SPINS

Better-for-you brands prioritize taste over health claims

Startups in the better-for-you snack category are shifting packaging and marketing away from prominent health callouts toward imagery and messaging that emphasize taste, novelty and mainstream appeal. Feel Good Foods, founded 13 years ago, redesigned packaging from white to bright yellow and reduced repetitive gluten-free callouts while highlighting cooking convenience and protein; the brand expanded into Target, Publix and Kroger and reports a national door count of 25,000 and expected 60% year-over-year growth in 2026. GoodPop completed a refresh emphasizing bold colors, new novelty flavors (including a French-fry-inspired pop launched with Ore-Ida) and product attributes like 100% fruit and no added sugar. Consultants warn clearer, specific labeling is increasingly required amid regulatory scrutiny and class-action risk.

IEA Releases 400M Barrels; Google Spins Out GFiber

Global market and policy developments rattled markets: the International Energy Agency agreed to release 400 million barrels from emergency reserves — the largest-ever IEA release — while the U.S. said it will tap its Strategic Petroleum Reserve for 172 million barrels to be delivered over about 120 days. Continued attacks near the Strait of Hormuz and tanker-insurance measures (a $20 billion DFC-backed program led by underwriter Chubb) limited the calming effect on crude, which briefly pushed Brent above $100. U.S. Consumer Price Index for February rose 0.3% month-over-month and 2.4% year-over-year. The U.S. launched Section 301 trade probes into multiple partners. Google announced it will sell a partial stake in its GFiber unit, combining it with Astound Broadband into an independent provider with Google retaining a minority stake. Airlines signaled higher fares to cover rising fuel costs.

Retail Media Faces M&A Surge Amid Growth Slowdown

Retail media is entering a more difficult phase marked by a wave of M&A and consolidation as marketers demand stronger measurement and unified shopper data. Recent deals cited by Adweek include Spins’ acquisition of MikMak, Omnicom folding TPN into Flywheel, Podean’s purchase of Ad Advance, and Infillion’s acquisition of Catalina; terms were not disclosed. Buyers are combining shopper-marketing datasets with adtech stacks (Infillion has previously acquired MediaMath, Gimbal and Fysical) to offer integrated measurement and commerce capabilities. Analysts say the sector’s early, rapid expansion is easing, driven by advertiser pressure to prove ROI, tighter budgets, and the concentration of spend with Amazon and Walmart. Observers expect further consolidation as retailers and tech firms seek scale and capabilities to compete for shifting brand budgets.