General Mills COO Dana McNabb will succeed Jeff Harmening as CEO on January 1, while Harmening becomes executive chair. The leadership change comes as the company seeks to restore profitable growth following a 3% decline in quarterly net sales and a 63% drop in operating profit.

Takeaways’ cheese-forward protein snack bars earned marks for packaging, recognizable ingredients and flavor variety, but the reviewer found the product left a lasting unpleasant taste.

Stride Consumer Partners raised its second fund in four months, closing 30% above its first fund and increasing total assets under management to about $1.3 billion. The firm will continue investing in high-growth consumer “passion brands.”

LALA is expanding its U.S. cheese portfolio from three to 14 SKUs, while Daesang is growing its Jongga kimchi business through local production, wider distribution and products tailored to American consumers.

Tandem Foods will add a 79,000-square-foot facility and cold-form bar line in O’Hara Township, Pennsylvania. The project is expected to create 83 jobs while retaining 446 positions and will receive a $420,000 state grant.

California will establish a voluntary state-backed certification and on-pack seal for qualifying non-ultraprocessed foods. The state health department must accredit independent certification agents by June 1, 2029, maintain a product list and oversee related retail-display requirements.

Nosh Live LA 2026 will feature independent directors Sheryl O’Loughlin, Jamie Borteck and Bill Shen discussing how founders can manage board and investor relationships as CPG companies grow. The event is scheduled for December 3-4, with early registration pricing available through October 23.

Peppertux’s first snack launch pairs pistachio cream and crisp wafers with Belgian chocolate. The review praises both varieties’ flavor and texture while flagging concerns about branding, package design and box size.

Shareholders have asked a federal judge to approve a $35 million settlement of a nearly decade-long lawsuit alleging Hain Celestial misled investors about sales incentives and distributor inventory purchases. The company denied accounting fraud as it contends with declining sales, losses and debt…

Zahav Foods added Matbucha and Harissa hummus and expanded to 185 Whole Foods stores nationwide. Habiza Hummus sales rose 431% year over year, while several conventional brands posted declines.

The newsletter highlights upcoming coverage of Voyage Foods, the Non-UPF Verified program and Cup Noodles-themed caskets.

South 40 Snacks secured nearly $6 million from undisclosed investors as it expands domestic production and focuses its portfolio on snack bars.

Lauren Chew plans to launch clean-label cookie brand Inspector Crumb within four to six weeks, using Love + Chew’s foodservice relationships and AI-enabled operations. She continues to run Love + Chew but is weighing its future after withdrawing it from grocery retail.

Ferrero is reviving Wonka with four limited-edition confections, while Cup Noodles launches color-changing Vampire Noodles. ALOHA, Solely, Khloud and other food brands are also adding seasonal products and expanding into new snack categories.

Soupergirl is expanding at Costco, Giant and Shoprite, while Midi Bites enters Target, Catalina Crunch secures everyday placement at CVS, Supernatural reaches Walmart nationwide, and Khloud and UPDATE launch limited-time products at Target.

Nominations are open for the 2026 Nosh, BevNET, Brewbound and BevNET Spirits awards. The first three programs close October 30, while Spirits Awards nominations close November 20.

Maple Leaf Foods will consolidate U.S. plant protein production in Indianapolis and close facilities in Seattle and Turners Falls, Massachusetts. Refresco, meanwhile, invested $35 million in a fourth SunOpta production line in Texas, increasing network capacity by 10%.

Sparkling beverage brand Moshi has launched four flavors of avocado oil kettle-cooked potato chips, marking its first move outside beverages. The company said its initial production run sold faster than expected and is considering more flavors and bag sizes.