Annie Gasparro reported today at The Wall Street Journal Online that, “The former chief executive of organic food brand Annie’s Homegrown is heading into the crowded baby-food business.
“John Foraker is taking on the top role at a two-year-old startup Once Upon a Farm, which is partnering with actress Jennifer Garner to help market the brand.
“Baby food has become boring, Mr. Foraker said, because conventional brands are continuing to struggle with a lack of innovation.”
The Journal article noted that, “Baby-food sales, by volume, have declined an average of 4% a year for the past four years, according to market research firm Nielsen. Brands, especially the longtime industry leader Gerber, which is owned by Nestlé SA, have lost market share to new ones with organic ingredients that are sold in the increasingly popular pouches.”
Today’s article added that, “Mr. Foraker, who left Annie’s last month, a few years after selling the company to packaged-food giant General Mills Inc., is an investor in Once Upon a Farm, along with Ms. Garner. He said he plans to expand the company’s refrigerated, organic baby food to more stores and add new products that he hopes will steal shoppers from mainstays.”