🤩 This Week in CPG 07/20/2026

👋 Hey, it’s Jordan!

Mid-July always feels like summer has plenty of time left.

Then the back-to-school emails start arriving.

As a parent, I’m already thinking about lunches, snacks, schedules, and getting everyone back into a routine. Families are also watching their budgets closely, which means every product has to work harder to earn a place in the cart.

For CPG brands, this season is a reminder that value goes beyond price.

Does the product save time?

Will kids actually eat it?

Does it make a hectic morning or afternoon easier?

Back-to-school creates new routines that can last for months. The brands that become part of those routines have an opportunity to build repeat purchases long after the first school bell rings.

How is your brand helping customers make the transition into fall a little easier?

🍅 Sababa Foods, founded by Amy Dell, is expanding its Saturday Sauce into Fairway Market, Union Market, and DeCicco & Sons stores across the Northeast this summer, offering Mild and Slightly Spicy varieties of its Middle Eastern-inspired take on Italian Sunday sauce.

🍬 Häppy Candy, founded by Maxi Heidenblut, has launched at select Whole Foods Market stores across California, Arizona, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut through the retailer’s LEAP program, bringing its 70%-less-sugar gummies to shoppers in two regions.

🍤 Just Shrimp, founded by Lee Edmondson, is debuting its shrimp nuggets in hundreds of Harris Teeter stores, introducing a frozen seafood format made with North American coastal shrimp and no artificial flavors, colors, fillers, or preservatives.

🌶️ JANGIN, co-founded by Nadia Cho and Chef Mingoo Kang, has launched with Chogochujang finishing sauce and BBQ Gochujang cooking sauce, introducing traditionally fermented, ready-to-use gochujang products designed for Korean and global cuisines.

🥤 Koia, led by CEO Christopher Hunter, is releasing Protein Pop in Sour Squeeze, Pink Twist, and Capri Splash at Pop Up Grocer in New York City, offering a soda alternative with 10 grams of plant-based protein, four grams of prebiotic fiber, and two grams of sugar.

🧴 Humanrace, founded by Pharrell Williams, has launched a Smoothing Body Scrub and Recovery Body Lotion, expanding beyond premium skincare into performance-focused bodycare designed to support movement, recovery, and daily renewal.

🐟 Maev, founded by Katie Spies, has introduced its limited-edition Nordic Fish dog food featuring whole pieces of certified haddock, cod, and salmon, providing an omega-3-rich alternative protein exclusively through its website.

💧 Hint, led by CEO Michael Pengue, has partnered with Stretch Zone to provide complimentary flavored-water samples at 100 studios nationwide throughout the summer, connecting post-stretch recovery with convenient hydration.

🥔 Khloud, founded by Khloé Kardashian, partnered with Gotham FC for its first sports activation during the record-setting Queens Classic, distributing more than 5,000 bags of protein snacks and creating custom jerseys with artist Mirchi by Kim.

🧃 FAVE, founded by Ryan Raish, raised a $1 million seed round led by Supernatural Ventures and launched nationally in nearly 500 Sprouts Farmers Market stores, expanding access to its certified-organic nostalgic drink mixes.

🍃 SweetLeaf has refreshed the packaging across its stevia portfolio and formally introduced SweetLeaf Ingredients Solutions, strengthening its consumer and wholesale businesses around zero-sugar, clean-label, and prebiotic-fiber sweetening products.

🍝 Kidfresh, founded by Matt Cohen and led by CEO Michael Allen, identified protein-forward foods, convenience, flexible eating routines, practical nutrition, and value-conscious shopping as the family mealtime trends gaining momentum in the second half of 2026.

🥤 Mitra9, co-founded and led by CEO Dallas Vasquez, reported double-digit growth across key channels in the first half of 2026, including 23% seltzer growth and 27% shot growth, while preparing further East Coast distribution and new e-commerce launches.

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