Candy-Peddling Robots & the Era of Instacart: CPG News, Week of Mar 1-5
Contents
Unioncrate's curated weekly round-up of CPG & supply chain news. This week's news features future changes at Instacart, Shopify's investment in esports, and positive retailer sales reports from the past quarter.
investments-acquisitions
Investments & Acquisitions
Danone is separating its CEO and Chairman roles. The current holder, Emmanuel Faber, will become a non-executive chairman once a new CEO is found. Food Dive
Shopify is launching an esports team, called the Shopify Rebellion, to play in sci-fi game Starcraft II. In recent years, esports have attracted attention from brands. Modern Retail
Instacart has received $265M in new funding from its existing investors, increasing the company’s valuation to $39B. Instacart
Flour producer Ardent Mills is set to acquire chickpea producer Hinrichs Trading Company. Food Dive
Israeli tech startup Seebo, a company that reduces food waste during production through AI, has received $24M in its Series B. Food Dive
Southeastern Grocers plans to hold a sourcing conference in an effort to recruit diverse suppliers. Supermarket News
products-partnerships
New Products & Partnerships
Canopy Growth is launching Quatreau, a CBD-infused sparkling water brand that will be sold online in states where CBD consumption has been legalized. Food Dive
Jason Karp, Founder and CEO of HumanCo—maker of the Hu brand—has launched a new frozen snack line called Snow Days, starting with better-for-you pizza bites. Food Dive
At ShopRite’s Monroe, New York location, Mars Wrigley has launched a candy-carrying robot with the capability to sense and approach customers. Consumer Goods Technology
Forager Project, backed by Danone, has launched a line of plant-based cheeses. Food Dive
Hershey is launching an all peanut butter, no chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cup. Food Dive
supply-chain
Supply Chain News
Hershey has launched a plan to eliminate deforestation across its supply chain by 2030, and will cut ties with any of its raw material suppliers who don’t comply. Supply Chain Dive
Sales for B&G Foods have gone up 18.5% vs. YAGO but have since slowed due to inflation and shortages. Food Dive
Walmart is allocating $350B to invest in American manufacturing over the next 10 years, a move that’s estimated to create 750,000 jobs. The Washington Post
As a result of its aforementioned American-made product initiative, Walmart is looking for a new Chief Supply Chain Officer. Bloomberg
Target has been successfully targeting shoppers through multiple category channels, with same-store sales increasing 6.9% in physical stores and 118% online. Progressive Grocer
In its most recent fiscal period, Costco saw a 15% rise in sales at its physical stores and a 75% rise in sales online. The Wall Street Journal
A new grocer is on the scene: Asian e-grocer Umamimarket has launched in the Tri-State and Mid-Atlantic regions. Grocery Dive
Whole Foods remains UNFI’s largest customer after an extension of their partnership. Supermarket News
BJ’s experienced double digit sales growth in Q4 of 2020. Supermarket News
Kroger rolled out its first-ever fully robotically prepared grocery order this week. Winsight Grocery Business
good-reads
Good Reads
Amazon has been dipping its toes into livestreams as a way to promote products, even going so far as to hire official hosts. Modern Retail
With the pandemic putting a sharper focus on health, organic and natural foods are slated for significant growth. Food Business News
Instacart may begin direct service to customers in the near future, eliminating the need for retail partners. Winsight Grocery Business
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