Earlier this month, organic kids’ food brand Once Upon a Farm started trading on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker “OFRM.” In its initial public offering, the company raised $198 million at a valuation of $724 million. Once Upon a Farm’s IPO underscores the rising demand among consumers, retailers and investors for CPG brands focused on toddlers and young children. The continued expansion of companies like Little Spoon and formula startup Bobbie further reflects this growing interest. Emerging brands in the category say this momentum is fueling their own growth, as more retailers seek out better-for-you options that parents feel comfortable serving their kids. Once Upon a Farm is partly led by celebrity mom and actress Jennifer Garner, who came on board in 2017 as co-founder and chief brand officer. The company is especially recognized for its refrigerated pouches, featuring fruit and vegetable blends such as green kale and apples or mama blueberry, designed as convenient snacks for families on the go. “We want to feed [children from] babies to big kids, as we’re helping make parents’ lives easier,” Garner told CNBC when the company went public. Other players in the kids’ food and beverage category say retailers understand they must appeal to today’s parents to remain competitive and keep their product mix relevant. Continue reading this article on modernretail.co. Sign up for Modern Retail newsletters to stay updated on the evolving dynamics between retail’s legacy giants and emerging challengers.