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Weekly CPG Industry News and Insights: Major Trends and Impacts

The CPG industry is experiencing significant shifts, driven by various factors such as consumer behavior changes, economic pressures, and innovative strategies. Recent developments shed light on the dynamic landscape and offer valuable lessons for brands aiming to stay ahead. Let’s explore some noteworthy stories and delve into the implications for the industry.

Weekly Sip Diageo Spirits

Diageo’s Earnings Decline Amid Inflation

Diageo, a leading global beverage company, has reported a decline in earnings, with inflationary pressures cited as a significant factor. Despite this, segments like Guinness and spirits showed resilience. This highlights the financial challenges many major players in the CPG industry face and underscores the need for strategic adjustments to navigate these turbulent times.

Meati steak packaging

Meati Foods Faces False Advertising Lawsuit

Meati Foods is embroiled in a lawsuit over alleged false advertising regarding its mushroom root claims. The lawsuit suggests that Meati misled consumers about the nutritional benefits and composition of its products. This case underscores the importance of transparency in marketing and the growing scrutiny on food labeling practices.

Chipotle summertime beverages

Chipotle’s New Beverage Lineup

Chipotle has introduced a refreshing new beverage lineup aimed at enhancing the customer experience during the summer months. This move reflects Chipotle’s commitment to innovation and staying attuned to consumer preferences, providing a diversified menu that caters to a wider audience.

LolaVie Launch Ulta

Jennifer Aniston’s LolaVie Launches at Ulta Beauty in Target

Jennifer Aniston’s beauty brand, LolaVie, has launched in Ulta Beauty at Target stores. This strategic partnership aims to increase accessibility and reach a broader consumer base. The collaboration between a celebrity brand and a major retailer signifies the growing trend of cross-industry partnerships in the CPG space.

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Uncrustables’ Brand Refresh by Soulsight

Uncrustables, the beloved snack brand, has undergone a brand refresh by Soulsight. The updated branding aims to modernize the product’s image and appeal to a broader audience. This move highlights the importance of staying relevant and adapting to changing consumer preferences in the highly competitive snack industry.

Analyzing the Impact on the CPG Industry

There's clearly significant opportunities for growth and innovation inside the CPG industry. If you're able to leverage the insights and adapt to changing consumer preferences, brands can thrive and meet the consumers where they are. 

Evolving Financial Strategies: The decline in earnings for companies like Diageo highlights the financial pressures caused by inflation. Brands must innovate and optimize their operations to navigate these challenges effectively. This might involve cost management, strategic pricing, and exploring new revenue streams to sustain profitability.

Building Trust through Transparency: The lawsuit against Meati Foods emphasizes the need for transparency in marketing and product labeling. Building and maintaining consumer trust is crucial for long-term success. Brands must ensure that their marketing claims are accurate and substantiated to avoid legal challenges and maintain consumer confidence.

Lotion Store Woman

Embracing Innovation: Chipotle’s new beverage lineup and Uncrustables’ brand refresh demonstrate the importance of innovation and staying relevant in a dynamic market. By continuously updating and expanding their product offerings, brands can keep their customer base engaged and attract new consumers.

Strategic Partnerships: The collaboration between Jennifer Aniston’s LolaVie and Ulta Beauty at Target highlights the potential for strategic partnerships to expand market reach and drive growth. Such alliances between well-known personalities and established retailers create a powerful synergy that benefits both parties.

Omnichannel Approaches: Brands shifting from Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) to retail need to adopt omnichannel strategies to maintain customer engagement across various touchpoints. The EY Future Consumer Index indicates that consumers value a blend of online convenience and personalized in-store experiences. This approach helps in leveraging the strengths of both online and offline channels.

The CPG industry is navigating a landscape characterized by evolving consumer expectations, financial pressures, and the need for transparency and innovation. By understanding these dynamics and adapting strategically, brands can position themselves for success in this ever-changing market.

Our Impact

In 1995, our founders embarked on a journey that would disrupt the status quo of the executive recruiting industry. We have been transforming companies and lives ever since.

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9,395

First Round Interviews

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3,000+

Total Placements

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47%

Diversity Placements

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$700M

Economic Impact

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Brent Albertson

CEO, Zing Zang LLC

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“ Our experience with Protis Global has been very positive. They have strong multi-industry CPG experience and understand our business model and standards. They know the difference between an “A-player” and a “B-player” in several functions, and the honesty around that standard helps us move faster. Mike and team set up a great process, especially in early canvassing and vetting that helps our leaders engage at the right time and make decisions fast. ”

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Colin Nolan

Executive Vice President, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc.

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“Protis Global’s approach to talent acquisition is marked by diligence, transparency, and a genuine dedication to client satisfaction. Their strategic insights and personalized service have made a substantial impact on our organization, ensuring that we always have the best professionals driving our initiatives forward. The team at Protis Global demonstrates a keen ability to identify individuals who not only possess the requisite skills but also align seamlessly with our company culture.”

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Hilal Tabsh

Chief Revenue Officer, Glass House Brands

Cannabis
Cannabis

“Over the last 10+ years my experience with Michael Bitar and the Protis Global team has been exceptional across multiple industries. Michael and his team work to get to the true needs of my hiring plan and partner with us throughout the process. They understand our business, company culture, what success looks like, and then propose candidates that will produce results while also fitting into our team dynamic. Overall it’s a great team and experience and I would recommend to anyone looking to hire top-notch quality candidates reach out to Protis Global and Michael Bitar.”

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Peter Iglesias

Chief Executive Officer, Bespoken Spirits

Beer, Wine, & Spirits
Beer, Wine, & Spirits

“I highly recommend Protis Global as a top-notch recruiting agency. I have had the pleasure of working with them for the past 15 years, both as a candidate and employer in the Spirits and Wine industry. In my 25 years of experience, I have found Protis Global to be the most efficient and effective recruiting agency I have ever dealt with. Protis Global has consistently come through for me in the clutch, providing exceptional professionalism and execution in job searches and placements. Their dedication to finding the right fit for both candidates and employers sets them apart from other agencies. I have always been impressed by their ability to understand the needs of both parties and successfully connect them in a timely manner.”

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Soley Van Lokeren

SVP, People

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“I have been in the field of human resources for over thirty years, in executive level roles both in-house and in outsourced positions. Michael Bitar is my favorite talent acquisition professional with which I have ever worked. He cares deeply about building a relationship with his clients, learning their business, culture, challenges, and truly understanding the needs of a role requisition. His approach is mirrored by the rest of the Protis team, who are courteous, thorough, and who make you feel like you are their only client. Protis successfully delivered hires for our Chief Commercial Officer role and for three key challenging roles (in both Marketing and Sales). They are simply – the best!”

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Brian Kuz

Chief Sales Officer

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

“Protis is unique in their go-to-market strategy in that they not only find the right candidate for the role, but they find the right opportunity and company for the candidate. Protis Global looks for people who are ready to make a change...I will continue to recommend Protis Global as one of the best placement agencies in the World, as I have worked on every continent and have dealt with the big executive placement firms and the boutique ones. Protis shines above all, and as long as I am hiring, I will continue to go to Protis Global first, if not exclusively.”

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Chris Hall

CEO, poppi

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“Partnering with Protis Global has been a game-changer for poppi. They understood our vision and the unique challenges we faced as a rapidly growing brand. Their expertise in executive search helped us find the right leaders who not only fit our culture but also brought the skills and passion needed to drive accelerated growth. The Protis Global team actively took our feedback and adapted the search so that we could focus on what we do best – creating innovative, healthy beverages that our customers love. They’ve truly become an extension of our team, and we couldn’t imagine achieving our success without the team members they helped us to bring aboard.”

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Chad Palma

President of Sales, Spindrift

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“Michael Bitar and the Protis team have been such a pleasure to work with over the years. Not only do they do amazing work with recruiting but we have also developed a partnership between our two companies. Michael and his team provide a crucial role in reviewing my hiring needs at the beginning of each year. Once the review is complete, Michael begins searching for quality candidates that fit the role and culture for Spindrift. He and his team do an outstanding job of finding the right candidates for the position in need. I highly recommend Michael and the Protis team for your hiring needs.”

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John Sacksteder

President, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“From the start, the relationship with Protis Global was different than other recruiting firms.  The team had a deeper level of commitment and desire to learn about our business than I had experienced with other firms. Our company was experiencing a time of exponential growth and our staffing needs were complex. We needed very experienced people across every possible function in the Operation and Supply Chain Teams and we needed them in a hurry. The Protis Global Team mobilized quickly and established a methodology to identify strong candidates and work them through the interview process in a professional and timely manner. Their grit, determination, understanding our needs and culture, sense of urgency and drive to exceed our expectations set them apart from the pack.”

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Kathleen Hutchison

Senior National Account Manager at Arla Foods

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

Kayla was awesome and very thorough in her vetting of candidates. She understood our brief as we were looking for candidates and helped to weed through those who were not a good fit for the role. 

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Thomas Frisch

Chief People Officer at IJW Whiskey

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“The team worked quickly and efficiently to find a unique position.”

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Kim Nguyen

VP of Supply Chain at Lallemand

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

Everyone involved was extremely helpful - Gary, Michael, Ben - thank you!! The team didn't only search for candidates based on the job description, but also the qualities that I look for in candidates. 

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Shashank Gaur

VP of Product Technology & Innovation

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The interview process was smooth and extremely professional. Ben and team represented me as much as they represented the company. 

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Jeremy Schulman

Regional Business Manager - Foodservice

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

Consistent communication, updates, and detailed knowledge of the client. The whole experience was top notch!

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Blake T. Bermingham

Supply Chain Manager

Beer, Wine, & Spirits
Beer, Wine, & Spirits

Very simplistic process finding the right role for the right candidate...keep up the great work! 

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Don Stohrer Jr.

CEO, Arla Foods USA

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

“We’ve been a Protis Global client for eight years, and during this time have always appreciated the thoroughness of the recruitment process, as the candidates brought to us have been well-vetted, not only from a competency perspective, but more importantly from a [cultural] fit dynamic. Mike and the team have always been highly engaged to ensure they bring us candidates that match our culture. That’s been critical to the success of the candidates that have landed here by way of our relationship with Protis.”

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