Hudson Davis-Ross

Another year, another Whole Foods Trends Report — and honestly, this one’s stacked. Everyone will talk about ingredients (tallow, vinegar, fiber), but I think what’s really interesting is the operational shift underneath: These trends reflect brands that are getting distribution-ready. Shelf-stable, frozen, or ambient — categories that scale efficiently without crushing gross margins. That’s what makes “Freezer Fine Dining” so exciting. Restaurant-quality products with low spoilage risk and high logistics leverage is an operator’s dream. The future of grocery isn’t just what’s on the label, it’s what’s in the supply chain. #CPG #Operations #Wholesale #Ecommerce #EndlessThinking

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I have written a lot lately about protein and where the category is heading. This deal is another data point worth paying attention to. Second Nature Brands, the PE-backed snacking platform behind Brownie Brittle, Sahale Snacks and Voortman, just agreed to acquire Tillamook Country Smoker. Tillamook generates more than $175 million in annual sales and makes clean-label zero-sugar jerky, beef sticks and sausages. This is Second Nature's first move into protein snacks. The category numbers explain why. Dried meat snack sales excluding jerky rose 10.7% to $3.3 billion in 2024. PepsiCo entered this year with Good Warrior. Chomps, Jack Link's Protein Snacks and Archer Meat Snacks are all scaling. The category has gone from a niche better-for-you play to one of the most competitive aisles in the store in a very short window. For Second Nature, Tillamook gives them a platform in a category with real consumer tailwinds. For CapVest, the PE firm backing Second Nature, this is the roll-up playbook working exactly as designed. Buy castoffs and undermanaged brands, add distribution muscle and retail relationships, and let the category growth do some of the work. The harder question is whether clean-label meat snacks can hold their positioning as the category gets crowded with scaled players. Full article: https://lnkd.in/gvsRjjzQ

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4️⃣ insights from my hot-off-the-press research: The Contrarian Blueprint for the GLP-1 Economy. This will change how you think about GLP-1s. 1. GLP-1 use isn't static.
 2. The biggest demographic blind spot has been men.
 3. There isn't one GLP-1 consumer.
The depth of GLP-1 users by brand varies dramatically. 4. GLP-1s aren't a threat; they're a catalyst for joy
 Check out the article for the full story. The question should never just be "how do we accommodate GLP-1 users?" It's "what does this consumer want now, and how is that changing?" Thank you, Valerie Gritton Connect Media, for featuring my insights! 🤔 Want to get the Executive Preview Report now? Send me a DM or drop a comment below, and we’ll send it! #GLP #ConsumerInsights #Restaurants #BusinessOfJoy https://lnkd.in/gNeJuxMk

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TODO VERDE, TUYYO, AND NEMI MERGE UNDER TUYYO FOODS The trio of female-owned consumer brands are coming together: 👉 Todo Verde was founded in 2015 and started selling DTC after the pandemic focusing on taco seasoning blends. 👉 Nemi Snacks was founded in 2019 and sells dried snacks made from Nopal Cactus. 👉 TUYYO was founded in 2020 and produces Latin American inspired beverage mixes. The consolidation reminds me of Bettani Farms acquiring NUMU Food Group, Stockeld Dreamery, and Hungry Planet last month. But with a twist of being oriented to Hispanics. Lots of these food brands that focus on a specific ethnicities are flying high like Bachan's, Dumpling Daughter, and Mother-in-Law's. Neither of the brands have record of raising institutional capital. Curious to see if that's the next move after consolidating portfolio.

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