DEERFIELD, Ill. – Mondelez International has taken a minority investment in Uplift Food—a startup focusing on prebiotic and functional foods—as part of its innovation and venture hub, SnackFutures.
The SnackFutures team will work with Uplift to make gut health more understandable, accessible and enjoyable through new snack forms and flavors, according to Mondelez. Beyond the financial investment, Mondelez will also support Uplift in its marketing, distribution, research and development and sourcing.
“As the global snacking leader, we’re on a clear mission to lead the future of snacking by providing the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way,” said Tim Cofer, executive vice president and chief growth officer of Mondelez International. “Together with Uplift Food, we have a unique opportunity to disrupt the functional-food category by delivering ‘snackable’ products focusing on gut health—something that does not exist today.”
SnackFutures debuted in November 2018 and focuses on three core growth tenets: inventing new brands and businesses in key strategic areas; reinventing small-scale Mondelez brands with large-scale potential; and venturing with startup entrepreneurs to seed new businesses. Mondelez said it foresees SnackFutures contributing $100 million to its total revenue within the next three years.
“Partnering with SnackFutures will undeniably strengthen Uplift Food’s capacity to live our mission of seeing everyone benefit from the consumption of gut-healthy foods,” said Kara Landau, dietitian and founder of Victoria, Australia-based Uplift Food. “The SnackFutures team provides the industry experience needed to make our dream a reality, and the continued support they show us to hold onto our nutritional and ingredient integrity allows us to remain true to our core values and grow.”
Uplift Food is a functional-food brand that focuses on the mood-supportive benefits of prebiotic fibers and resistant starches. Its products include various cookbooks, meal plans and a powder supplement.
Deerfield, Ill.-based Mondelez International is a global snacking company operating in 160 countries with about $26 billion in net revenue in 2017. The company manufactures biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered beverages; its products include BelVita, Chips Ahoy, Oreo, Nabisco, Cadbury, Jacobs coffee, Tang powdered beverages and Trident gum.
CHICAGO -- More than a quarter of America’s top 25 favorite brands in 2018 are snack and candy companies, according to a new report from Washington, D.C.-based market research firm Morning Consult. For its annual America’s Most Loved Brands study, the firm conducted more than 250,000 interviews, asking consumers to indicate whether they had a favorable or unfavorable view of various companies. The top 25 brands were named based on their “favorability” score.
Here are the snack and candy labels among America’s Most Loved Brands …
Overall rank: No. 2
Favorability score: 78.6
Candy maker Hershey ranked as the No. 2 most loved brand overall in the study with a favorability rating of 78.6. It came in just behind technology giant Google, which scored a rating of 78.7. The Hershey, Pa.-based chocolate giant is coming off a strong 2017, during which its mint, gum, snack and candy sales rose 1.7%, according to its year-end financial report. Earlier this year, Hershey partnered with 7-Eleven to create the Gold Caramelized Cappuccino for a limited-time offer.
Overall rank: No. 6
Favorability score: 75.9
Kellogg finished sixth overall and second highest of all snack and candy brands with a favorability score of 75.9. In February 2017, the Battle Creek, Mich.-based company revealed a new strategy to grow its snack and candy business, transitioning from direct-store delivery to a warehouse model. That December, Kellogg acquired clean-label protein bar maker RXbar for $600 million.
Overall rank: No. 10
Favorability score: 72.9
Campbell Soup scored a favorability rating of 72.9, good for the 10th most loved brand on the list. The Camden, N.J.-based company ended 2017 by acquiring salty snack manufacturer Snyder’s-Lance in a $6.1 billion all-cash transaction.
Overall rank: No. 18
Favorability score: 71.4
PepsiCo's snack unit Frito-Lay came in at No. 18 with a favorability score of 71.4. In September 2017, the Purchase, N.Y.-based chip giant launched 11 new organic chip brands under its Simply line. And this month, the company revealed its quarterly net revenue increased 3% compared to last year, boosting PepsiCo's total first-quarter sales.
Overall rank: No. 22
Favorability score: 70.8
Vevey, Switzerland-based Nestle sits at No. 22 with a favorability score of 70.8. In January, the Ferrero Group, an Italian global candy company, acquired Nestle’s U.S. confectionery business in a $2.8 billion all-cash deal. Just eight weeks later, Nestle launched its first sugar-reduction candy bar in Europe and introduced a new CEO for its Arlington, Va.-based U.S. division.
Overall rank: No. 23
Favorability score: 69.7
Technically a beverage company, but also a sister company to Frito-Lay, Lipton ranked No. 23 on Morning Consult’s list with a favorability score of 69.7. This year, the company partnered with global nonprofit We Charity, formerly known as Free The Children, to provide financial literacy and business skills training to women in Kenya. A subsidiary of PepsiCo, the drink maker also debuted its namesake iced tea with a "Splash of Juice" in three flavors: Tropical, Berry and Pear-Peach flavors.
Overall rank: No. 24
Favorability score: 69.6
In spring 2017, General Mills launched a variety of new products in convenience stores, including Sour Gushers, Hot Buffalo Bugles, Jalapeno Cheddar Chex Mix and Nature Valley Biscuits. Later in the year, the Minneapolis-based company said its 2018 priorities would include yogurt innovation, growing cereal globally, investing in differential growth opportunities and managing foundation brands. The brand just cracked Morning Consult's top 25, coming in at No. 24 with a favorability score of 69.6.
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