Express Checkout #47 - the latest in CPG, Retail, and eComm

Hello hello! 😎

Happy Halloween! NYC has been filled with Ken’s, Barbies, Justin Biebers + Hallie Biebers, and one Big Bird.

🎙️ I was on another podcast this week, In The Sauce with Allison Cayne the founder of Haven’s Kitchen. Go give it a listen, I really enjoyed my conversation with Allison! Episode Link 

I also have some events coming up, check them out here 👇

• 🍿 I’d love for you to join me at NOSH Live, a 2-day event for the natural food industry, taking place on Nov. 30 + Dec. 1 in Marina del Rey, CA.

  I really think it’s one of the best conferences for CPG out there, with tons of opportunities:

  1. Take away insights, data points and advice from speakers from Lesser Evil, Partake, KIND, VMG, The Family Fund, amongst others.

  2. Meet one-to-one with Whole Foods, The Fresh Market, Kroger, and Thrive Market.

  3. Participate in a data-driven one-to-one meeting to help you with your sell story.

  4. Sample your product and receive valuable feedback.

  5. Pitch your natural food brand on Elevator Talk with Ray Latif

  6. Learn the nuts and bolts of the business at Boot Camp for natural food startups.

  My friends at NOSH pulled some strings, and here is a discount to save $500 per ticket. I hope to see you there!

• 🌴 I’ll be in Santa Monica November 13th for a Founders Dinner, Jess Cervellon, Joseph Seigel, and me! RSVP HERE!

• 🌆 Catch me in Chicago November 15th for MID COAST ECOM SPARK, a conference put on by the great Jess Cervellon and Dillon Duchesne! RSVP HERE!

(If you’re reading this email in gmail it might get clipped! You can always view full issues here.)

🔥 Big News - 10 items or less 🔥

• DTC darling sold again - Unilever has announced the sale of Dollar Shave Club to Nexus Capital. Nexus plans to invest in marketing, product quality, and new innovations, and sees DSC as a platform for additional brands. Unilever will retain a minority shareholding of 35%. (source)

• Menswear brand buys back ownership - L Catterton has sold its stake in Rhone, a menswear brand, through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), with new investors including Tim Tebow and Steve Young. (source)

• Marshmallow brand wins legal battle - Smashmallow has been awarded $21 million in a legal battle with an equipment manufacturer that failed to deliver on its promises. Tanis Food Tec, was supposed to build a specialized machine for Smashmallow but ultimately provided a machine that did not meet the volume targets, caused wastage, and created health and safety issues. (source)

• Baby care files chapter 11 - Hello Bello has reached an agreement in principle to be acquired by Hildred Capital Management, a healthcare-focused private equity firm. To facilitate the acquisition, Hello Bello has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and secured financing to continue its operations. (source)

• Crocs takeback - Crocs has launched a Retail Takeback Pilot Program in stores in 10 states. Gently used shoes will be donated to Soles4Souls, while unwearable pairs will be repurposed. (source)

• $8M, for bagels?! - PopUp Bagels, a viral bagel startup, has closed an $8 million Series A round led by Stripes. PopUp known for its fresh baked bagels, gained popularity through word-of-mouth and social media, attracting both local New Yorkers and tourists. They’re good bagels, and if you have the chance to grab a few definetly do it! (Source)

🗞️ News from the week (10/23/23 - 10/29/23)

🛍 Retail

• 7-Eleven is testing a futuristic coffee machine at a store in Dallas. Developed with Appliance Innovation, the machine offers an automated coffee experience and lets customers customize their drinks. (source)

• Tanger has opened its first outlet center since 2019, Tanger Outlets Nashville, a 290,000-square-foot open-air shopping center. (Source)

• Claire's has expanded its retail partnerships by rolling out to about 700 Kohl's stores across the country. (source)

• Ulta Beauty and SOS are partnering for a pilot program to introduce smart vending machines in 10 stores across the United States. (source)

• Instacart is partnering with Wellness West, a coalition of health and safety-net institutions in Chicago, to address food insecurity on the city's West Side. (Source)

🛒 CPG & Consumer Goods

• Kraft Heinz has expanded its partnership with Taco Bell to become a primary manufacturer of Taco Bell's branded retail products, including sauces and taco dinner kits. (source)

• The Pizza Cupcake, a gourmet handheld pizza snack, is expanding its retail presence from 2,500+ stores to over 4,550 stores by the end of October, including Target and Kroger.

• Wesson, a well-known cooking oil brand, has introduced new plant butters in the refrigerated aisle. (source)

• Celebrities love their booze

  • Michael Bublé has collaborated with master distiller Paul Cirka to create a new whiskey brand called Fraser & Thompson. (source)

  • Matthew McConaughey has launched Pantalones Organic Tequila, a new brand in the Tequila category. (source)

  • Non-alcoholic 'spirit' brand Seedlip has partnered with actor Regé-Jean Page for its new campaign, promoting a 'choose different' approach to drinking. (Source)

  • F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has partnered with Casa Lumbre to create a non-alcoholic 'spirit' made with Blue agave. (Source)

• Authentic Brands Group and SHEIN have announced a long-term partnership to create a co-branded Forever 21 collection. (Source)

• Eggo and BISSELL have collaborated to create the EggoVac, a limited-edition waffle-inspired robotic vacuum designed to simplify parents' to-do lists during the busy holiday season. (source)

• Our Place's Always Pan is now available at Target in an exclusive color, along with other cookware pieces. (source)

• Keurig Dr Pepper has established a long-term sales and distribution partnership with Grupo PiSA, the parent company of Electrolit. (Source)

💻️ eCommerce 

• Amazon Ads launched a new generative AI solution called image generation to help advertisers create more engaging ads. This tool leverages generative AI to produce lifestyle and brand-themed images based on product details, allowing advertisers to improve their ad performance. (source)

• Livestream beauty shopping app Supergreat is set to shut down on December 15. Most of the team members will be joining Whatnot, another livestream shopping platform. (source)

• Google is introducing new AR beauty tools for shoppers and brands. Shoppers can virtually try on hair color and access AR beauty tools on mobile browsers, while brands can promote their products with AR Beauty ads. (source)

🏭 Supply Chain

• Amazon has announced two new robotic solutions, Sequoia and Digit. Sequoia is currently operating in a fulfillment center in Houston, Texas, while Digit, developed by Agility Robotics, is a bipedal robot specifically designed to handle items in warehouses. (source)

• Amazon Pharmacy now offers drone delivery of prescription medications in College Station, Texas, with a delivery time of 60 minutes or less. (source)

• UPS has announced its agreement to acquire Happy Returns, a U.S.-based software and reverse logistics company, from PayPal. (Source)

💸 Funding news

• Lunr, a fintech provider of inventory financing for emerging retail brands, has announced a $6 million funding round with participation from Mairs & Power Venture Capital. (Source)

• Kaley Cuoco, star of 'Big Bang Theory', has raised $3 million in funding for her new pet care brand, Oh Norman! led by Midnight Venture Partners, Everywhere Ventures, and Freedom Trail Capital. (source)

• The acquisition of Sovos Brands by Campbell Soup Co. is facing delays due to a second request for information from the FTC. (source)

• Algenesis Corporation has raised $5 million in seed funding to expand production and commercialization of Soleic PU, a biodegradable plastic biomaterial made from plants and algae. (source)

• Sidework, a beverage technology company based in San Diego, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding, bringing the total to $10 million. The funding round was led by Cherubic Ventures, with participation from other venture firms. (source)

🧐 Interesting reads

• Good Vodka Founder Mark Byrne Is Probably Too Hydrated (GrubStreet)

• TikTok Shop is driving sales for resale companies, even as fakes flood the platform (Glossy)

• Leatherman on Why Premium Products Need Loyalty Programs (PYMNTS)

• Inside Nugget’s clue-drop marketing campaign strategy (ModernRetail)

• The Magic Of Retail: How Disney Parks Elevate The Park Shopping Experience (Forbes)

• Milk Bar chef and CEO Christina Tosi talks growth, the future and her favorite part of each week (FoodDive)

• Hershey sets sights on becoming a ‘snacking powerhouse’ (Food Business News)

• They Met Outside a UVA Classroom. Then They Started a Multimillion-Dollar Business

• Long Misunderstood, Baked Beans Are Busting Loose (WSJ)

💡 Data, reports, and trends

• Holiday Gift Card Shopper Research 2023

• 61% of Consumers Plan to Celebrate Halloween; 80% Plan to Purchase Candy, Numerator Reports

• Trick-or-Treat Trends: Mapping Out Halloween’s Best Haunts

🖐️ Ask for my audience:

CRUMBS is closing their seed round shortly and has some investment opportunity left if anyone is interested?

The Original CRUMBS Bakeshop, originally founded by Mia & Jason Bauer in 2003, was a leader in the cupcake industry, selling over 1M cupcakes weekly through 50+ stores. After a closure in 2016 and re-acquisition for $350 in 2021, they relaunched CRUMBS with a new focus on retail packaged cupcakes and cookies. Their revamped strategy has resulted in over $1M in revenue, authorized in 800+ retail stores, and a streamlined, high-margin approach.

Nate :)

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