Global food and beverage company Danone and Earth Island®, maker of Follow Your Heart brands and a pioneering leader in plant-based foods, announced that it has entered into a share purchase agreement under which Danone will acquire 100% of the shares of Earth Island®.

Acosta, an integrated sales and marketing services provider in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, released findings from its most recent COVID-19 shopper insights study. The research found that while the pandemic concern level is finally on the decline, shoppers acknowledge it will be a long time before things return to normal. Shopping and eating behaviors dramatically changed last year, and many shoppers plan to continue those new habits post-COVID-19.

The Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS), is a new 501(c)(3) organization focused on catalyzing science for the benefit of public health.

American Sugar Refining, Inc., a member of ASR Group, made a strategic investment in Bonumose, Inc. to produce and commercialize lower-cost, plant-based alternative sweeteners tagatose and allulose as part of ASR Group’s strategy to provide a variety of products to meet the wide range of consumer needs.  

Epogee LLC announced that its alternative fat technology, EPG, is now being used as a key ingredient in OWN Your Hunger’s newly launched products: OWN Peanut Butter Spread and OWN Hazelnut Spread. 

Nestlé S.A. announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its regional spring water brands, purified water business and beverage delivery service in the US and Canada to One Rock Capital Partners in partnership with Metropoulos & Co. for $4.3 billion. The company's international premium brands including Perrier®, S.Pellegrino® and Acqua Panna® are not a part of the deal. The transaction is expected to close following the completion of customary closing conditions.

Alt-Meat innovator Redefine Meat announced the completion of a $29 million A-series funding round led by Happiness Capital and Hanaco Ventures.

Batory Foods, a national sales and supply chain management solutions provider of commodity and specialty food ingredients, has launched Batory Smartboards, an insight and inspiration microsite for the food and beverage industry.

The Coca-Cola Company announced in the United States the introduction of a new 13.2oz bottle made from 100% recycled plastic material (rPET)*. This new bottle will be available first in the company’s biggest and most iconic brand: Coca-Cola®.

Keurig Dr Pepper announced the appointment of Justin Whitmore to the new role of chief strategy officer, effective March 1, reporting to chairman and chief executive officer Bob Gamgort. He will join the ELT and lead enterprise strategy work, including mergers and acquisitions, and corporate partnerships.