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Jimmy Fallon has done plenty of commercials and branded segments on his late-night show. Last year, he partnered with Beats by Dre for a signature set of headphones and put them head-to-head against Kim Kardashians design. Now, The Tonight Show host is taking his business interests to a new level by becoming a brand partner and investor in tortilla chips and salsa brand Xochitl. His first challenge is pretty basic: teach people how to pronounce the brand name. (Its so-cheel.) Its like so-chill. Or so-cheel media. So-cheel network. So-cheel distortion, says Fallon. It gets easier the more you practice it. So that’s my first job. And then once I get that out there, they’ll probably give me other assignments. [Photo: Xochitl] Xochitl is Americas largest independent tortilla chip brand, but it is still far lesser known than your grocery store staples on the tortilla chip shelf, and lacks full national distribution. Its looking to Fallon for a mainstream boost. Founded in 1995, the Irving, Texas-based brand is aiming to take a bigger bite out of the $11 billion North American tortilla chip market. It’s a growing category, with Frito-Lay’s Tostitos brand dominating, and Utz’s On the Border also a major player. Last May, private equity firm Forward Consumer Partners took a 50% stake in Xochitl. Chairman Matt Leeds says the goal here is to drive brand awareness and grow distribution. Who better to do that than a guy with 32.4 million YouTube subscribers and 27.4 million Instagram followers? We believe that his involvement will create a lot of excitement, which can open distribution opportunities and retail partnerships, Leeds says. As a brand looking to emphasize warmth, authenticity, and shared experiences, Jimmys funny, approachable, and family-friendly persona aligns well with us and our brand strategy. Now just say the name. [Photo: Xochitl] Right chip, right time At times it can seem like you cant swing an empty booze bottle without hitting a celebrity tequila or whiskey. And yes, even beer. Fallon says hes been offered similar opportunities in the past, but none really fit. I’ve been offered my own whiskey, my own tequila, and all that stuff, and I just don’t want to be out there boozing it up at the golf course, selling bottles of stuff, Fallon says. What am I doing? I didn’t know anything about that. But this? Tortilla chips, I can get behind. It’s on brand for me, and I have no problem selling this and standing behind it. For Xochitl, the strategy is as simple as it gets: Ask a very famous guy who seems fun to not only promote but be involved in the brand. The partnership with Jimmy grew out of a simple insight: Xochitl is hard to pronounce but easy to love, Leeds says. We started with a blank sheet of paper, and Jimmy was literally our first and best idea for someone who could help teach people the Xochitl name in a way that’s fun, unique, and memorable. Leeds called. Fallon answered. And just so happened to have been eating Xochitl chips that weekend. He called me up, and I said, Wait, I actually know what youre talking about! Fallon says. I had no clue how it’s pronounced, though. He gave me this kind of rundown of where the business is, and I thought this sounded like a fun opportunity. I love business stories, I love marketing stuff, and Id love to help see something grow and become giant. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. [Photo: Xochitl] Marching orders For Fallon, this is a unique opportunity to work with a brand that has very clear and ambitious objectives in mind. This has the chance and opportunity to really grow, Fallon says. When a brand is already massive, then Im just doing a commercial or something. Its a paid gig. It’s all good. You do the commercial, and you hope it’s funny. But with this? I’m a partner and an investor, so if it works out, I might actually see some dividends. Ive got some skin in the game. Before announcing the Fallon partnership, Xochitl had fewer than 5,000 Instagram followers. So theres plenty of room to grow. Fallon is a self-described ad nerd and just wrapped production on a new advertising-based reality show for NBC that’s set to launch later this year. Now its just a matter of taking everything hes ever learned about advertising and marketing, and putting it to work. They’re in select stores and some participating Walmarts, but theyre not in Whole Foods or Target, Fallon sys. Thats the challenge. I know my marching orders, and I want to see if I can get them there. I want to see if I can get them in every store in the country. Itll be fun. This week, Xochitl is dropping its first-ever flavor collaboration with McCormick & Companys Cholula hot sauce brand, exclusively at more than 2,000 Walmart stores, and it will roll out on Amazon and at grocers nationwide in the coming months. Between Late Night and The Tonight Show, Fallon has spent the last 16 years helping his celebrity guests plug their latest movies, TV, music, and more. Now hes excited to really be selling his own brand. One of my jobs at The Tonight Show is to always be selling everyone else’s stuff, which is great. I love it. It’s my favorite job, he says. So now I’m, like, Why not do it for myself? One more time, it’s so-cheel.
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E-Commerce
Florida is poised to become the second state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, over the concerns of dentists and public health advocates who say the mineral is a safe, effective way to protect people of all ages from developing cavities. Florida lawmakers gave final approval to the bill Tuesday after Utah became the first state to pass a ban last month. The Republican-led states are following a push led by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is setting the gears of government in motion to stop fluoridating water. The Florida measure now goes to the desk of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose administration has advocated against the fluoridation of community water systems, arguing high levels could pose a risk to childrens intellectual development. Fluoride strengthens teeth by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water is considered among the greatest public health achievements of the last century. As dentists, we see the direct consequences fluoride removal has on our patients and its a real tragedy when policymakers decisions hurt vulnerable kids and adults in the long term, Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association, said in a statement earlier this month. Blindly calling for a ban on fluoridated water hurts people, costs money, and will ultimately harm our economy. While Florida’s bill doesn’t specifically reference fluoride, it will require the mineral and some other additives be removed from water sources across the state, said bill sponsor Republican state Rep. Kaylee Tuck. Anything that relates to water quality, removing contaminants, things like that, we’re not touching that,” Tuck said. “It’s anything that has to do with health. So fluoride, vitamins, whatever else it is. Some local officials in Florida have already voted to remove the mineral from their community water systems, ahead of state lawmakers’ push to ban fluoride. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Tuesday she is deeply disappointed by the passage of the bill, adding that it disregards the overwhelming consensus of dentists, doctors and medical experts and will end a practice that has been in place for decades to protect our health. Levine Cava said that ending fluoridation, which is a safe and cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay, will have long-lasting health consequences, especially for our most vulnerable families. The mayor said the decision should be left to local communities. About one-third of community water systems, serving more than 60% of the U.S. population, fluoridated their water, according to a 2022 analysis by the CDC. Kate Payne, Associated Press/Report for America Associated Press writer Freida Frisaro contributed to this report.
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E-Commerce
Weve had many, many threats against our nation, President Trump said in the Oval Office in November 2018, as he announced the creation of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Now were putting people that are the best in the world in charge, he said, and I think were going to have a whole different ball game. Eight years later, his second administration is ripping up parts of the countrys cyber playbook and taking many of its best players off the field, from threat hunters and election defenders at CISA to the leader of the NSA and Cyber Command. Amid a barrage of severe attacks like Volt Typhoon and rising trade tensions, lawmakers, former officials, and cyber professionals say that sweeping and confusing cuts are making the country more vulnerable and emboldening its adversaries. There are intrusions happening now that we either will never know about or won’t see for years because our adversaries are undoubtedly stepping up their activity, and we have a shrinking, distracted workforce, says Jeff Greene, a cybersecurity expert who has held top roles at CISA and the White House. The dismissals and budget cuts have eliminated hundreds of workers and jeopardized dozens of initiatives that help protect machines, networks, and individuals across the U.S. Most of the cuts are at CISA, which sits under the Department of Homeland Security and partners with the public and private sectors to defend grids, banks, networks, and other critical industries. Its also responsible for protecting elections from hackers and foreign influence campaigns, efforts the President and Republicans have long accused of political censorship. Around 400 positions at the Dept. of Homeland Security have been cut so far, and in total, 1,300 jobs could be cut at CISA, or over a third of the agency’s workforce. Some of the earliest cuts hit contractors and probationary employees at CISA, eliminating an elite slate of experts recently hired through a new program geared toward attracting more talent from the private sector. (After a judge ordered the probationary workers to be rehired, the agency immediately placed them on administrative leave.) They got rid of some of our best cyber talent, says another veteran federal cyber official, speaking anonymously to avoid retribution. It’s fucking ridiculous. Many anticipated CISA would face heavy scrutiny under Trump 2.0, especially for its election security work. During her confirmation hearing, DHS chief Kristi Noem said the agency had gone off-mission with its work on elections and disinformation, and that she intends to make CISA smaller and more nimble. (Project 2025 called for closing the agency and moving what remains to the Dept. of Transportation.) But the cuts at CISA have extended to programs beyond election integrity, impacting much of what sits outside of the agency’s most basic mission of protecting .gov networks. More broadly, the cuts align with a February executive order that seeks to delegate the bulk of responsibility for disaster preparedness and response, “including cyber attacks, wildfires, hurricanes, and space weather,” to state and local governments. At the same time, the cuts are targeting programs that help cash-strapped states, small businesses and infrastructure operators defend their growing networks. The White House has cut resources around a key cybersecurity grant program that states have been clamoring for, and curtailed support for threat-advisory groups that assist states with network vulnerabilities, critical infrastructure, and election security. State and local cyber officials are worried the cuts will impact their ongoing efforts to fend off cyberattacks. According to a report published Tuesday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, some government agencies say they will be unable to sustain their cybersecurity initiatives without the federal funding, which is up for reauthorization by Congress this year. While I can understand [shifting more responsibility to states] in theory, it is a little concerning because we don’t really know what the plan is, says Alex Whitaker, director of government affairs for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. “States and localities are already on the front lines, and these are services they rely on.” Also shut down are CISAs advisory boards focused on safety, AI, and telecommunications, which were conducting investigations into the China-linked hacking group Salt Typhoon and other ongoing threats. These were abruptly disbanded as part of an effort ensuring that DHS activities prioritize our national security, as an administrator wrote in an internal memo. Last week, two senior CISA officials who were leading its Secure by Design effortaimed at making security core to the way our software is builtleft the agency, adding to a number of other departures, and putting the initiative in jeopardy. “We’re undoing a lot of really good work that frankly was started under Trump 1, says a former federal cyber official. Enter revenge politics Amid the wave of efficiency-related cuts to cybersecurity, other decisions have cast a partisan shadow over a set of threats that are stubbornly indifferent to politics. In an April 9 memo, Trump called for an investigation into CISAs founding director, Chris Krebs, who earned the presidents ire in 2020 when he declared that the election was secure. The memo also demanded a comprehensive evaluation of all of CISAs activities over the last 6 years. On Monday, a public statement signed by hundreds of prominent cybersecurity professionals and academics condemned what they described as political retaliation. Chris did the best he could in a difficult time, and he deserves our thanks not our anger, says Greene. Right now, to see what’s happening to the cybersecurity community inside the federal government, we should be outraged, Krebs, a lifelong Republican, said at the RSA Conference this week. Absolutely outraged. Earlier in the month, Trump shocked the national security world when he abruptly fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, director of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command, and reassigned his deputy, without explanation. Some experts speculated the move could be part of a larger plan to split the leadership of NSA and Cyber Command, which are responsible for intelligence and military missions respectively. The right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, who visited the White House the day before, said the dismissals were related to questions about loyalty. Russia and China are laughing at us because we just fired the absolute best leaders, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Nebraska, a member of the Armed Services Committee, told Face the Nation. The firing of Gen. Haughan experienced four-star general with decades of experience in cyberspacereally caught me off-guard, one former CISA official says. Those things have a morale impact thats really hard to quantify. CISA, too, lacks a permanent leader. This month Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore, announced he was blocking the confirmation of Trumps nominee to lead the agency, Sean Plankey, a veteran of the Pentagon and DHS, over CISAs years-long refusal to release information regarding a vulnerability in global telecom networks. In a statement, Wyden, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, blamed the White House for weakening CISA and the countrys defenses. Trump is kneecapping our countrys ability to defend itself against cyberattacks by disarming our countrys cybersecurity defenses and purging experienced professionals, he said. From firing General Haugh, disbanding the Cyber Safety Review Board and preparing to slash the cybersecurity workforce at CISA, Trump is rolling out a digital red carpet to hackers from China and other adversary nations,” he added. Some of the cyber decisions may reflect a push by Trump White House cyber officials toward a more offensive, deterrent posture. But former officials have worried the strategy could come at the expense of defense, and that its emphasis appears to be focused more heavily on China than on Russia. One signal came in early March, when the Defense Secretary ordered Gen. Haugh at Cyber Command to temporarily pause offensive operations against Russia, amid negotiations with the Kremlin over Ukraine, as The Record and other outlets reported. Some experts at CISA were also directed to focus on adversaries other than Russia, sources told the Washington Post. The Pentagon later denied it had halted its cyber operations, according to Bloomberg, but the reports still chilled security experts, who say Russia remains a major cyberthreat to the U.S. “If we’re dialing it back on hacking Russia, I think we have a high likelihood of seeing ransomware incidents go up against American companies and everybody else, says one former White House cyber official. In response to questions about specific cuts and the country’s cyber posture, a CISA spokesperson says in an email that the agency was designed to work across public and private sectors to improve the nations cybersecurity, which demands more agility, flexibility, and innovation than traditional government organizations have allowed. CISA continuously evaluates how we work with partners and takes decisive action to maximize impact while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars and aligning with Administration priorities and our authorities, they added. One Trump White House official, U.S. chief information officer Greg Barbaccia, struck a rare note of caution last month, when he urged federal agencies to refrain from laying off cybersecurity teams as they raced to complete mass layoffs. We believe cybersecurity is national security and we encourage Department-level Chief Information Officers to consider this when reviewing their organizations, he wrote in an email to IT employees across the federal government. Even CISAs defenders acknowledge bureaucratic inefficiencies that hamper cyber defense. But they say Trumps cuts are reckless and tainted by politics. Apart from upsetting cyber readiness, the upheaval and anxiety inside CISA could make it harder for the government to attract and retain top cyber talent, especially amid a severe talent shortage. It’s not good for bringing the best and the brightest into government, if you’re creating this environment of fear, says the former White House official. People that we know will only respond to us on personal Signal, and they won’t even talk to anybody outside of government, because they’re so terrified of what the Trump people are doing, they added. The administrations handling of sensitive data has raised a separate set of cyber alarms. Even before Signalgate and a slew of personal phones exposed military plans, the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) handling of government data, including on millions of Americans, prompted a slew of lawsuits. Meanwhile, one of two DOGE employees detailed to CISA is Edward Coristine, a college student who has been linked with a cybercrime gang and was suspected by an employer, cybersecurity firm Path Network, of leaking proprietary information to a competitor. Coristine did not respond to a request for comment. ‘Very concerning’ at the local level For years, CISA has offered free services and consultations to states and municipalities that struggle to hire their own IT and cyber experts. State and local governments, K-12 schools, and critical infrastructure facilities are often short on resources and have limited tolerance for downtime, making them a top target for cyberattackers. fficials from every party have also expressed gratitude for CISAs help protecting elections, adopted the agencys recommendations, and sought out its services. “Your IT person is a city council member; he or she is mowing the lawn and they’re also doing all the IT stuff, says Whitaker. There’s never enough resources.” But soon, layoffs are expected to decimate the units at CISA primarily responsible for much of this work. Cuts are expected at the Integrated Operations Division, which coordinates CISA operations at the regional level and helps respond to incidents that impact critical infrastructure, and at the Stakeholder Engagement Division, which helps coordinate national and global information sharing and helps local governments, companies, and other organizations protect critical infrastructure. The National Risk Management Center (NRMC), which coordinates risk analysis for cyber and critical infrastructure, is also expected to see significant cuts. In March the administration also eliminated an inter-state threat-advisory organization focused on election threats, and placed on leave dozens of personnel who work on combating foreign election disinformation. At the FBI, Attorney General Pam Bondi also dissolved a task force focused on foreign influence around U.S. elections. And the State Department has put dozens of employees who tracked global disinformation on leave, closing the operation that had publicized the spread of Chinese and Russian propaganda. Cuts have also impacted a separate threat sharing program, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). Some of its work will continue, including support for an intrusion detection system geared toward government networks. But other services have been decimated, including stakeholder engagement, cyber threat intelligence, and cyber incident response. Cuts to the MS-ISAC are “very concerning,” Whitaker says. MS-ISAC is considered “one of the best tools that states have to figure out where the threats are coming from.” The New York-based nonprofit that runs the program has said it will continue its efforts with more limited funding in the short-term. The group recently issued two advisories about vulnerabilities and patches, which was the first time it had done so in more than a month. States also stand to lose millions in vital cyber funds. In 2021, Congress created a four-year, $1 billion cybersecurity grant program for state and local governments. Since then, every state but one has taken advantage of the funds to back initiatives like deploying intrusion-monitoring software, securing websites, and teaching cyber hygiene, with states required to direct at least 80% of their grant awards to cash-strapped local governments. In Connecticut in 2022, more than 100 communities requested a combined $12 million, far more than the states $2.7 million allotment from Washington, its CIO told the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection at a March hearing. The federal funding is not big,” says Whitaker, “but its essential.” The grant program expires next September, however, leaving its fate in the hands of a GOP-controlled Congress, and DHS chief Kristi Noem, whose state was the only one in the country not to take the federal cyber funds. And the funding is already in jeopardy. The White House recently cut staff at CISA and FEMA who manage the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, and an Office of Management and Budget memo that went into effect in January directs federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to obligations or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, including dozens of cybersecurity-specific federal grant programs and other federal grants that can help bolster cyber defenses. A federal judge temporarily halted the order the same day. The prospect of state governments shouldering more responsibility for cybersecurity has rattled some state officials, who operate on often razor-thin budgets, and are already eyeing cuts to technical and fiscal support. States have tools, but states need the federal government to lead on coordination, unification and major incident response, adds Colin Ahern, the chief cyber officer for New York State. We think that one of the things that only the feds can really do is this information sharing and operational collaboration. A retreat by Washington is also prompting companies to reevaluate their own defenses, according to Danny Rogers, CEO of iVerify, which partnered with CISA last year on a security toolkit for communities at higher risk of cyberattack. The cuts, he said, suggest that you’re really not going to be able to rely on the government to have your back anymore.” The effects wont be immediately evident. “Its a boil the frog thing, he added, where we’re going to wake up one day and realize there’s a lot more catastrophe and a lot less capacity to deal with it.” To discuss this or share more information, you reach me securely on Signal at alex.265 or at apasternack@fastcompany.com.
Category:
E-Commerce
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