Conagra Brands’ Swiss Miss has partnered with General Mills to launch a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamilk hot drink mix. General Mills' cereal brand Cinnamon Toast Crunch will combine its Crunch Cinnadust and marshmallows with Swiss Miss' beverage base. To prepare a serving of the beverage, "simply combine hot water with the creamy drink mix and then stir in a second envelope full of Cinnadust and marshmallows". Each box includes six pairs of drink mix. Astrid Perez Martin, brand manager for Cinnamon Toast Crunch at General Mills, commented: "We know the Cinnamilk left at the bottom of a cereal bowl is one of our fans' favourite parts about the product. This is why we're delighted to partner with Swiss Miss to create a delicious new beverage that gives our fans a unique way to experience the unmistakable Cinnadust flavoured milk during new parts of their day." The Swiss Miss Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamilk hot drink mix will be available in US grocery stores, mass retailers and e-commerce outlets beginning June with an SRP of $2.99.

US beverage company, Sunshine Beverages, has expanded its sparkling energy drink portfolio with the launch of a new flavour, tropical pineapple. The addition joins the brand's existing variants, including: clementine twist, ginger berry and blueberry lemonade. Tropical pineapple combines the flavour of pineapple with notes of citrus. The new drink is packed with electrolytes, vitamins A, C, D and E, and 70mg of organic caffeine. "Tropical pineapple has long been in the works and is rounding out the portfolio as a highly-anticipated summer flavour, sure to become a classic," said Sunshine Beverages' president, Amanda Goers. "At the same time, more consumers are buzzing about the brand across the country." Tropical pineapple is available at over 2,000 stores across the US, including Weis Markets, Food Lion, Lowes Foods and Canteen. The 12oz cans are sold individually with an SRP of $2.49 or in 12-packs with an SRP of $29.99.

Europeans have fallen in love with smoothies! Light and healthy fruit drinks have entered the snack category and are becoming increasingly popular every year. According to Statista Global Data, in Europe, this beverage category will grow from €11.01 billion in 2022 to €12.53 billion in 2026, advancing at a CAGR of 3.27%. With the spring-summer season just beginning, the presence of these products on shelves is simply mandatory! Hello Day! Smoothie is an innovative product from Agus. The beverage consists of natural purées and fruit juices of the highest quality, without low-cost fillers. The thick, filling liquid snack contains no added sugars, and its taste and sweetness are derived entirely from the fruit. Hello Day! Smoothie comes in three delicious flavours: passion fruit, pineapple and mango. The drink is available in a recyclable bottle that you can take with you to work or pack in your child’s backpack for a second breakfast. The brand’s visual communication distinguishes it from the competition on the shelf. Inspired by the American farmer’s market and French le marché, the packaging features a colourful awning, naturally evoking the idea of a traditional grocery market offering food directly from farmers. It’s worth it! Hello Day! Smoothie is produced using aseptic processing technology, creating a shelf-stable beverage that does not require refrigeration, with a long 12-month shelf life. In terms of logistics, the drink does not require temperature-controlled conditions, which has a significant impact on cost optimisation in the supply chain. In store, our smoothie can be displayed in two areas: on shelves and in refrigerators, fully complementing the food offering and the “to go” category. “Our smoothie is available in the international market, through different sales channels, from supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores and petrol stations to q-commerce and online supermarkets, including REWE, Tommy, Spar, Auchan, DM, Rossmann, Bipa, Danube, Mercator, Plodine, Konzum, Circle K, Orlen, Zabka Jush, Frisco and Delio. We are constantly searching for new distribution partners to expand our sales network by offering them a branded product of the highest quality and attractive terms of cooperation,” explains Andrzej Mirowski, communication director. With the consumer in mind In addition to smoothies, Agus also offers healthy snacks and breakfast products under the Hello Day! brand. All of the brand’s products consist of simple, low processed ingredients. “Hello Day! was created as a response to the needs and changing eating habits that we closely observe. Nowadays, consumers are looking for healthy and simple products that help them maintain a balanced diet and support wellbeing, both at the product and brand value level,” Mirowski explained. “According to our slogan Hello Day! Change Your Life! we want to support consumers in changing the way they eat, live, look at the world and think about ecology. We also encourage them to change their habits and attitudes.” About Agus Agus is an FMCG company that creates, designs and commercialises products in four main categories: dairy, beverages, snacks and breakfast products. The company is present on four continents, in more than 50 countries, and according to Agus Vision 2025, plans to expand and diversify its business, including through acquisitions. For years, Agus has been improving its recipes to meet market expectations. The company has a number of recognisable brands in its portfolio: Royal Milk, Olimp Milk, Diamond Milk, Imperial, Pride, Majestic, Milmo and Hello Day! Learn more at AgusGlobal.com.

Brightseed, the developer of an artificial intelligence-powered phytonutrient discovery solution, has raised $68 million to support AI-led research. The funding round was led by Temasek, with participation from new and existing investors. The bioscience company is the creator of Forager, a platform that reveals the "connections between nature and human health". The technology identifies natural bioactives and maps connections to human health benefits, with potential applications spanning food and agriculture, nutrition policy and nature-based drug design. Forager has mapped more than 2 million plant compounds, with a number of these in various stages of validation across health areas such as sugar management, immunity, and metabolic, digestive, cognitive and maternal health. Jim Flatt, co-founder and CEO of Brightseed, said: "Nature holds an incredibly rich and largely uncharted source of powerful, natural bioactives that create health benefits in humans and we’re now able to access and integrate them into products for food and health industries". He continued: "Discovering and mapping natural bioactives to human health benefits was just the first step for Brightseed. Now, we’re launching clinically studied ingredients and insights to illuminate the hidden potential in nature to restore human health." The new funding will enable Brightseed to advance its natural compound discovery and clinical validation, and launch its first FDA-GRAS ingredient from its new commercialisation centre in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Icelandic no-added-sugar brand, Good Good, has closed a $20 million Series B funding round, led by private equity group SÍA. The brand offers no-added-sugar spreads, keto bars, syrups and natural sweeteners, as well as a recently released low-carb peanut butter. Gardar Stefansson, co-founder and CEO of Good Good, commented: "We are thankful for the support from our current investors and board, along with the trust and confidence from our new investor, SÍA IV, and other private investors that participated in this funding". He continued: "Good Good is on a mission to innovate great-tasting, no-added-sugar alternatives in a world where such products are necessary for everyday living. With this new round of $20 million, we are on track to materialise our vision of making a positive impact on our consumers. We are continuing to add talented employees to our team to bring Good Good into more households and further develop our product line." The funding will support the company's expansion, especially in the US and other international markets, as well as its online sales. The investment round follows Good Good's $3 million Series A funding in 2020.

Cécile Béliot has assumed the role of Bel Group chief executive officer, following the decision to separate the roles of chairman and CEO. The separation of the functions will enable Bel Group to develop in three areas of healthy snacking. Meanwhile, the company's former CEO, Antoine Fiévet, has had his mandate renewed as chairman of the board. In Béliot's new role as CEO, she will be responsible for executing the company’s vision and managing its strategy and performance. Prior to Bel Group, Béliot worked at Danone, where she held roles as managing director and general manager for Danone Waters in France and the Benelux region. Fiévet said: “These four years of close and effective collaboration with Cécile Béliot have fostered a real relationship of trust. In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, I am deeply convinced that the continuation of our project requires the establishment of a complementary duo at the head of the company." He continued: "The Bel Group, with its portfolio of iconic and popular brands, which was recently expanded with the completion of the acquisition of MOM (Pom’Potes/GoGo squeeZ, Materne, Mont-Blanc, etc) has many assets to establish itself as the leader in healthy snacking. Cécile is the leader that the group needs to deploy its strategy, innovate and accelerate the sustainable growth project that we are developing for Bel, with all our partners.”

Jack Link’s-owned meat snacking brand, Peperami, has unveiled a vegetarian alternative to its popular snack. Vegerami three-packs are made from a combination of pea and wheat protein, offering a blend of "peppery" herbs and spices. Each stick contains 64 calories and is high in plant protein. Peperami's head of marketing, Pavan Chandra, said: “Peperami has launched exciting meat-free NPD over the past year, which has added variety to its product portfolio and driven innovation within the market. The new Vegerami sticks will be no exception, providing shoppers with a tasty snack that will stand out in the crowded marketplace." He continued: "There has never been a better time to introduce a tasty, meat-free snack to cater to a wide range of demographics that are looking to reduce their meat consumption. We believe our new Vegerami range will significantly contribute to category growth, as the meat-free and meat snacking categories grow side by side.” The Vegerami three-packs are available at Tesco stores for an RRP of £1.50.

Tropicana Brands Group, a recently formed joint venture between PAI Partners and PepsiCo, has debuted a line of herbal spritzers in the US under its KeVita brand. KeVita Herbal Spritzer comes in three flavours: Harmony Peach Elderflower, Refresh Orange Sage and Serene Chamomile Lavender. The new product line features lightly fermented beverages with live probiotics, fruit and herbal extracts. The range is available at Whole Foods stores for an SRP of $3.99 per 15.2oz bottle. Last year, KeVita launched a new range of on-the-go prebiotic shots that aim to help support digestive health.

Health enhancing brand Cheerful Budda has launched three new superfood lattes and a superfood hot chocolate in Holland & Barrett. The products include: Matcha Superfood Latte Blend, Lion’s Mane Superfood Latte Blend, Chaga Superfood Latte Blend and Cacao Bliss Hot Chocolate. Each blend is made with adaptogenic mushrooms, including Reishi, Lion's Mane and Chaga, as well as a blend of nutrients and antioxidants. James Wright, Cheerful Buddha's co-founder, said: "We’re delighted to see our new lattes and hot chocolate going into Holland & Barrett stores nationwide. We created these products as a simple and delicious way to enjoy nutritious ingredients that many people are eager to build into their daily routines." He continued: "Taste, quality and functionality are our top priorities and we’ve come up with four very special recipes that deliver on all counts. We look forward to building on this success over the coming months". The new releases will be available in-store from the end of May.

Lenny & Larry's is launching a new product line of breakfast bars in the US, called The Complete Kickstart. The breakfast bars will be available in four flavours, including: blueberry lemon, apple cinnamon, banana chocolate chip and cranberry white chocolate-flavoured chip. Each bar contains 8g of plant-based proteins and probiotics to support the immune system, as well as 14g of whole grains per serving. The Complete Kickstart bars are non-GMO Project verified, vegan, kosher and provide no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. "We're thrilled to present a new breakfast option for consumers based on the market's demand for plant-based protein and immunity support," said Lenny & Larry's CEO, Jolie Weber. "Lenny & Larry's continues to be an innovative brand that creates new products based on unmet consumer needs." The Complete Kickstart breakfast bars will be available at Kroger stores from next month.

Italian dairy manufacturer Granarolo has acquired a 51% stake in protein-enhanced food company White & Seeds. Founded in 2019 by Alessandro Ghizzardi and Federica Zanaglio, White & Seeds sells products in the dairy and snacks markets, including yogurt, bars, muesli, porridge and spreads. Granarolo says the company will consider the possibility of buying the remaining shares in the next few years. Granarolo's general manager, Filippo Marchi, said: "The strength of the offer by this young start-up lies in the competency and passion of its two young founders. They are both sports lovers, one who is passionate about the market and the other is an expert nutritionist. They have researched products intended for a generation of people who are attentive to wellness but with little time and who are looking for genuine ingredients and flavours." He continued: "Granarolo has been focusing its attention on the same target for quite some time and over the last few years has placed products on the market that are inspired by well-being combined with taste and sustainability". Last year, Granarolo acquired two cheese companies: US-based firm Calabro Cheese Corp and PDO gorgonzola producer Mario Costa.

Conagra Brands is expanding its Gardein's Ultimate Plant-Based portfolio with the addition of seven new food products. The new variants include: Chick'n Wings, available in Buffalo and BBQ style; Chick'n Spicy Fillets; Saus'ge Links in both bratwurst and spicy Italian varieties; and Breakfast Saus'ge in original and spicy patties. "Eating plant-based should never mean settling for a limited menu," said Jill Dexter, VP and general manager at Conagra Brands. "Gardein is committed to adding delicious new food to our line-up, and we're really excited for consumers to try out these offerings." Gardein's Ultimate Plant-Based portfolio includes plant-based alternatives to beef, chicken, pork, turkey and seafood. The new Gardein's Ultimate Plant-Based additions will be available at grocery stores, mass retailers and through e-commerce from next month.