.

Whole Foods Market released its Top 10 Food Trends for 2025. Are they anything new? No. Was I excited to see some awesome brands highlighted? Yes.

These trends have been bubbling up for a while now—especially international snacking and hydration hype, which have been featured in various trend reports for the past few years. The difference? Consumers are seriously starting to notice these trends, too.

A quick recap of the trends:

• International Snacking: Global flavors in snacks, introducing consumers to different cultures through fusion foods (like Confusion Snack’s Chili Masala Popcorn).

• Ever-Adaptable Dumpling: Diverse dumpling products across multiple aisles (think: bao buns, pierogies, soup dumplings…) showcasing cultural authenticity and fusion creativity.

• Crunch: Texture of the Moment: Increased demand for crunchy textures in various food products, from snacks to seasonings and condiments.

• Hydration Hype: More hydration products with added benefits like electrolytes and antioxidants—even in some funky formats, like Cocobear.

• Tea's Time: A bump in tea-flavored products and new tea formats, including plant-based milk teas and sparkling teas (very eager to try Kola Goodies).

• Next-Level Compostable: Growth in compostable packaging, including home-compostable options.

• More-Sustainable Sips: Alcoholic beverage brands focusing on sustainability through regenerative practices and eco-friendly packaging (very intrigued by this Kernza trend…).

• Sourdough Stepped Up: Expansion of sourdough beyond traditional bread into various products like pizza crusts, crackers, and even chocolate (currently obsessed with Unbothered Foods’ Sourdough Crackers).

• Plant-Based Aquatic Ingredients: Increased use of sea and freshwater plants as sustainable protein and nutrient sources—AKA, kelp for president.

• Protein Power-Up: Growing interest in whole food protein sources, including innovative meat blends incorporating….organ meats. Mmmm, liver.

🛒 CPG & Consumer Goods

• A celebrity brand actually worth celebrating. Everyone’s favorite superhero Tom Holland launched a non-alcoholic beer brand called Bero, which features three varieties: Noon Wheat, Edge Hill Hazy IPA, and Kingston Golden Pils. Here are my thoughts on it:

@nate.rosen

Spiderman himself, Tom Holland, just launched a nonalchoholic beer brand called @berobrewing and I'm a fan! The space is crowded yes, but ... See more

• PSL, you’ve met your match. Aura Bora just teamed up with OG NYC favorite, Magnolia Bakery, to create the Fall bev to end all Fall bevs: Apple Cinnamon Sparkling Water inspired by Magnolia’s seasonal Apple Crisp pudding.

• The protein streak continues…

  • Meet the 5 Hour Energy of Protein. Orgain launched a new Whey Based Protein Shake “shot,” a 4oz bottle with 20g of protein. Also, 4oz isn’t really a shot…

  • Upcycled protein? Rebbl is launching a new protein shake that contains 26 grams of protein and 4 grams of sugar. The shake is made with Evergrain's upcycled barley protein (interesting...).

• May every brand be as stunty as a YouTuber’s brand. Joyride launched a giveaway for three special edition low-sugar candies, accessible only to the five winners. Participants can enter by scanning a QR code on specially marked bags and uploading their purchase receipt.

• A swing…and a hard miss. Bath & Body Works apologized and pulled its “Snowed In” festive candle after its label design was criticized for resembling Ku Klux Klan uniforms… The candle is now being sold on eBay for over $300 after being removed from stores.

• Hopping on the supplements bandwagon. Reebok is launching a line of performance supplements with your classic products like protein, vitamins, and hydration solutions.

• Time to think circular. GUESS? partnered with SuperCircle to launch GUESS Again – incredible name – a customer recycling program. Customers can trade in worn clothing for GUESS credit, while SuperCircle manages the recycling process.

💻 eCommerce

• Finally, bureaucracy doing something right! The Federal Trade Commission announced a final "click-to-cancel" rule that simplifies the process for consumers to cancel recurring subscriptions and memberships, ensuring it’s as easy to unsubscribe as it is to sign up.

• Apple Pay celebrates a decade. Apple announced new features for Apple Pay, including support for redeeming rewards and expanding installment loan options with partners like Klarna. The company aims to enhance its payment service and eventually replace physical wallets with digital solutions.

• AI tool for Shopify brands. OpenStore, a Shopify brand aggregator, has launched OpenDesk, an AI-driven customer support tool aimed at smaller Shopify brands. The company, which recently laid off 20% of its team, is shifting its focus towards identifying high-potential brands and leveraging its customer support insights to cater to the broader Shopify ecosystem.

• Wow an AI-powered tool, how revolutionary 🙄 Google launched a new AI-powered Google Shopping experience that offers personalized options, AI-generated briefs for user searches, and more relevant product recommendations.

• Say hello to Zelle’s sister. Early Warning has launched a new digital wallet called Paze, now available for over 125 million credit and debit cards in the U.S., allowing for secure and convenient transactions without manual entry. The wallet is integrated with multiple financial institutions (BOA, Wells, Chase, etc.) and emphasizes security through tokenization. Paze is currently available at several retailers, including Sephora, ShopRite, Harry & David, Party City, and more!

  • I recently met with the Paze team to learn more from the horses mouth why Paze might be different than an Apple Pay or Shop Pay. They emphasized strongly that security and easy integration with consumers banks makes the difference.

🛍 Retail

Some close, some open, some change, but retail is still alive and well

• Except maybe for Walgreens. Who reported a significant financial loss for in 2024 and announced they closure of 1,200 stores over the next three years to improve profitability.

• Smaller format stores seem to be all the rage. Bloomingdale's is set to open its fourth Bloomie's store, an all-women's format, at The Grove Shopping Center in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, in Nov ‘24. The store will be a mere 21,000 square feet 10x smaller than an average Bloomingdales.

• Lock up the Drunk Elephant. Ulta Beauty has announced its plan to open 200 new stores over the next three years adding to its existing 1,385 stores across the 50 states

• We love you REI. REI Co-op has announced new store openings in 2025, with locations in California, Colorado, New York, Texas, Utah, and Washington. The company will open six stores in 2025 and has also shared intentions for additional locations in 2026.

• I swear, Amazon’s grocery strategy is all over the place. Amazon is piloting a new small-format grocery store in Chicago, named Amazon Grocery, designed for quick fill-in trips and located next to an existing Whole Foods Market. The store will offer 3,500 products across a tiny 3,800 square foot layout.

• I think it’s time for Click 2. Bed Bath & Beyond is seemingly making a comeback with physical stores after they inked a $40 million deal with The Container Store, which will feature Bed Bath & Beyond products. This is following the brand's shift to e-commerce after filing for bankruptcy 18 months ago. The Container Store, facing its own financial challenges, hopes to leverage Beyond's data and e-commerce expertise to improve sales…we will see

🏭 Supply Chain

• Does this mean I get my package faster?! Amazon plans to implement its Vision-Assisted Package Retrieval (VAPR) tech in 1,000 Rivian electric delivery vans by early 2025. The AI system helps drivers quickly locate packages, early tests showed a time saving of over 30 minutes per route.

💸 Funding news

• Don’t eat this stuff. Hello Cake, a sexual wellness brand, acquired Trigg Laboratories, Inc. and closed an $18 million Series B funding round, bringing total funding to over $36 million.

• From chocolate restaurant to whole cacao experience. Blue Stripes raised $20 million in a Series B funding round led by Zintinus, The Hershey Company, and Whole Foods Market. Of course they got a celebrity to be involved, celebrity chef Nick DiGiovanni has joined as a Brand Ambassador.

  • For those who don’t know, Blue Stripes was founded by Oded Brenner who started the now global chocolate retail chain Max Brenner!

• A beverage platform expands. Amass Brands Group acquired Calirosa Tequila, enhancing its portfolio in the premium spirits market. Amass is best known for it’s dry gin spirit.

• The bundling of DTC has begun. Havenly Brands acquired Burrow, a modular furniture brand, marking its fifth acquisition in two years. They also own, Interior Define and The Citizenry.

• What does chocolate and a key ring have in common? Well nothing, except that Hershey has invested $2.5 million in Keychain, a B2B marketplace for CPG manufacturers, to enhance its supply chain efficiency and digitize food manufacturing. Keychain, which raised an $18 million seed round last November, aims to connect manufacturers with brands and retailers to help them sell excess capacity.

🧐 Interesting reads + data

• Mintel put together a 2025 Global beauty and personal care trends. Some interesting findings:

  • Consumers in 2025 will leverage tech for personalized beauty solutions—62% of US consumers are interested in hyper-personalized products

  • Sustainability will be essential, with brands focusing on eco-ethical practices. Biotech ingredients, refillable packaging, and eco-friendly products will drive consumer choices.

  • Consumers will prioritize prevention and simplicity in beauty routines, embracing nostalgic, sensory-rich products.

• I feel like it grows every year! The National Retail Federation is forecasting a 2.5% to 3.5% increase in winter holiday spending for 2024, totaling between $979.5 billion and $989 billion. This growth is supported by a stronger job market and online shopping, which is expected to rise by 8% to 9%.

😋 Brands and things I’ve tried this week

The new Lexington Bakes - Thanks Lex for sending the bestie box!

• Pumpkin Spice Espresso Brownie (in partnership with Equator Coffee)

• Peanut Butter Chip (in partnership with French Squirrel)

See ya next week,

Nate :)

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