Cpgconnect // Vol. 12: Immunity Gummies, Kombucha Powder & Sprouts Shelf Wins
From protein-packed cold brew at Whole Foods to kombucha-powered hydration powders and nationwide wins for better-for-you sodas. We’ve got kids’ hydration launches, smarter cocktails, and even a few spicy takes on what’s broken (and working) in brand building.
Let’s get into it…
Events:
RSVP - Pre-Grow Smarterships Happy Hour 9/24 - (Nyc)
RSVP - GROW NY Happy Hour 9/25 - (Nyc)
RSVP - Pre-Grow Coffee + DJ 9/26 (Nyc)
RSVP - Consumer Brews 9/25 (Nyc)
Brand Shoutout: Kidhy — the new brand just launched Hydra Helpa, a hydration mix for kids with electrolytes + prebiotics + probiotics now available online.
Tech Spotlight: Profound is the tool helping brands win the next battleground, AI answer engines. It tracks when and how your brand shows up in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, surfaces the prompts driving those mentions, and even shows which competitors are getting cited. For CPG marketers, that means you can create content that AI actually pulls into answers—critical as discovery shifts from search results to “zero-click” conversations.
→ tryprofound.com
Unwrapped W/ Cameron Gawley
1. Intro & Origin
I’ve been around enough founders, investors, and operators to see the same patterns repeat. There was a point where I couldn’t not call things out — copy-paste rebrands, ‘meh’ launches, founders burning cash with no path to profitability. If we want this ecosystem to get better, we have to talk about what’s broken.
2. Trend Spotting & Trend Fatigue
Ugly packaging as a flex? Dead. Beige-washed copy-paste brands? Done. Functional foods that are just sugar with a health halo? Please stop.
What’s still working but no one talks about? Whitelisting. It feels old school, but it’s back. Hearing about a product from a real person — not just a brand account — is one of the fastest ways to drop acquisition costs right now.
3. Brand Building & Operator Mindset
The #1 mistake I see founders make is trading equity for inventory. They raise a half-million, hand over a chunk of their company, and park that cash in a warehouse. Use debt for inventory. Use equity to grow.
Most undervalued founder trait? Adaptability. The best operators cut what’s not working fast and double down on what is. Three to five hero SKUs that crush will do more for your velocity than ten mediocre flavors.
4. Distribution & Format Innovation
The play I love right now is specialty retail + seeding. Get into Foxtrot, Erewhon, or a boutique market that puts you in front of the right audience — then ship product to 100 creators. Don’t pay them, just ask for honest feedback. Take that UGC, repurpose it for ads, and you’ve got an acquisition engine that feels authentic from day one.
5. Looking Ahead in 2025
When I look at a brand, I’m betting on the jockey first. Who’s actually growing the business — not just making the product? Then I look for defensibility: are you replacing something in my fridge or just adding more noise?
We’re in a consolidation cycle. Big conglomerates aren’t building; they’re buying. It’s never been easier to start a brand — and never harder to scale. Smaller, faster exits will be the norm for the next 24–36 months.
Lightning Round:
One CPG buzzword I’m retiring: “Better-for-you.” Either it is or it isn’t — stop telling me.
Most underrated growth lever: Whitelisting + great creative. It still works.
Retail activation done right = Driving velocity, not just looking good on Instagram.
If I launched a brand tomorrow, I’d ignore: Vanity metrics. Shelf count is meaningless without repeat purchase.
News:
Brand Launch: Lemme — Daily Immunity Gummies
Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s supplement brand Lemme just dropped its newest SKU: Lemme Immunity — a sweet-orange gummy formulated with vitamin C, vitamin D3, zinc, astragalus root, ginger, and a clinically-studied postbiotic strain (LAC-Shield®).
Available now on lemmelive.com.
Target rollout: Nationwide in-store & online launch expected in roughly three weeks.
Price point: $30 for a 30-day supply (2 gummies per day).
Lemme has carved a niche with its sleek, celebrity-backed positioning — but this launch is notable because it leans into year-round immunity support (vs. just cold-season messaging). Postbiotics are still early in mass adoption, so seeing them positioned this prominently in a mass retail SKU signals that “next-gen gut health” is continuing to move mainstream.
Whether Lemme Immunity can create a new “daily ritual” moment for consumers beyond seasonal spikes — and whether Target endcaps push this into impulse buy territory.
BioAthletic — Kombucha-Powered Hydration
Marin Kombucha is extending its footprint beyond the bottle with the launch of BioAthletic, a kombucha-powered hydration powder formulated for performance, recovery, and gut health.
The line comes in Apple Ginger, Cherry Lime, and Pineapple Lychee, and pairs kombucha-derived probiotics with electrolytes, vitamin D, and B12 for a low-sugar, shelf-stable mix.
Notably, BioAthletic carries the NSF Certified for Sport® seal — a major trust signal for athletes and teams. The brand calls out that it’s already in professional and D1 athletic facilities, signaling a bid to win in the performance space while riding the probiotic/gut-health wave.
HappyPop — Now Nationwide at Sprouts
Mood-boosting soda brand HappyPop just announced its biggest retail win yet: nationwide distribution in Sprouts Farmers Market stores across the U.S.
Known for its “energy pop” positioning, HappyPop delivers 100mg organic caffeine plus adaptogens like dopabean to support mood and focus, with no added sugar or artificial ingredients. The brand’s entry into Sprouts marks a major leap from DTC and regional retail into a natural-channel powerhouse — putting it on shelf next to Olipop, Poppi, and other better-for-you beverage players.
Whims Delights — Now at Metropolitan Market
Better-for-you chocolate brand Whims Delights has landed on shelves at Metropolitan Market. Known for its oat milk chocolate bars and peanut butter cups with just 1g of sugar per serving — and free from gluten, dairy, and sugar alcohols — this placement puts Whims in front of a premium grocery audience that values indulgence without compromise.
This is another signal that low-sugar, clean-label confectionery is gaining traction in high-end regional grocers, positioning Whims alongside brands like Hu and Mid-Day Squares in the “permissible indulgence” set.
Lottie’s Meats — Launches at Nugget Markets
Sister-founded, chef-led pork brand Lottie’s Meats just hit the shelves at Nugget Markets across Northern California. All four SKUs are in distribution — The Lottie (signature smoked sausage), Bratwurst, Calabrian Ground Pork Sausage, and Everyday Ground Pork Sausage — all crafted from pork loin and shoulder with no nitrates, fillers, or additives.
Huge shoutout to Cassie and the Lottie’s team — we had her on CPG Connect awhile back and it’s been awesome to see the brand grow into this kind of retail footprint. A big win for clean-label protein and a great get for Nugget shoppers.
Goldilocks — Smarter Cocktails Hit NYC
NYC-based Goldilocks is shaking up the RTD cocktail scene with its launch of “smarter cocktails” designed to be lighter, cleaner, and more functional. The initial lineup includes Coffee-Tini and Blackberry Spritz — each clocking in at ~84 calories, 5% ABV, and just 2.8g of sugar — with functional ingredients like inulin and prickly pear to support gut health and recovery.
The brand is taking a drop-style approach with limited batches, tastings, and community activations across NYC, creating a sense of exclusivity while building grassroots buzz. A fresh entrant to watch in the better-for-you cocktail space as consumers look for lighter ways to socialize without sacrificing flavor.
Glanbia Sells SlimFast U.S. to Heartland (Splenda Owner)
Nutrition giant Glanbia has officially agreed to sell the SlimFast U.S. business to Heartland Food Products Group, the maker of Splenda. The deal follows Glanbia’s February decision to classify SlimFast as a non-core brand and comes after a $91.4M impairment charge in 2024 due to underperformance.
For Heartland, this acquisition brings a legacy weight-management brand into its portfolio of sugar-reduction and wellness products, opening the door to innovation across meal replacements, low-calorie snacking, and beverage formats.
For Glanbia — which generated $3.8B in revenue in 2024 and still owns Optimum Nutrition, Isopure, and Amazing Grass — the sale underscores its renewed focus on performance nutrition and plant-based brands while exiting legacy diet categories.
Wandering Bear — Protein-Packed Cold Brew Lattes at Whole Foods
Cold brew favorite Wandering Bear just leveled up with a new protein latte range, available exclusively at Whole Foods Market nationwide. Each 8 oz can packs 11g of protein, 140mg of caffeine, 100 calories, and just 5–6g of cane sugar — landing squarely in the “functional coffee” category.
Flavors include Double Latte, Vanilla, and Mocha, each priced at $3.99. This move marks Wandering Bear’s first protein-forward innovation, blending its signature smooth cold brew with a nutritional upgrade aimed at morning commuters and post-workout coffee drinkers alike.
Alice Mushrooms — $8M Series A to Fuel Expansion
Functional chocolate brand Alice Mushrooms has raised an $8M oversubscribed Series A, led by NewBound Venture Capital with participation from Unilever Ventures, L Catterton, and even DJ Tiësto.
Founded in 2022 by Lindsay Goodstein and Charlotte Cruze, Alice will use the funding to roll out into 1,300 new retail doors nationwide and launch new products — including their upcoming Party Trick social-elevating blend.
Previous backers include Zac Efron, Kevin Hart, Jason Strauss, and Pedro Pascal, adding even more star power to one of the fastest-growing brands in the functional mushroom space. Alice is projecting ~250% sales growth in 2025, signaling that functional chocolates are moving firmly into the mainstream.
BARIS — Two New Flavors Drop
Premium chocolate disruptor BARIS just added two bold flavors to its lineup: Pistachio & White Chocolate and Hazelnut & Milk Chocolate. Both stay true to the brand’s signature format — sleek, portion-controlled bars with rich ingredients and clean branding — while leaning into indulgent, globally inspired profiles.
This launch expands BARIS’s flavor universe beyond its core dark chocolate options and reinforces its position as a modern, “Dubai chocolate”–inspired brand redefining permissible indulgence.
That’s it for this week.
Whether you're launching your first SKU, scaling into Whole Foods, or trying to stay ahead of what’s breaking through, CPG Connect is here to help you keep pace.
See you next week✌️
— Zach
P.S. If this was helpful, feel free to pass it along to a friend, teammate, or founder in your orbit. And hit reply anytime, I read every note.
CPG!!!!