Chobani Expanding La Colombe Facility
Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya was joined by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and other elected officials and local leaders to commemorate an official groundbreaking ceremony of the company's La Colombe facility in Muskegon County on Tuesday, June 2. An expansion totaling $567 million, the North Shores location will retain 312 jobs, add almost 340 new jobs, and expand production space by more than 200,000 square feet. Production of the brand's signature lattes are also expected to boost demand for local milk and the state's agriculture sector.
"La Colombe has been making ready-to-drink lattes in Norton Shores for more than a decade, and from day one this community has welcomed us with open arms," said Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO of Chobani. "There's something special here — in the hardworking spirit of the people, in the pride of Michigan's farmers who produce high quality, delicious, farm-fresh milk, in the way neighbors show up for one another. That kind of richness is rare and reminds us what makes Michigan so special. For us, growth is about more than numbers — it's about supporting the community, creating opportunity, and building something that lasts. This is just the beginning of a beautiful journey together in West Michigan, and we're committed to being part of it for many years to come."
Clasado Partners with New Distributor, Achieves Certification
Prokpoton SAS is the new distribution partner in France of Clasado Biosciences. The Eguilles-based company will supply Bimuno GOS to brands and manufacturers across the French supplements, food and beverage, and pet nutrition industries. Annika Malmros, Director of Business Development at Clasado, elaborated on the significance of the partnership, "France is an appealing European market for prebiotics, and this appointment reflects our commitment to ensuring that brands and manufacturers across the region have straightforward access to Bimuno GOS. Prokopton has a well-established position across supplements, food and beverage, and pet nutrition sectors, combined with a deep understanding of the French market. As such, it’s exactly the right partner to support brands looking to meet growing consumer demand with a prebiotic ingredient they can stand behind."
With the topic of gut health remaining a top concern amongst consumers, the microbiome market has continued to expand and create opportunities for brands to increase their market share. "French consumers are ahead of the curve. They're not waiting to feel unwell before they act, they're making considered choices about their health every day, and gut health is firmly on their radar, they are well aware of how foundational gut health is to their wellbeing and lifespan," explained Yazan El Safadi, Managing Director at Prokopton. "That's exactly the kind of consumer environment where Bimuno GOS thrives: a market that's ready for an ingredient with real science behind it, not just a trend label. We rarely come across ingredients with such a solid scientific backing, and Bimuno GOS earns its place."
Clasado also announced it has received Hive Employee Voice Certified status for a second consecutive year. Awarded to companies that demonstrate consistent commitment to empowering their teams, show leadership that strives to optimize workplace culture, and actively support employee well-being, the achievement emphasizes the brand's commitment to creating a thriving environment for its employees. "Receiving this certification for the second year running means a great deal to us," said Per Rehné, CEO of Clasado. "It's one thing to commit to listening, but it's another to demonstrate, year on year, that you're following through. Our people are the engine behind everything we achieve in prebiotic science and commercial growth, and this recognition reflects the culture we've worked hard to build and maintain."
For more on the growing microbiome space, check out 2026 Mastering the Microbiome Market.
European Patent Office Upholds Vitux Patent
The European Patent Office (EPO) has ruled in favor of Vitux in their patent dispute with Sirio Healthcare over a European divisional patent for unsaturated fatty acids in gelatin (EU 3,090,729B1) issued for Concordix technology. A patented innovation used to create chewable dietary supplements, Sirio had contested the divisional patent’s validity for added matter, lack of novelty and inventive step. Following the EPO's decision, Vitux has been reaffirmed as the inventor and proprietor of Concordix chewable emulsion technology in Europe, extending it beyond fish oil to unsaturated fatty acids across a broad range of concentrations.
Currently, the Vitux Group has 46 patents in its portfolio protecting Concordix technology. Its application has been featured in over 60 concepts across a wide range of health-benefit categories. Supported by high-quality manufacturing with production carried out exclusively at facilities in Norway and Canada that comply with NSF and GMP standards, competitors will now have a much more difficult path to replicating similar formats in Europe.
Gelatys Expands U.S. Manufacturing Capacity
Fort Myers, Florida is now home to Gelaty's brand new 30,000+ square-foot facility, the company's latest milestone in its U.S. expansion initiative. The $8 million dollar investment was built on a 1.5-acre site and features state-of-the-art machinery that allows all day production timelines to be completed in as quickly as one hour. Creating roughly 75 new jobs within the region, the new site will help support the company's original Miami facility.
"When my family and I moved to Miami, Gelatys began as a dream to bring true artisanal gelato to the U.S. market. We quickly saw a larger opportunity; premium gelato novelties were not being manufactured at scale because of how technically complex they are. That challenge became our innovation story, pushing us to create our own processes, adapt machinery, and build products that did not yet exist in the market," shared Adolfo Joel Heller Cohen, Founder & CEO, Gelatys. "Our new Fort Myers facility isn't just an expansion, it's the infrastructure we always knew this brand would need when growing from a local concept into a national brand. We're the only manufacturer of its kind in the United States, and we built that from scratch. The ambition that started Gelatys hasn't changed, and looking ahead, we're just getting started."
Nichols Farms Products Available at Sprouts
Sprouts Farmers Market now stocks the full product line of unique flavored, dry-roasted pistachios from San Joaquin Valley based organic grower, Nichols Farms. The two companies first partnered in 2016 when Sprouts featured Nichols products in the stores self-service bulk ingredient section. 10 years later and the pistachios, which are roasted in small batches with no added oils, will be available from the retailers 480 store locations across 25 states in organic flavors; Maple Butter, Hot Honey, Rosemary Garlic, Habanero Lime, as well as conventional flavors; Jalapeño Lime, Cocoa Cookie, and Garlic & Garden Herb.
“Sprouts Farmers Market is excited to partner with Nichols Farms,” says Senior Bulk Category Manager, Bill Falconer. “Nichols has the capability to drive organic growth in the industry and to provide Sprouts consumers with innovation and differentiation within the retail market. We are looking forward to future collaborations that provide Sprouts shoppers with better-for-you snacking opportunities.”
DryWater Continues to Expand Retail Availability
Fruit-based hydration stick brand, DryWater, is continuing its retail expansion initiative, announcing its products are now available in 22,000 new retail locations across the country. Fans of the NSF Certified for Sport hydration brand will be able to purchase their fruit-based hydration sticks, from several big name retailers including Kroger and Vitamin Shoppe. With performance hydration products seeing a major uptick in consumer demand, DryWater has formulated its line of clean ingredient, science-backed, zero added sugar hydration solutions to support energy, immunity, rehydration, performance, recovery, and cognition.
"DryWater is expanding into 690+ The Vitamin Shoppe locations nationwide. Proud to partner with a brand that aligns with our mission to put health and hydration first," read a post on the company's LinkedIn page announcing its latest announcement.
