News Briefs

For the first time, the Natural Bliss line is expanding beyond its well-known coffee creamers with the launch of not one but two new plant-based oat milks.

Made from a unique blend of oats and fava bean protein, each contains 5 g of protein per serving and comes in two varieties—original and unsweetened.

“As interest in plant-based beverages continues to rise, we’re thrilled to expand our natural bliss portfolio beyond the creamer aisle to introduce our first-ever ready-to-drink Oat Milk,” said Daniel Jhung, President of Beverage at Nestlé USA. “We know our consumers seek products that are both delicious and nutritious, and this offering delivers with a first-to-market blend of oat and fava bean protein that has more protein than the leading oat milk brand, less sugar than dairy milk, and can be enjoyed in several ways, at any time of day.” 

Natural Bliss’ plant-based oat milk will launch nationally in retailers beginning in May.

Amazon is reportedly investing in ultra-fast delivery, which could come with fees, as it also tries to cut expenses, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The report also noted that Amazon is continuing to allocate resources to facilities and services designed to deliver packages to customers in less than a day.

A critical part of Amazon’s ultra-fast delivery strategy is its network of warehouses, dubbed same-day sites, which are a fraction of the size of its large fulfillment warehouses and are designed to prepare products for immediate delivery, the report said.

Unlike Amazon's large warehouses, these smaller warehouses typically rely on delivery stations closer to customers for the final stage of shipping.

Amazon has opened about 45 of the smaller sites since 2019 and could expand to at least 150 centers in the next several years, the report said, citing MWPVL International, which tracks Amazon warehouse operations.

The sites are mainly open near large cities and deliver the most popular 100,000 items in Amazon’s catalog, the report said, again citing MWPVL. Recently opened sites include Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix. 

Amazon's latest move comes as rivals Walmart and Instacart also provide quick shipping options to customers. The report pointed out that Walmart has used its thousands of stores to help fulfill fast online orders.

CBDistillery is introducing its Microdose Synergy+ THC & CBD line, which includes tincture and soft gel products.

THC offers many health and wellness benefits, especially when combined with CBD. Microdosing, at its base level, is “taking a small enough dose of a potentially intoxicating substance to experience its benefits without the feeling of intoxication,” CBDistillery said.

Each serving of Microdose Synergy+ features 1 mg of THC and 30 mg of CBD that "work in harmony, a phenomenon we know as the Entourage Effect — to nourish and support your mind and body for optimal health and wellness,” the company said.

Hum Nutrition is looking to provide PMS symptom relief with its new SOS PMS Gummies line.

Formulated with chasteberry to help support healthy hormonal balance, the gummies also contain cranberry for urinary tract health, and vitamin B6 to aid in supporting overall mood, the company said.

“Our customers were looking for an easy-to-take solution for PMS symptoms, so in continuation of our commitment to women's health, we formulated the first vegan gummy to contain clinical levels of standardized chasteberry extract that delivers on both taste and efficacy,” said Hum Nutrition’s head of scientific affairs and education, Dr. Jennifer Martin-Biggers. “This ingredient has been shown to help manage PMS symptoms in clinical studies.”

Currently, Hum Nutrition’s SOS PMS Gummies retail for $26 and can be purchased online.

Honey Bunches of Oats is catering to consumers who are constantly on the go with its new Granola Chips.

Designed to deliver sweetness and texture with each bite, the snacks can be dipped in nut butter, topped with fruit or crumbled into yogurt, the company said.

Available in two varieties — honey roasted and blueberry — Honey Bunches of Oats Granola Chips comes in a resealable bag that can be found at major mass grocery retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $3.48.

In response to a Matrix Global Advisors report, titled, "Near-Term Expectations for Adalimumab biosimilars in the United States," authored by Alex Brill and Christy Robinson, the Association for Accessible Medicines' Biosimilars Council division has issued the following statement from its executive director, Craig Burton: 

“This new report from Matrix Global Advisors illustrates the complexities of the burgeoning adalimumab biosimilar market. While biosimilars bring much needed competition and reduce overall costs, perverse rebate practices and other market factors will unnecessarily slow patient access and savings from FDA-approved biosimilars. Policymakers should ensure that patients have access to and benefit from lower-priced biosimilars.”

Read the full report here.