Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI) announced the launch of the IRI CPG Inflation Tracker on its free, online COVID-19 Data Dashboard. The new tool provides a standard metric for tracking weekly price-per-unit changes for consumer packaged goods compared with the year-ago period across departments, including fixed and random weight products, grocery aisles and retail formats.

For the United States, sales trends remain slightly elevated as total store sales are up 4.1 percent, according to IRI data. Total non-edible sale are relatively flat (up 0.8 percent), while total edible sales are up 5.1 percent.

Kombucha Brewers International (KBI), Los Angeles, has rallied the industry for a giveback program to help healthcare workers and food banks throughout the United States. The Kombucha Heal-In is a week-long initiative from May 5-11, with the goal of providing 100,000 bottles of kombucha to those on the frontlines as a way to protect and provide resilience for these most vulnerable populations, it says.

Modesto, Calif.-based E. & J. Gallo's High Noon Hard Seltzer announced the addition of two new flavors to their portfolio: Lime and Peach. As the brand prepares for summer, High Noon also announced a media partnership with Barstool Sports, a next-generation sports media company.