Food Industry News, Insights, and Education for the CPG Community

Green Circle Capital Partners announced yesterday it has raised $13 million for its first fund in a new venture capital division, Green Circle Foodtech Ventures (GCFV), with an anchor investment from Hormel Foods’ VC arm 199 Ventures.

After receiving Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status earlier this month, Massachusetts-based food technology company Motif FoodWorks announced last week that its patented heme protein HEMAMI has launched for large-scale commercial distribution.

Alt-meat producer Global Village Fruit, producer of the Jack & Annie’s brand, formally announced today a $23 million funding round that closed this summer.

Maxine Kozler Koven, co-founder of LDR Ventures & Consulting, discussed the venture capital firm’s investment philosophy and portfolio, which includes stakes in Sweetgreen, Thrive Market and Shaka Tea, the importance of nurturing the development of early-stage founders, the relevance of innovation when evaluating new concepts and the historical lack of funding for female-led companies.

Like the viral speed of the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, TikTok is becoming one of the fastest-growing social commerce channels worldwide and is helping brands reach hundreds, even thousands, of new consumers via videos of skin care or vegan ice cream – if they can market themselves right.

Hain Celestial will acquire better-for-you food incubator That’s How We Roll, the owner of Proven Brands, Inc. and KTB Foods, Inc., from private equity firm Clearlake Capital Group in a $259 million deal, Clearlake announced today.

Alt-dairy ingredient provider Perfect Day has reached an agreement to acquire ice cream brand Coolhaus from investment group Sunrise Strategic Partners for an undisclosed fee, the company announced today.

In this week’s checkout: Capital City brings its Sweet Hot Mambo Sauce to KFC, The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance launch U.S. Identity Preserved Certification, Kraft Heinz to combine U.S. and Canada Businesses and Forever Cheese brings on specialty food veteran Tyler Hawes.

With everything from an angry and animated tortoise to a TikTok Tastemonial challenge, these latest activations have embraced a variety of brand building tactics including user-generated content and a unique group of brand ambassadors.

Food tech ingredient platform The EVERY Company, formerly Santa Clara Foods, announced this week it has closed a $175 million Series C capital round co-led by McWin and existing investor, Rage Capital. Temasek, Grosvenor’s Wheatsheaf Group, TO Ventures and Prosus Ventures also participated.

Over the course of the pandemic retailers and food delivery services continuously invested in delivery platform innovations, creating an expedited process of grocery shopping with virtually no contact. However, as lockdowns begin to lift, innovation hasn’t slowed and consumers have now become accustomed to this efficiency, prompting retailers to find creative ways to bring the store to them, almost instantly.

Non-dairy ice cream brand NadaMoo! announced today it had raised roughly $10 million in funding aimed at helping the sixteen year-old company expand its distribution.

Superfood snack maker LiveKuna announced today it closed a Series A funding round led by global bakery company Grupo Bimbo with participation from SOSV and AMADEO. LiveKuna said it will use the funds to support distribution expansion throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico and to continue growing its team across North America.

Natural food companies convened for day two of NOSH Live Winter 2021 today in Santa Monica to discuss how brands can position themselves for success with regards to the current state of the industry including continued supply chain constraints, shifting consumer interests and a dynamic landscape for brand building.