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Articles by Deanna Pogorelc
Deanna Pogorelc | New Hope Network
Deanna oversees day-to-day production of digital content, newsletters and social media for newhope.com. She especially enjoys writing about packaging and mission-driven brands. Prior to joining New Hope Network, Deanna reported on healthcare innovation for MedCity News. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Ball State University.
Natural products industry investments held strong in 2020
Getty Images The natural products industry saw more investment deals but fewer mergers and acquisitions against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Deanna Pogorelc | Mar 08, 2021 The natural products industry showcased its resiliency in 2020, as companies innovated with products and delivery methods to meet the consumer shift toward digital commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investors and strategic acquirers also remained active in the space, despite many uncertainties and challenges.
More promos, price investments key to Whole Foods' 2016 strategy
As Whole Foods Market prepares to launch a new store format in May, leadership highlights moves to improve the retailer's price perception and its operating costs. Deanna Pogorelc | Feb 10, 2016 Whole Foods Market’s first-quarter earnings took a more upbeat tone than recent quarters as the retailer posted record sales of $4.83 billion, an increase of 3 percent from the previous year, and earnings per share of 46 cents. However, in the 16 weeks ending Jan.
Label lowdown: Women-owned certification
This logo was created by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), WEConnect International and Walmart (seriously!) as a way to bring recognition to products created by women-owned businesses, and in turn to help those businesses continue to grow. To be eligible to use the logo, companies must be certified through WBENC or WEConnect. WBENC says it has certified some 14,000 businesses and is adding about 500 new ones each year.
Just getting started on Amazon? Consider these factors when choosing a platform
Amazon has made online shopping so simple for consumers, but oh-so-complicated for brands. “It was really daunting starting out on Amazon, and there was just so much we didn’t know,” said Erika Welsh, co-founder and chief marketing officer of nut butter company Wild Friends Foods. “It was a really steep learning curve.” Related: A New Year’s resolution for brands?
6 foodie podcasts that dish out business insights
The podcast boom has brought about some awesome new resources for food industry professionals to learn from experts in their fields. Want to hear from product formulators on how to use certain ingredients? There's a podcast for that. Need some insights on starting a new food or beverage business? There are several for that, too. Here are a few we've been tuning into lately. Let us know what you're listening to in the comments. Unfinished Biz.
Sourcing locally doesn't require an all-or-nothing approach
For The Lancaster Food Co., local is at the heart of its mission. Charlie Crystle and Craig Lauer started the organic baked goods company in 2014 to make delicious, sustainable food using ingredients grown by local organic farmers, and to provide what they call thriving-wage jobs for people in poverty in their community. Their line of breads, which is manufactured in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and available in more than 300 stores, uses a variety of regionally grown grains and seeds.
These Certified B Corps are 'Best for the World' in 2018
The B Corp movement is going strong; more than 2,500 companies in 50 countries to date have been certified against rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency in their business.
How a new protein company went from zero to a $100 million investment
Not every growing nutrition brand can have a founding team that includes one of the biggest health and wellness influencers and a top supplements formulator. But brands can all take note of some of the key factors that have catapulted Ancient Nutrition, a rapidly growing wellness brand by Jordan Rubin and Josh Axe, in its first two years of business.
Organic industry to put a new fraud prevention program to the test
Eleven companies across the organic supply chain are set to begin testing fraud prevention and detection strategies developed by the Organic Trade Association’s Global Organic Supply Chain Integrity Task Force with the goal of helping uphold the integrity of the USDA Organic seal. The three-month pilot project was unveiled at OTA’s annual Organic Week in Washington, D.C., this week, where import fraud and ensuring supply chain integrity were key topics of conversation.
How one startup found a supplier who aligned with its mission
When Max Rivest and Arnaud Petitvallet came up with the idea for their business, Wize Monkey, they knew they wanted to extend the coffee harvest, which usually only lasts about three months, and create a year-round economy for coffee growers. They would do this by developing a tea made from a typically discarded part of the coffee plant—the leaves—that could be produced during the off-season.
Food transparency drives growth in fresh departments
The perimeter of the grocery store has outpaced growth in other food and beverage departments over the last four years, say analysts at market research firm IRI and the Food Marketing Institute, and transparency has become increasingly important to fresh department shoppers.
Food transparency drives growth in fresh departments
The perimeter of the grocery store has outpaced growth in other food and beverage departments over the last four years, say analysts at market research firm IRI and the Food Marketing Institute, and transparency has become increasingly important to fresh department shoppers.
Sprouts transitions delivery service from Amazon Prime Now to Instacart
Sprouts Farmers Market grew net sales 14 percent and comparable store sales 2.7 percent in the first quarter of 2018 as it opened nine new stores and continued to chip away at its strategic initiatives. First-quarter net sales totaled $1.3 billion, with growth driven by strong performances in newly opened stores, CEO Amin Maredia said Thursday during a call with investors and analysts.
Sprouts transitions delivery | First quarter 2018 results | New Hope Network
Sprouts Farmers Market grew net sales 14 percent and comparable store sales 2.7 percent in the first quarter of 2018 as it opened nine new stores and continued to chip away at its strategic initiatives. First-quarter net sales totaled $1.3 billion, with growth driven by strong performances in newly opened stores, CEO Amin Maredia said Thursday during a call with investors and analysts.
Brand partnership—not old-school marketing—key to success at natural retail
Really it's about velocity—how do we move these products off the shelf? And at the same time, are there ways that we can activate partnerships that also help create a better experience for our customers in our stores? Demos are one tried-and-true way for brands to boost sales, but today's competitive retail environment requires more. Could you co-host an awesome event with a retailer that drives both foot traffic to the store and engagement with your product?
Saffron Road steps up online sales
"If you can sell in any other location, you can certainly sell online. And finding the right partners that can do that with you is important." —Jack Acree, CEO, Saffron Road Saffron Road, known for its globally inspired frozen meals and snacks, is investing more in e-commerce capabilities these days—especially for its sauce and snack products, which Acree says are well suited for online sales because they don't use glass and are single-use. But the company is selling its frozen items online, too.
We reviewed 7 natural deodorants (so you don’t have to)
When Vogue publishes an article outlining the 10 chicest aluminum-free deodorants, you know you’ve got a trend on your hands. That, and the fact that conventional personal care conglomerates such as P&G, owners of Secret and Old Spice, and Unilever, owners of Dove, Degree and the unofficial scent of teenage boys, Axe, are acquiring natural deodorant brands in droves.
7 natural deodorants that actually work
Natural deodorants are not exactly new—they have been available in natural products stores for decades. But products were unexciting. Sometimes, natural deodorants appeared in odd formats, such as in a tub rather than a stick, frightening shoppers by the prospect of using their hand to smear an oily substance into their wet, moist pits.
The future for online retailer Thrive Market includes more perishables
For the first four years of its existence, Thrive Market, an online marketplace that offers both branded and private label natural and organic products to consumers at discounted prices in exchange for a $60 annual membership fee, has focused entirely on non-perishable products.
Healthcare iPad app may improve patient handoff for nurses
While some doctors and nurses are putting down their iPads, others are picking them up. Hubbard Hill Retirement Community in Elkhart, Indiana is paying less nurse overtime and improving communication among nurses and doctors thanks to iPads and a new program developed by a nearby startup called Carex Technologies.
Predictions on the future of medicine
For just a second, let’s stop thinking about the future of medicine in terms of post-healthcare reform and post-2012 election. Let’s think like emerging technology strategist Michell Zappa did when he put together a graphic based on what major technologies he sees — by “looking at emerging trends and research” — becoming mainstream in the next 25 to 30 years.
Six reasons why the future of telemedicine looks positive
“It’s about what you do with technology,” much of which has existed for years, American Telemedicine Association CEO Jon Linkous said at the Health Policy Institute of Ohio’s telehealth event last week.
Could a video game boost communication, decision-making skills in kids with autism?
That gray feline avatar — that’s Shadow Cat. He’s a virtual comic book character that an early-stage Cleveland startup is turning into a tool to improve cognitive training, performance data collection and research for autism spectrum disorders. Tamar Medina and a pair of co-founders started J-LYNN Entertainment in 2011 to commercialize what they call video game comic books.
Betting on an Alzheimer's drug during patent cliff
In the world of the pharma patent cliff, Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY) stands in a particularly vulnerable spot. As the drugmaker awaits clinical trial results from a late-stage Alzheimer’s candidate, company leaders are faced with reports of decreasing revenue and more patent expirations. They are crossing their fingers that solanezumab, which most analysts lack confidence in, meets its benchmarks. Meanwhile, a competitor’s Alzheimer’s candidate is at the same point in the clinical trial process.
Videos connect patients on chronic disease social network
Through social media and a crop of patient community websites that have sprung up (think PatientsLikeMe, MyBCTeam and Pulse of the Patient), any new player in the healthcare social networking space needs something solid to set it apart. A startup formed this year thinks it’s doing that by hinging on the storytelling power of videos to help people connect. “We’re bringing people with chronic diseases together,” said healtheo360 Chairman David Duplay.
Cleveland Clinic research spurs a device that could predict arrhythmia after cardiac surgery
The latest startup commercializing intellectual property developed by heart doctors at the Cleveland Clinic is hoping to give doctors a way to tell which patients might develop arrhythmia after cardiac surgery. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common complications of coronary and valve surgeries. While there are a variety of drugs used to treat it, in some cases it’s been associated with heart failure, increased risk of stroke and longer hospital stays.
No shying away from early-stage deals here. Third Rock Ventures raises $516M for startups
While many healthcare venture capital firms continue to ease away from early-stage deals, Third Rock Ventures has just restocked with $516 million to continue backing them. With its third fund, the Boston and San Francisco-based venture firm says it will launch, build and support up to 16 healthcare companies. Its investment strategy hinges on backing companies at their formative stages or working with entrepreneurs, academics and scientists to create new companies based on their solutions.
What’s growing faster than digital health investing? Digital health exits.
To hear market research firm CB Insights tell it, the past four quarters have seen nearly a 50 percent growth year-over-year in digital health exits via acquisition or IPO. To be clear, we’re still talking about a pretty small number of deals. But the 55 digital health exits counted over the last year are likely a welcome stat for healthcare investors, who with a few exceptions have largely been dabbling in the nascent space.
How texts are letting patients skip the waiting room for their doctor and urgent care visits
There are few worse places to wait in line than in a doctor’s office or urgent care clinic, surrounded by coughers and sneezers and nose-blowers. That’s why QLess, a tech company that works with service providers to manage their waiting lines virtually, is ramping up its efforts in the healthcare industry. Since the average patient waits about 20 minutes in a doctor’s office waiting room, it seems like a likely fit. Providers run QLess on a computer or kiosk set up in the waiting room.
Advice for young entrepreneurs from a student-biotech founder
Last summer, when regenerative medicine company Stem Cell Theranostics went through the StartX accelerator program at Stanford University along with one other biotech company, the team members realized that many aspects of their experiences were much different than those of the other companies. For example, they weren’t moving as quickly as the other companies, and they faced regulatory hurdles that the others didn’t have to deal with.
EMRs add-ons, physician workflow
There’s no shortage of primary physicians, but rather a shortage of primary physicians who are able to use their time efficiently in today’s healthcare environment. That’s why the industry is moving away from the first version of the EMR, according to Dr. Lyle Berkowitz, the associate chief medical officer of innovation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Medical Director of IT & Innovation at for Northwest Memorial Physicians Group in Chicago.
Ones to watch: 6 thriving healthcare companies on the Inc. 5000 list
A quick look through the health portion of this year’s Inc. 5000 list reinforces what we already know: the health IT market is booming. More than a quarter of the 41 health-related companies that landed in the top 500 were directly tied to IT, providing either products, services or consulting. Each year, Inc. Magazine solicits applications from fast-growing independent, privately owned small businesses. It ranks the top 5,000 based on reported revenue growth over the previous three years.
How not to respond to negative feedback on Facebook, Twitter
It’s a tricky spot to be in, as Progressive demonstrated last week with its auto-tweet flub. Companies want to keep up to speed and engage customers through social media, but that means opening up the lines of communication to potential negative feedback and complaints. And when the product or service they represent is sensitive or personal, it can get complicated. Healthcare marketers know this all too well.
Nurses can see why patients are calling with this digital bedside communication system
Traditionally, when a patient uses the nurse call button in a hospital room, the nurse would come to the room, find out what the patient needs, leave the room to retrieve medicine or find the correct staff member help, etc., and then come back. A digital health startup called Starling Health, which will present at Health2.0 on Wednesday as a Top 10 DC to VC finalist, wants to make that process more efficient.
2012 health innovation summit
First-time entrepreneurs Jackson Wilkinson and Keith Muth have just beta-launched a website they think will help parents save money on trips to the doctor by creating a secure network for reliable, up-to-date and best parenting advice.
Basketball or biomedicine? Purdue, IU and Notre Dame do both
What do Purdue University, Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame have in common — besides that they’re Indiana teams playing the 2012 NCAA tournament? They’re all great schools for medical innovation and have produced noteworthy discoveries the led to successful licensing agreements and life science startup companies.
Live coverage of CES 2012 Digital Health Summit
But over the next four days, Sin City will transform into one of the most exciting places for digital health and wellness innovation as entrepreneurs and enthusiasts flock to the two-day Digital Health Summit at the Consumer Electronics Show to get a taste of what’s coming in 2012. MedCity News is one of those enthusiasts.
9 Facebook post ideas for hospitals using social media
If you’re a hospital on Facebook, hopefully you’ve realized by now that the social networking site isn’t just a marketing tool. A page that’s consistently updated with a fresh variety of content, photos and video can attract followers and become a way to not only bolster the hospital’s reputation but also to share interesting information and engage patients in meaningful conversation.
Who are the top-earning R&D executives in biotech?
As biotech R&D spending grows, and a steady stream of biotech products continues to win regulatory approval, R&D executives at the companies commercializing these drugs have been rising accordingly. In a new analysis published in Nature Biotechnology, senior editor Michael Francisco looks at the salaries of the top-paid biotech R&D officers, as reported in the 2013 BioWorld Executive Compensation Report.
Gluten free Groupon is the approach of new company
A Minnesota entrepreneur is taking the the deep-discount group-purchasing business into consumer health in what he describes as the “gluten-free Groupon.” When J Scott Pitonyak was diagnosed with celiac disease two years ago, he took up a gluten-free diet, which is the only known treatment for the disease. But he was alarmed by how expensive it was to eat out and buy specialty foods.
How to participate in a healthcare tweet chat
Did anyone tune into the discussion about mobile health on the #HITsm chat this week, or any of the other healthcare tweet chats we told you about last week? The moderators of two of those chats — Phil Baumann of #MDchat (who also moderates #RNchat) and Eileen O’Brien, moderator of the #SocPharm chat and director of search and innovation at Siren Interactive — recently took some time to talk with MedCity News about the process of running and participating in a tweet chat.
7 basic steps for healthcare social media
Ideally, every health organization that’s on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube would have a comprehensive social media strategy that aligns with its strategic plan. Realistically, limited time and money often stand in the way of that. That’s why Vancouver, Canada-based communications and design firm Signals developed this “cheat sheet” to help healthcare organizations develop a framework for their social media activity.
6 areas for innovation in the diagnostics market
Roche is definitely on to something. The world’s largest maker of cancer drugs recently said that 60 percent of the drugs in its pipeline are coupled with companion diagnostics to make treatment more effective. As the healthcare industry pushes to make personalized medicine mainstream, diagnostics have become an even more important piece of the overall health puzzle.
Mayo Clinic Lee Aase
Attendance at this year’s Health Care Social Media Summit, which kicked off Monday and continues through Wednesday at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has more than doubled from last year. And many of the summit’s 375 attendees have been keeping the Twitter stream #mayoregan flowing with something like 100 tweets an hour today.
#healthIT, #hitsm, #EMR
With hashtags like #healthIT, #HITsm, #HIMSS, #EMR and #EHR, the health technology community is very much alive and well on Twitter. In fact, the health IT community already has its own list of its top 100 Twitter users. But if your Twitter feed is already hard to keep up with, here are 10 users that we find particularly worthy of a follow. These tweeters are using social media effectively to share health IT news and resources, offer their opinions and engage in conversations with others.
New diagnostics firm asks: Can genes give clues about who's at risk for antidepressant-related suicide and violence?
In the 25 years since Prozac hit the market, the drug class known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors has accumulated millions of users (1 in 10 Americans over the age of 12 takes an antidepressant, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and generated just as much controversy.
5 digital consumer health and wellness companies to watch
Take growing adoption of smartphones and tablets, add anxiety about regulation in healthcare and an empowered patient population, and you get an explosion of consumer-focused digital health ventures. That’s where we’re at now, thanks to investors who have reached into their pocketbooks to fund a pool of emerging digital health companies. Granted, there’s a lot of noise in this market, especially among mobile health apps, and there are a few challenging barriers to adoption.
5 innovations to prevent hospital infections like Staph, MRSA
We know that hospital-acquired infections and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing problem within healthcare facilities. And with reform measures cutting reimbursement for high rates of infection and readmissions (PDF), they’re now even more of a problem for hospitals. Rather than battling to create new drugs for these bacteria, some healthcare companies are operating by the old adage that prevention is key and are attempting to prevent infections in the first place.
Rehab glove targets post-stroke hand impairment
Recovering stroke patients may soon have a new device to help them work on regaining control of their hands without help from a physical therapist. It’s a medical device in the form of a glove, and the company making it wants to actively engage the brains of these patients to help reestablish the neural connections between the brain and muscles in the hand.
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