Today's roundup covers a manufacturing push at Hershey, two executive appointments in beverages, and a pair of notable product launches across snacks and drinks.
Hershey is adding manufacturing lines and investing in automation to keep pace with demand for its salty snack brands, including Dot's Pretzels and LesserEvil. The move signals how seriously the company is treating its better-for-you and indulgent snack portfolio as a growth engine alongside its legacy confectionery business. Capacity constraints in a high-demand category can erode retail relationships and cede shelf space to competitors, making the capital investment a practical necessity. The expansion also broadens packaging options, which could open doors to new retail channels and club-store formats.
The Zero Proof has appointed Jill Sites as vice president of sales and Montaser Aboshady as vice president of finance, bringing in a beverage veteran and a former Coca-Cola finance director to lead two critical functions. The non-alcoholic spirits and beverage segment has grown crowded, and building out a seasoned commercial and financial leadership team is a clear signal that The Zero Proof is preparing for a more aggressive growth phase. Sites brings category sales experience at a time when distribution and retailer relationships are decisive, while Aboshady's background at Coca-Cola gives the company financial infrastructure that emerging brands often lack until much later in their development.
Pop-Tarts and Liquid Death are teaming up for a second collaboration, this time launching a limited-edition flavor inspired by the canned water brand's irreverent identity. Bachan's, the Japanese barbecue sauce maker, is also entering the Japanese mayo segment, extending a brand built on a single hero SKU into an adjacent condiment category. That's It. is moving from fruit bars into granola, continuing a pattern of better-for-you snack brands widening their footprints. Repeat brand collaborations like the Pop-Tarts and Liquid Death pairing suggest the first run generated enough commercial traction to justify a second, a meaningful signal in a market where novelty partnerships often produce little beyond press coverage.
Vita Coco is launching a kids-targeted line, joining Red Bull's seasonal Winter Edition and a celebrity-investor collaboration from Owen's as notable new beverage introductions this week. Vita Coco Kids marks a meaningful category extension for a brand that built its identity around adult health-conscious consumers, and it points to growing competition for parents' attention in the functional kids' beverage aisle. Owen's collaboration with celebrity investor MGK illustrates how brands are turning equity partnerships into marketing moments. Red Bull's Winter Edition continues the brand's disciplined seasonal LTO playbook, which consistently generates retail excitement without permanently expanding the core portfolio.
Grocers and CPG brands are beginning to grapple with a consumer behavior shift tied to GLP-1 weight loss medications, specifically what happens to shopping habits when people stop taking them. Experts note that retailers need a long-term strategy to support these shoppers, whose appetite, portion preferences, and nutritional needs often change significantly during and after treatment. For food and beverage manufacturers, the implication is real: product formats, serving sizes, and nutritional profiles may need to evolve to stay relevant to a consumer base that is being reshaped by pharmaceutical trends outside the industry's control. Hy-Vee is among the retailers already exploring how to meet this emerging need.
Sources: Food Dive · BevNet · Food Dive · BevNet · Food Dive
More on CPG Careers
- All roles at Hershey
- All roles at The Zero Proof
- All roles at Pop-Tarts
- All roles at Vita Coco
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