Brandon Cason has another winner on his hands — but this...

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- There's never been a better time to "feed...

Despite the fact that there are many protein-rich foods available to those on a plant-based diet,...

The COVID pandemic has accelerated disruption in the funeral industry. This has presented numerous...

I first came across Caraway—a newish direct-to-consumer cookware company—when scouring the...

Whether your brand is nationally recognized or you’re just starting to move product in...

When sustainable cookware brand Caraway launched its inaugural set of pots and pans last fall, it...

“The word future proof—defined to not become obsolete—we’re not trying to jump on fads. They’re big brands that are here to stay,” says Schultz.

This was all born from the team’s ability to adapt to success together, sharing their collaborative growth over the last decade was as much about the opportunities they did take, as those opportunities they turned down (reluctantly). After receiving Cuban’s million dollar investment, the team recalls flying around the country to headquarters like Walmart, where they were asked how quickly they could release nationwide; they wanted to grow but didn’t want to grow too quickly. Read more

Plant-based protein company KOS has closed a $2.1 million funding round led by Springdale Ventures; former Whole Foods CEO, Walter Robb; and Horizon Bank’s chair Jim Schneider to support its continued expansion across the U.S.

The new funding is also expected to fuel KOS’ product innovation, and strengthen the brand’s marketing presence, according to a company release.

Literati, a startup known for its book box subscription for young readers, is launching a line of celebrity book clubs for adults.
Susan Orlean, Stephen Curry, Malala Yousafzai, Richard Branson, and the Joseph Campbell Foundation are the first five to select books.
Each individual book club costs $24.95 a month, and will begin shipments in October.

I’ve tried a lot of vegan protein powders that can only be described as yucky. Plant-based protein sources (like pea, soy, and brown rice) just don’t perform as well as their whey counterparts for whatever reason—tending toward a gritty texture and, uh, earthy taste. Fortunately for us vegan (or vegan-ish) exercisers of the world, the market for plant-based protein powders today is huge. So, along with the duds, there are lots of delicious options that come in innovative formulas and pretty much any flavor you can think of.

Read more

Lumen Hemp Juice of Santa Monica, California has successfully launched the world’s first USDA organic cold-pressed hemp juice offering for food service.

Currently distributing on the West Coast, Lumen has crafted this novel food service ingredient using their patent-pended process to ensure the highest quality of functional hemp juice.

Cookware company Caraway said it has raised $5.3 million in seed funding from more than 100 investors.

The New York City company said it will use the funding to expand its product line and build out distribution channels.

Some of the participants in the funding round were: Republic Labs, Springdale Ventures, Wesray Social, Bridge Investments, WTI, CompanyFirst, G9 Ventures, Super Angel Syndicate (led by Ben Zises) and Five Four Ventures, alongside Andy Dunn (Bonobos), Brian Sugar (PopSugar), Henry Davis & Bryan Mahoney (Glossier & Arfa), Ali Pincus (One Kings Lane), and Nik Sharma (Sharma Brands)

This new burst of home cooks has been beneficial to Great Jones and other direct-to-consumer cookware brands like the New York–based Caraway and Los Angeles–based Our Place, all of which have had trouble keeping their products in stock. Since March, Caraway has sold out of its signature set of nontoxic pots and pans more than 10 times and seen a 300 percent increase in sales. “It’s obviously exciting, but it’s also a challenge to keep up with such demand,” says Jordan Nathan, the founder and CEO of Caraway. Nathan launched the brand in November 2019, and it’s safe to say that sales are tracking well above his initial projections for its first year. “We’re working to make sure our supply chain is safe at all levels while still meeting the demand from consumers,” he says.

Additionally, Austin, Texas-based Canteen Spirits’ recently launched canned sparkling vodka-and-soda line offers a gluten-free product with zero carbs, zero sugar, zero sodium and just 99 calories per serving, in all-natural Watermelon, Lime, Black Cherry, Grapefruit and Cucumber Mint flavors, available in 6-packs.

“In wake of COVID-19, many consumers are unable to experience premium cocktails at bars and restaurants because of stay-at-home orders in several states,” said Holly McHugh, marketing associate, Imbibe Inc., Niles, Ill. “Consumers may still be reluctant to visit bars and restaurants once stay-at-home orders are lifted due to fear of crowds and getting sick, so there’s a lot of growth potential for premium ready-to-drink cocktails that offer a similar premium drinking experience at home.

Some have contributed to an industry white paper about the funeral business and Covid-19, raised funds for personal protective equipment for funeral directors and created short video guides for health care workers to talk about end-of-life options with their patients. Eterneva, a company that turns ashes into diamond jewelry, used the group to start a series of Instagram Lives about collective grief. LifeWeb360, which creates multimedia memorial scrapbooks, teamed up with New Narrative to create resource guides for planning virtual memorials.