Chris Fenster

J&J Snack Foods Corp Foods CEO Dan Fachner on Dippin'​ Dots, LLC ’Acquisition: ICR Conference 2026 🍦They discussed the company’s more than 30 strategic acquisitions including the Dippin’ Dots acquisition 📈How J&J is positioning itself for improved margins and long-term growth among other topics. See more: https://lnkd.in/esfzSatN

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I recently interviewed two of the largest US foodservice distributors to get their thoughts on where seafood fits in when it comes to innovation and new products for their customers. Both Sysco and US Foods emphasized versatility as a key requirement for seafood products as it allows operators to stretch ingredients across multiple dayparts and reduce costs and storage needs. "We are constantly staying on top of the most exciting upcoming menu and ingredient trends to inform our product development strategy, but it’s also very important that our products help our operators solve for different challenges such as labor and menu versatility," said Julianne (Juli) O'Flaherty, senior director of category management for seafood at US Foods. https://lnkd.in/gF7TMyWR

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NextFoods, Inc. ,Parents of GoodBelly+ Cheribundi just raised $10M led by ECP Growth If you build in functional CPG, this is a great mini case study in how growth actually gets funded and what operators should pay attention to. 1) Doors matter… but turns are the business They’re reportedly sitting at 24,000+ points of distribution nationwide and grew footprint about 10% in the last two months. That’s solid. But here’s the real lesson: door growth only works if velocity shows up. 2) A brand refresh can be a revenue lever (when it creates clarity) GoodBelly’s recent packaging/brand refresh was tied to a reported 40%+ lift in retail velocities. “Brand” isn’t colors and fonts it’s speed of understanding at shelf. If a shopper gets it faster, conversion goes up. Period. 3) The shot category is crowded so specificity wins GoodBelly reformulated its 2oz Wellness Shots and launched them nationally at Whole Foods. The formula callout that jumped out to me: 3g of prebiotic fiber. The lesson: in crowded formats, you can’t be “general wellness.” You need to own a job (gut, sleep, recovery) and build your product + messaging around that single outcome. 4) Innovation + retail expansion is the 1–2 punch They’re aiming that capital at innovation across gut health, recovery, and sleep, while also pushing deeper into national retail. And there’s more in the pipeline: they’ve previewed a quart-sized GoodBelly item with 11g plant-based protein targeted for Q1 2026. My founder takeaway: capital doesn’t fix a business it amplifies it. If your positioning is crisp and your product delivers, funding helps you scale faster. If not, it just helps you burn faster. If you were deploying $10M in functional CPG heading into 2026, what’s first: velocity, innovation, or sharper positioning? #CPG #FunctionalBeverages #Wellness #TrevorHague

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PepsiCo Urgently Overhauling Portfolio Under Activist Pressure "PepsiCo Inc. said it is working to cut costs and overhaul its portfolio to meet consumers’ shifting tastes, while it engages in discussions with an activist investor. "PepsiCo said in prepared remarks Thursday that it has been cutting the number of its individual products to “reduce supply chain complexity” and will continue to drive that number lower. The company also said it has accelerated its cost-reduction efforts and that it expects more headcount reductions in its Frito-Lay US business before the end of the year." #pepsico #shareholdervalue #activistinvesting https://lnkd.in/gTc9PtQe

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Instead of asking how can we grow, or how can we last, we must ask first how can we satisfy our moving market, our elusive customer

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"This deal was more than a financial turnaround—it was a foundational reset." In Secured Finance Network's July/August issue, Managing Director Robert Riiska and Senior Director Chas Schlaack walk through an Anatomy of a Deal on how SCP helped a leading food manufacturer regain its financial footing, amid a capital-constrained environment and often unpredictable world of commodity-based food manufacturing. By crafting a detailed, three-statement model that offered a shared framework for structured, forward-looking discussions between the management and lender and recommending the addition of an FP&A role to the firm, SCP successfully helped rebuild trust and transparency with key lender stakeholders and position the company for continued resilience. This case study showcases SCP's expertise in navigating complex situations in the manufacturing space, commitment to being value-add partners, and assuming trusted advisor relationships. Learn more about how we can best serve you here: https://lnkd.in/gKRFKRPS Click below to learn more about Bob and Chas's insights!

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Moments like this mean a lot to Christopher Alspach and me. Looking at today’s KeHE Distributors Connect report reflecting yesterday’s sales and seeing reorders from partners like Earth Fare and Natures Pavillion Natural Food Market is meaningful for a growing coffee company. These opportunities never come out of thin air. They happen because buyers, store teams, and distribution partners create space for emerging brands and give them the chance to prove themselves with customers. Christopher has spent years refining these Pacific Northwest style light roast profiles. Seeing shoppers discover Oval Coffee Roasters and come back for another bag is incredibly rewarding. Women-Grown coffees. Naturally processed coffees. Half caff blends. All roasted here in New York City. Grateful to the retailers who continue supporting emerging brands and to the customers whose daily coffee routines keep this work moving forward.

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