Gutsy Soda Moves, Financial Doldrums, and Much Ado About Mushrooms

In this episode: This week the BevNET and Nosh team discusses Poppi acquisition rumors, the investment landscape, and consumer adoption of functional mushrooms. Show Highlights: 0:30 - Monica starts the episode challenging Jeff and Brad to a hypothetical pistachio cracking competition that devolves into a semantical discussion about "nut meat."  3:25 - Brad highlights prebiotic soda brand Poppi's big week, which included a highly-watched Super Bowl ad and a Bloomberg article speculating about a Coca-Cola takeover. 7:00 - Why haven't any of the biggest soft drink companies created their own version of Olipop or Poppi? Jeff draws comparisons to Coke's short-lived, stevia-sweetened cola, and points out why large players are wary of snapping up small brands today. 9:00 - Monica notes probiotic soda brand Culture Pop's recent $21 million funding and points to other beverage brands raising capital recently. Jeff shares what investors are looking for in potential targets. 11:15 - The team considers whether consumers understand functional mushrooms and shares examples of brands entering the space. Brad asks whether psychedelic imagery on packaging confuses shoppers. 15:05 - Jeff poses the question that should be on every product developer's mind: What's the next big health grail consumers are seeking, a la the antioxidant? "Is it prebiotic, psychedelic or adaptogenic?"  About the CPG Week CPG Week is the podcast that explores the latest happenings in the consumer packaged goods industry. Join our seasoned reporting team as they dish out the week's stories in quick, easy-to-digest episodes. Catch up on the top headlines of the week, dive into exclusive insights with the BevNET and Nosh teams, and set yourself up to make more informed business decisions. Tune in to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the dynamic world of packaged food and beverage. New episodes are released every week. Send us comments and suggestions anytime to [email protected]. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts