Spoonful of News

Frozen Lunchables, AI beverages, a more fuckable Starkist?

We’ve separated our “Spoonful of News” section to be available to those who have a free subscription. From now on all in-depth pieces are for our paid subscribers only.

• Lunchables is entering frozen category with microwaveable grilled cheese sandwiches, available in two flavors and rolling out nationwide by 2024.

  • Kraft also brought its mac and cheese brand into the frozen category earlier this year.

  • Frozen food sales have boomed, and continue to grow post pandemic. From inflation, to convenience and even perceived freshness—there’s a reason more brands are entering the space.

    Check out our deep dive:

    Join over 1,500+ snaxers on our group chat!

• Reneé Rapp’s salad bowl collaboration with Sweetgreen drops today.

  • According to news, it was an idea that was brought on by the singer/actress based on her love for their spicy cashew dressing.

  • A play to capture GenZ audiences? Similarly, CAVA partnered with Emma Chamberlain on a signature salad bowl last year.

  • Are salad bowls the new smoothie? Branded smoothies have been on the rise as everyone tries to replicate “the Erewhon” effect.

• Mamahuhu launches a line of gluten-free potstickers.

R2R: restaurant-to-retail is booming, and with good reason considering how profitable it has become for the likes of Tacombi and Momofuku. For more details on this check out our 10,000 word deep dive:

• Instacart will IPO at a valuation of around $9.3 Billion, we’re so back!

• Coca-Cola debuts a new beverage they “co-created” using AI.

  • Beyond the marketing buzz, this tactic of creating non-sensical flavors is giving very much Oreo playbook, used to create more demand for the original product.

• Non-alcoholic brands are growing at grocery stores —a surprise to no-one if you’ve read our multiple dives into this space.

  • We highly recommend you check out our most recent piece:

• EATER released this very bad take on tinned fish as luxury —their Instagram comment section is a gold mine, the Spanish and Portuguese intervened.

  • We in turn propose a moratorium on “hot takes” around canned seafood, the only one even worth debating:

    

• Erewhon debuts its 10th store in Pasadena. We had a fun time waiting to take a produce backdrop shot and encountering familiar faces like Dani from Señor Mango and Lil Mayo.

• Alcohol-infused lattes have been a hit in China—Luckin sold 5.4 million of their Keichow Moutai collaboration. Luckin has over 10,000 stores now, surpassing Starbucks.

• Speaking of China—demand for durian, the alien-looking fruit most famously known for its potent smell, has soared 400%.

  • China’s led the craze—it spent $6 Billion importing durians and they account for 91% of global demand.

  • The fruit has now become a status symbol —fueling increased demand for it, so much that China debuted their first nationally grown harvest.

• Let’s chat gimmicky food labels—obsessed with this New Yorker piece featuring notorious lawyer Spencer Sheehan, food labels that have become marketing is what has led to words like “organic” become devoid of meaning.

Think of this like an edible bookmark tab.

• In 2023 —everything is a candle, from salami, baguettes and now—burrata? Here’s a PR tip, if a fruit or vegetable has yet to be waxed up, consider a re-brand?

• Love seeing emerging brands do NYFW, would recommend you check out Ruby x Adrian Cashmere at Café Lyria this Friday.

• Pantano Clothing has made the cutest veggie inspired wear.

• Obsessed with these ceramic cups for sipping sotol by Cardenxe x Fernanda Uribe.

• If you’re in LA this weekend head to the Latin Roots event hosted by Bloom x Mesobis and featuring our friends Toasty Town.

Ok, BYE

Snax Concierge 🛎️

🔮 For daily snax curation and memes follow our X and IG.

🔮 Check out our Geneva for PROMO CODES of your favorites!

🔮 Share with your friends and let them know forecasting trends is the new astrology: