Lauren Berger and Marla Felton, co‑founders of REAL Cookies, discussed their merger with Creations Foods on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily on April 17, 2026[1].
The partnership matters because it seeks to create a vertically integrated leader in the fast‑growing better‑for‑you snack segment, giving the combined company control over ingredients, production, and distribution.
The merger announcement was issued from Fernald, Washington, where Creations Foods is headquartered. Both companies said the deal will streamline supply chains, lower costs, and speed the launch of new health‑focused products. "The merger aims to create a vertically integrated leader in better‑for‑you snacking," the press release said.
Berger said the partnership will accelerate product innovation and distribution. Felton said consumers are demanding healthier options, and the combined company will meet that demand. The founders said their shared commitment to clean‑label ingredients will drive the next wave of snack development.
Industry analysts said that the healthy‑snack market has attracted significant investment in recent years, and a unified brand could capture a larger share of retail shelves. – By consolidating manufacturing and branding, REAL Cookies and Creations Foods hope to outpace rivals that rely on fragmented supply chains.
A minor discrepancy appeared in early coverage: some summaries listed the interview topic as the "future of Healthy Snaking," while the video title and the founders themselves used "snacking." The correct term, as confirmed by the Bloomberg video, is "snacking."
“The merger aims to create a vertically integrated leader in better‑for‑you snacking.”
The deal positions the new entity to dominate a segment where consumer preference is shifting toward nutritious, convenient snacks. By uniting brand strength with supply‑chain control, the merged company can respond faster to trends, potentially reshaping market dynamics and prompting competitors to pursue similar consolidations.
