Alan Thomas

Functional foods succeed when science, regulation and consumer experience align. Here are the steps we use at SPG to take products from idea to shelf. Save this carousel to use as your development checklist.

Since the RNDC / Reyes announcement, I’ve received several messages asking the same question: What does this mean for LibDib, LLC? The short answer is this: LibDib was a distributor before we partnered with RNDC, and we continue to be a distributor going forward. RNDC exited California, but LibDib continues to operate in California and other markets. Our business does not hinge on one partner, one market, or one structure. From day one, our model was built to be flexible, compliant, and durable — allowing us to nimbly partner with 3PLs, all distributors, and other fulfillment solutions to ensure brands can get to market legally and efficiently. However. Will there be changes? Yes. Will there be shifts in how business is done? Absolutely. For anyone watching what’s happening in the middle tier right now — this is the new reality. Consolidation, portfolio reshuffling, exits, and strategic pivots are no longer edge cases. They are becoming the de facto operating environment. I don’t make a habit of commenting publicly on our partners’ businesses, but I will say this: RNDC is a good partner to LibDib, and we appreciate the work we will continue to do together. eRNDC and On Demand are two game-changing developments of this partnership. They are incredibly innovative technologies that have created the tools and infrastructure this industry needs to meet this moment right now. In the broader macro environment, these disruptions can be unsettling and are causing many suppliers to reevaluate their go-to-market strategies. The question that should be asked isn’t just where large brands move—but whether those moves meaningfully impact results and grow their businesses. Bigger picture, what’s driving this industry right now isn’t just go-to-market strategy. It’s understanding and staying ahead of the new consumer-based realities we all face. Yes, people are drinking less. Yes, money is tighter. And that shows no signs of abating any time soon. The economic pressure on the next generation of our consumers matters deeply to our category, especially as older generations naturally age out. So here’s where I’ll close: Yes, LibDib is still operating. Yes, there will be changes. No, I don’t have all the answers yet. But I can promise this: LibDib’s distribution mission remains unchanged. Any brand. Any size. Any quantity. Our e-commerce, sales ordering, and data technology is available to both distributors and suppliers, helping lower costs, improve efficiency, and support all of us through the industry changes now shaping our market. That’s why we built this company, to create efficiencies in the three-tier system for all— and that’s not changing. If you want to talk to me/our team about how to navigate with us through all this change, DM me. Even better, I will be at Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Access LIVE, in a few weeks so let’s talk!

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Top 5 ways reactive desiccant planning quietly drains nutraceutical supply chains: 1️⃣ Paying 2–3× more on expedited freight 2️⃣ Scrambling QA/Compliance teams last minute 3️⃣ Burning hours in fire drills instead of strategy 4️⃣ Margin erosion hidden in “misc costs” 5️⃣ Customers absorbing delays they won’t forgive 👉 Every one of these is avoidable with proactive VMI. The hidden costs aren’t in the desiccants. They’re in the reactivity.

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Fresh data from the PLMA - Private Label Manufacturers Association and insights firm Circana affirms that sales of store brand items outpaced sales of national brand products during the first half of 2025. That research shows that store brand dollar sales surged nearly four times faster than national brands. According to PLMA’s latest e-scanner, private label dollar sales are up 4.4% year-over-year (YoY), versus the 1.1% pace for national brands. Within store brands, refrigerated food sales increased 10.5%, while beverages went up 4% and frozen foods and pet care items each increased 2%. In unit sales, store brands rose in eight of nine departments over the last 52 weeks.  Private label is getting a bigger share of the total sales pie, too. PLMA reports that the store brand’s market share is now 21.2%, with a unit share of 23.2%.

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FDA Authorizes Glas Inc. Vape — but Flavor Expectations Fall Short The U.S. FDA has granted Marketing Granted Orders (MGOs) to Glas G DEVICE and BLONDE TOBACCO 50 MG/ML Pod, bringing the total number of authorized ENDS products in the U.S. to 41. While the decision marks the first new ENDS authorization since Juul in July 2025, it fell short of industry expectations for a non-tobacco flavored approval. Interestingly, the announcement comes just days after the FDA released new draft guidance on flavored ENDS, which many interpreted as signaling a clearer regulatory pathway. The Glas decision, however, underscores the agency’s continued caution toward non-tobacco flavors. Another notable point: Glas is a small vape manufacturer unaffiliated with major tobacco companies, and its approval may suggest that the PMTA pathway is not limited to large multinational tobacco firms. 2Firsts has been closely following this story since a December 2025 web anomaly hinted at a potential Glas authorization, and earlier reporting also tracked the company’s regulatory strategy around flavored ENDS guidance. Full story below. https://lnkd.in/gqhQ3c2j #FDA #PMTA #ENDS #VapingRegulation #NicotineIndustry #2Firsts #Glas

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CHURCH & DWIGHT OFFLOADS VMS BRANDS VITAFUSION AND L’IL CRITTERS Following the announcement of a strategic review of the vitamin brands this August, Church & Dwight Co., Inc. revealed today they are divesting VitaFusion Doctors and L’il Critters to Piping Rock Health Products. VMS makes up less than 5% of the company’s anticipated 2025 sales, approximately $310M of $6.19B. C&D had acquired the brands in 2012 for $650M at 2.82x sales and 11.2x ebitda. C&D said in a press release that the sale makes the company’s portfolio stronger and enables it to focus on remaining power brands. C&D owns a wide range of personal care, household and specialty products such as Arm & Hammer Professional Products, Trojan, Oxiclean, Hero Cosmetics, and most recently touchland. C&D expects a one time impairment charge of around ~$45M as a result of the deal. 

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The FDA has proposed a new rule to update the Standard of Identity for pasteurized orange juice. This is an important step for food regulations and consumer protection. Explore the details in our latest blog! https://lnkd.in/gwbWZP3C #FoodIndustry #FDA #Regulations

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Learned so much from my fellow panelist yesterday Vincent Iacopella IMario Torrico , Oisin Hanrahan , and cal bewicke about #supplychain, #regulations, and #tariifs. The biggest takeaway is knowing your supply chain thoroughly with all the components and ingredients used is not only essential for sustainability, but also tariffs. What you don't know may come back to haunt you, if you are the importer and don't get the facts right, you may be assessed at a far higher tariff rate than you planned for.

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A major decision on flavored vapor/ENDS products may be coming soon. The FDA’s new guidance on flavored vaping products has entered White House review, a step that could shape the future of the U.S. nicotine market. For years and more recently at the FDA Small ENDS Manufacturer Roundtable, the agency has emphasized “flexibility” in the PMTA process. But without clear standards or a defined pathway to a Marketing Granted Order (MGO) for flavored products, that flexibility has often translated into complete uncertainty, making it increasingly difficult, if not nearly impossible, for most companies to navigate. To date, there have been "zero" flavored vapor products granted marketing authorization since 2016. I believe a standards-based regulatory framework would create clearer expectations for science, compliance, and product authorization, while still advancing public health goals by providing adult smokers less harmful alternatives to combustible cigarettes. We will wait and see what comes out of this flavored vape guidance review. Question: Should regulators move toward a clear, standards-based pathway for flavored products, or continue evaluating them case-by-case with broad agency discretion and flexibility? Article below. Curious to hear perspectives from others across the industry. https://lnkd.in/g2MXH-jU

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☕✨ Missed the episode where flavor meets manufacturing excellence? Don’t worry it’s too sweet to skip! In Episode 44 of Making Things Fun, Cool & Sexy, I sat down with Melanie Dulbecco, CEO of Torani (R. Torre & Co.), fresh off their big win as Association of Manufacturers Bay Area of the Year 🏆. We talked about how this nearly 100-year-old Bay Area brand keeps delighting taste buds worldwide while staying true to their people first culture, Made in USA manufacturing, and a mission to make life more flavorful. 🌈 🔑 Highlights include: 🍹 The manufacturing magic behind every Torani bottle 💡 Why culture is their secret ingredient to success 🌎 How they balance tradition with innovation to stay relevant This conversation was as inspiring as it was flavorful — and if you missed it the first time, here’s your chance to catch up. 🎧 👉 Rewatch it now on my YouTube channel https://lnkd.in/gr52J83w #Torani #ManufacturerOfTheYear #AMBayArea #FunCoolSexy #MadeInUSA #CompanyCulture #FoodAndBeverageInnovation #WomenInMFG #ManufacturingLeadership

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With consumers prioritizing functional nutrition, US demand for vitamins is growing. However, with just a handful of net exporters, opportunities to meet this demand are limited. US manufacturers that cultivate strong relationships with these exporters will be best positioned to navigate the future of the vitamin trade. With connections to suppliers across the world, Prinova can help you secure a steady supply of the ingredients your customers crave. Source: https://lnkd.in/gJpkyQZs

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REYES × RNDC ISN’T JUST CONSOLIDATION — IT’S A WARNING SIGN FOR SMALL BRANDS 🚨🍺🥃 The acquisition of RNDC markets by Reyes isn’t being debated quietly in back rooms. Among small producers, the reaction has been loud — and largely negative. Here’s why. This deal accelerates a trend that small brands have been feeling for years: fewer doors, bigger gatekeepers, and less room to breathe. What consolidation really means on the ground: • Reduced market access — fewer independent distributors = fewer chances to get on shelves or into bars • Priority shift to volume — mega-distributors optimize for brands that already move pallets, not potential • Weaker leverage — small brands face tougher terms and thinner margins • Contract risk — switching distributors often requires buying back rights many small producers can’t afford • Portfolio neglect — craft brands get sidelined as focus moves to RTDs, imports, and national powerhouses In many regions, this creates de-facto duopolies. Not by intent maybe — but by outcome. Yes, there are limited upsides: • A handful of small brands may benefit from Reyes’ logistics and execution • Some stability after RNDC’s recent turbulence could help a few accounts But let’s be honest — those benefits apply to very few. For most small and emerging producers, the message is clear: distribution is no longer where discovery happens. Distributors now expect demand to be proven before they care. Which flips the old playbook completely. So what do you do? You build leverage outside the distribution tier: • Create pull through real consumer engagement • Show velocity at the bar and tasting room level • Prove that people seek you out — not that you hope they will • Document where, why, and how your product fits an occasion In this environment, hoping a distributor will “find” you is a losing strategy. The brands that survive consolidation won’t be the loudest or the trendiest. They’ll be the ones that walk into a meeting with evidence — not optimism. Consolidation doesn’t kill small brands. Unprepared small brands get squeezed by it. This shift isn’t theoretical anymore. It’s operational. And it’s happening now. #BeverageIndustry #Distribution #CraftSpirits #CraftBeer #SmallBrands #AlcoholBusiness #MarketAccess #IndustryConsolidation

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Big picture time: The rise of GLP-1 drugs is not just a pharma story—it’s starting to reshape food & beverage assortments and consumer behavior. For ICI Foods, this means staying ahead of demand shifts, partnering on formulation innovation, and helping customers adapt. https://lnkd.in/eQAkyRnj

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POS BioSciences, a Bioriginal Company, is a well known global leader in innovating new products & processes. Now it is a leading manufacturer of high value ingredients. Its technologies include acetone, ethanol & hexane extraction, blending, milling, micro encapsulation, deodorizing, winterizetion, refining & spray drying. Soon it will add pasteurization of seeds and granulars. Visit booth S1468 at IFT Chicago to meet members of the POS BioSciences team. The Bioriginal Group of companies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cooke Inc.

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Bars aren’t just snacks anymore. They’re fuel, function, and indulgence in one bite. Our new white paper explores how ingredients like Monk Fruit, Stevia, and Allulose help formulators meet the demands of today’s health-conscious and GLP-1 consumers. https://lnkd.in/gD_zrDRN

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Week 19 Recall Review – What Every Board Should Be Asking Right Now Six recalls hit the FDA list this week. Once again, undeclared allergens, mislabeling, and supplier failures were at the center. From pumpkin seeds linked to an international supplier recall to bakery goods and beans missing allergen declarations, the root causes are all preventable. And it doesn’t stop there. One recall this week was an update to a previously announced case, bringing a company back into the spotlight for the second time due to incomplete allergen labelling on a popular snack mix. That’s a major red flag for internal oversight and brand risk. As an advisor, this is the conversation I keep having: Risk is often assumed to be managed, but assumptions don’t protect companies from headlines, legal exposure, or consumer backlash. Here are a few key questions boards and executive teams should be asking: • Are our label reviews and packaging validations truly complete and audited regularly? • How are we holding co-manufacturers and suppliers accountable, especially those overseas? • Do we have functional alignment between QA, operations, and procurement on allergen control and risk escalation? This isn’t just about compliance, it’s about protecting consumer safety, brand equity, and shareholder trust. https://lnkd.in/eGAMCSX8  #BoardGovernance #RecallReview #RiskOversight #FoodSafety #BrandProtection #AllergenControl #SupplierRisk #StrategicAdvisory #ManningResource #FDARecalls #Week19 #RecallPrevention #ESGLeadership #FoodIndustryInsights

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