CPG WIRE

McCormick (NYSE: MKC) confirmed that it's engaged in discussions with Unilever regarding a potential strategic transaction. Such a deal would see Unilever carve out its food division and merge it with McCormick in an all-stock transaction. The transaction would enable Unilever to focus on beauty, wellness, and personal care. Unilever also held talks with Kraft Heinz on a possible deal.

New Orleans-based spirits giant Sazerac Company is acquiring Dirty Shirley for an undisclosed sum. Founded by Adam Kost and based in Austin, Dirty Shirley hit an inflection point in 2024 when sales surged 934%. Their retail partners include Target, Circle K, Meijer, Safeway, Walmart, Total Wine, and several other chains. Sazerac has been on a buying spree lately: - acquired SVEDKA for $400M in ‘24 - acquired BuzzBallz in March ‘24 - acquired Western Son Vodka in ‘25

Fly By Jing dropped two new noodle flavors: 🍜 Roasted Garlic 🍜 Creamy Sesame Rolling out nationwide at Whole Foods now.

DryWater is on a roll. The clean hydration brand will add 41,000 new doors this year and sales are approaching $100M. Founded by Bryan Appio in 2024, the Irvine-based company is gearing up to launch at Target, Kroger, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, and several other chains. Hydration is big business in the U.S. Since acquiring Liquid I.V. In 2020, Unilever grew the brand from $120M in sales to $1B in sales today.

@JacquesDrop Agreed. This is one of the more graceful topical to ingestible transitions in recent memory tho

@cpgwire I feel like brands that make things that go ON your body have a hard time positioning things that go IN your body. LOVE their brand, will be interested to see how this goes for them.

Freaks of Nature, the performance skincare brand created by Kelly Slater and Squared Circles, just dropped Skin Support Electrolyte, a daily hydration drink mix. The drink mix is designed to hydrate while fortifying the skin barrier, supporting gut health, and defending against environmental stressors. Key active ingredients include an advanced mineral blend, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and several others.

Italian confectionery giant Ferrero is expanding its protein portfolio by acquiring BOLD Snacks, a Brazilian purveyor of protein bars and powders. Founded in 2018 by Gabriel Ferreira, BOLD has experienced strong growth from the outset thanks to its novel protein bars, eye-catching branding, and digital marketing efforts. Though best known for its stable of iconic candy brands like Kinder and NERDS, Ferrero Group has been expanding its BFY snack portfolio by acquiring brands like Power Crunch, FULFIL Nutrition, and Eat Natural. In July 2023, Ferrero Group acquired Dori Alimentos, a leading candy manufacturer in Brazil.

Little Sesame and Yellowbird collaborated on Habanero Hummus. Heading to Sprouts soon.

According to a report from Axios, L Catterton is reportedly exploring a sale of Thorne for up to $4B. Founded in 1984 by Al Czap and Kelly Czap, Thorne leverages cutting-edge science to develop premium dietary supplements and personalized health solutions. The company is vertically integrated and operates manufacturing & distribution facilities in Summerville, South Carolina. L Catterton acquired Thorne in 2023 for $680M when the company was doing around $300M in annual revenue.

Founders Row announced a strategic investment in Yough, a startup reimagining frozen pizza with a protein-rich crust made from Greek yogurt. The investment coincides with Yough's nationwide debut in nearly 2,000 Target stores. Yough was founded by Mike Rolland & Jason Miller.

Little Spoon just entered the infant formula category with the launch of Organic Grass-Fed Whole Milk Infant Formula. With the launch of infant formula, Little Spoon is applying the same transparency-led approach it brought to baby and kids food. The American-made formula is dual-certified USDA Organic and EU Organic. Each batch is tested for more than 500 potential toxins and contaminants, including heavy metals, pesticide residues, and microbiological pathogens. Founded in 2017 by Ben Lewis & Angela Vranich, Little Spoon surpassed $150M in DTC net revenue in 2025 before launching nationwide at Target.

Date Better Snacks and Pistakio released a collab — Pistachio Butter Crunch Date Bark. The bark is made with pure pistachio butter, organic 85% dark chocolate, and toasted coconut.

Lineage Provisions, the clean animal-based supplement and snack company co-founded by Paul Saladino and Anthony Gustin, just released a 100% real food protein bar line. The Lineage Protein Bar is built around real ingredients like grass-fed whey and collagen, raw honey, grass-fed beef tallow, organic freeze-dried fruit, and organic cocoa. Each bar contains 20g of protein and under 200 calories. The bars are also free from sugar alcohols, gums, and fiber syrups. Two flavors are currently available: 🍓 Mixed Berry 🍫 Chocolate

BUM Energy is now available storewide at Walmart. Another energy drink brand with a ton of momentum.

Ancestral protein bar brand Prima refreshed its packaging and reformulated its product. Prima upped the protein count to 21g, improved the texture, and solved the greasiness issue that customers complained about.

POCA is a new pocket-sized sweetener designed for coffee, matcha, and other beverages. The plant-based sweetener contains zero calories and a boost of fiber. POCA offers three permanent flavors: - Caramel - Vanilla - Pistachio