Cheryl Vanvalkenburgh

In 2024, you shouldn't need a PhD in #deductions and distributor policies to launch (profitably) on KeHE Distributors. 👇 We walk through the major costs and best practices for #CPG brands distributing through KeHE, and the Confido team is here to support brands every step of the journey. https://lnkd.in/eynMt4RQ

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🚨FOOD INDUSTRY NEWS🚨 PepsiCo has reported quarterly earnings and revenue that beat analysts’ expectations, despite weaker U.S. demand caused by Quaker Oats recalls and backlash to higher prices for its drinks and snacks. Shares of the company fell more than 2% in morning trading. Earnings per share: $1.61 adjusted vs. $1.52 expected. Revenue: $18.25 billion vs. $18.07 billion expected. 🥤 #pepsico #earnings #inflation #foodindustry #newsletter

Is Hormel Foods prepared to tackle the challenges of inflation, supply chain disruptions, and shifting consumer preferences? Jim Snee, CEO of Hormel Foods, offers insights on the company's strategies to navigate these issues. Learn how they are adapting, building partnerships, embracing sustainability, and leveraging technology in this volatile landscape. #FoodIndustry #SupplyChain #ConsumerPreferences

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One in five consumers who purchase frozen food items usually buy a store-brand product, and that figure is growing, according to “The Power of Frozen 2023” report from the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and FMI- The Food Industry Association. The big factor turning the eyes of consumers toward private label products, unsurprisingly, is price. While private label and national-brand frozen products each saw unit share erosion in 2023 — down 3% for private label and down 5.4% for national brands — both segments saw dollar sales grow 7.7% during the prior year. Also notable is the rather weak brand loyalty that consumers have within frozen food despite the category’s having some long-standing national brands. The AFFI report found that 20% of consumers usually purchase private label frozen food products, while 16% said that they prefer national brands. Nearly four in 10 said that brand preference varies by item, and 26% had no brand preference. | Progressive Grocer https://lnkd.in/gFZEj_j3 #retail #supermarkets #frozenfoods #storebrands #privatelabel #consumers

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AB InBev has reported a rise of 2.6% in first-quarter sales, in line with forecasts, but the impact of a roughly year-old U.S boycott of key brand Bud Light continued to hurt the brewer. AB InBev also sold slightly more beer than anticipated, with volumes falling 0.6% versus the 1% anticipated by analysts. Own beer volumes declined by 1.3%, while non-beer volumes rose by 3.5%. Read more https://lnkd.in/dCKmtukA

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Next Tuesday, I will share insights from our new Operator Forecast and Outlook Program. This webinar is free to restaurant operators and will provide a preview of the intelligence this new program offers, which spans industry financial forecasts to quarterly research into how consumers and operators are responding to the major macro-economic forces of the day. In the presentation, we will cover our forecast for the next two years, how operators plan to manage their costs and how consumers have adapted to menu inflation. I hope you can join us!

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Despite the prevailing gloom and doom in the trade press, there's a silver lining for many adult beverage brands. They're not just surviving; they're thriving with double-digit growth and more! This article examines adult beverage brands' strategies to thrive in the current market. https://lnkd.in/gFS2xgi9

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This study sheds light on the evolving consumer drinking habits over the past four years post-COVID-19. The research highlights the profound influence of health and wellness concerns on altering drinking behaviors across all age groups. For more cohort-specific insights, check out the study here: https://lnkd.in/gJ5ED32f

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I hear a lot of talk about the pricing of premium non-alcoholic beverages these days and I feel like a lot of it misses the mark by a large margin. (Shocking, I know, that I disagree with a lot of folks.)There is a definite need for some hard conversations around pricing and value in the NA space, for sure. The disconnect I see is precisely around the “value” question. Nearly all of the criticism coming from the legacy bev-alc world revolves around the fact that, well…there’s no alcohol there. THAT’S THE ENTIRE POINT! For someone that is choosing not to consume alcohol, regardless of the reason, whether it is pregnancy, recovery, moderation or whatever, THERE IS NO PERCEIVED VALUE WHATSOEVER TO THE ETHANOL CONTENT OF A BEVERAGE! Pegging the value of a non-alcoholic beverage to an alcoholic analogue is a fundamental category error.

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Kroger is the largest seller of Sushi in the United States, and it isn’t particularly close. Most consumers and many in the industry don’t fully understand the forces driving this business model. The “Sushi Model” in retail grocery is simple: outsource the supply chain and execution to a 3rd party who are experts in their field, and set the program to the closest thing to “autopilot” as possible. Retailers typically take in between 18%-30% of all sales on this model, with no exposure to labor, shrink/spoils or supply expenses. In other words, the gross margin and the net contribution margin are almost exactly the same. This Cost Certainty is worth its weight in gold to a retail grocer. When I was CMO at Lucky Market (before we were majority acquired by Kroger) Sushi was the most profitable category we had on a percentage CM basis, and we didn’t even manage it. We were one of the first retailers to try and actively push for more of this business by promoting $5 sushi Tuesdays and a variety of other dynamic pricing deals. With the rising cost of labor, we’re going to see more and more of this “consignment” model proliferating through retail grocery. In the near future there will be outsourced grab and go “concessions” of salads, wraps, sandwiches, and a wide range of other offerings. We’re also going to see collaborations between retail grocery and restaurant chains in this space, especially with better-for-you product. The likes of Sweetgreen etc. have a huge win-win growth opportunity with the right retailer partners #innovation #sushi #cpg Pod Foods Business Insider Dirty Hands

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Two hot topics within the current beverage alcohol industry are Gen-Z and Ready-to-Drink (RTD). According to Circana’s State of the CPG Beverage Alcohol Industry report, RTD reached $10.3 Billion in 2023. Part of that growth is due to Gen-Z members' strong preference for higher ABV offerings and unique packaging. But what are the top RTD cocktail brands among Gen-Zers according to Circana? 🔥 Buzzballz, LLC / Southern Champion 🎵 BeatBox 🍸 LIQS Cocktail Co. 👑 Crown Royal & Whiskey Cola 🍹 Monaco Cocktails 🥃 Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Read more about the State of the Alcohol Industry here: https://hubs.li/Q02xggvP0 #ReadyToDrink #GenZ #BeverageAlcohol #Circana

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Have you ever wondered what it takes to get your product into a store like Whole Foods Market? If so, this "Retail Brew" article from the folks over at Morning Brew might be worth a read: https://lnkd.in/gvViZhv6. Here are a couple of hints - 1) Adhering to quality standards is a must; and 2) Is your product interesting and innovative.

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Need a boost of inspiration for your day? Give a listen to this week's Digital & Dirt podcast and hear a discussion on growing your marketing in the food industry.

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Two words: Omnichannel Marketing I’ve been shouting this approach from the rooftops for a while now. If you’re a #craftbeverage brand that wants to get ahead in #grocery, pay attention and take cues from non-beverage brands. The future of grocery marketing is omnichannel!

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Beverage #alcohol consumers are looking for variety and Gen Z consumers aged 21+ are driving #innovation in flavor, format, and packaging. 🍸 Ready-to-drink (#RTDs) cocktail and hard seltzer sales are softening, but these convenient products hold broad appeal among age and household income cohorts. 🍺 Beer sales remain strong in the convenience channel. 🥤 Soft drink brands crossing into beverage alcohol are trending, especially with younger adult consumers. 🍒 Gen Z preferences in non-alcoholic beverages, such as energy, fruit flavors, and added benefits, can inspire innovation in beverage alcohol. Download our new report for a deep dive into the robust beverage alcohol market: https://lnkd.in/dMQwZZJw #foodandbeverage #cpg #cpginsights

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Ad Age rounded up the top summer 2024 beverage alcohol trends, one of which being around the continued interest in low- and no- alcohol beverages.   At EIGHT Brewing Co., we've been all about a lower alcohol offering that complements your life without compromise since day one. With only 4% ABV, our low carb, low cal light lager is the perfect option, not only for the summer but every season.   I'm curious to watch the wider trend as it plays out across both the alcohol and traditional beverage categories. As and since we launched, we've watched more players roll out lower alc. / lower calorie offerings across wine, beer and spirits in an effort to continue to meet ever-evolving drinkers where they are. It will be interesting to see if this is a lasting trend and shift in consumer preferences, a passing phase, or the growth of a niche consumer that was previously overlooked.   To read the full piece, click the link below: https://lnkd.in/gmp6SVra

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Full volume recovery for #packagedfood could take upwards of 18 months as consumers struggle to adjust to higher prices due to #inflation -- requiring #CPG companies to be more flexible and reinvest in their brands as they did during the pandemic, and forcing shareholders to practice patiences, warned General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening at Bernstein's 40th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference late last month. "#Investors have been waiting with bated breath and maybe more than a few members of management teams as well" for volumes across the packaged food landscape to recover after falling alongside rising prices in recent years and after cutbacks in #SNAP spending in March 2023, he said. And, they likely will need to wait a bit longer .... https://lnkd.in/eCjKu7z7 #foodnews #foodandbeverageindustry #CPGindustry #sales

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