Investment

Price-pack architecture, AI and continuous portfolio renovation were key themes during General Mills’ Investor Day Tuesday as it asserted its ability to meet changing consumer demands and produce “industry leading levels of margin management cost savings.”

As early-stage deal flow moderates and mid-sized rounds gain share, the quarter signals a market that is stabilizing at a more sustainable pace – one defined by disciplined capital allocation, selective growth, and investor confidence in category leaders.

Tender Food is rebranding and expanding into additional categories following a new $6.5 million funding round. Under its new name Lasso, the Boston-based startup will commercialize its patented food processing technology for applications in high-protein snacks and pet food.

Since its springtime debut, Smash Kitchen has expanded nationwide into Walmart, Sprouts Farmers Market and Erewhon and launched over a dozen items ranging from organic ketchup to pure avocado oil.

This week on the podcast, Nosh managing editor Monica Watrous and senior reporter Lukas Southard dig into Walmart’s decision to remove synthetic dyes from its store-branded products. The team goes on to discuss how certain brands are repositioning in the plant-based cheese category, the abrupt closure of Nor-Cal Beverage and the data behind the high-protein craze.

DDC Enterprise Limited, which does business as DayDayCook, has raised a whopping $124 million in equity financing – but it doesn’t seem likely that much, if any, of it will be put into the Hong Kong-based company’s recent CPG acquisitions.

A2 dairy-based brand Alec’s Ice Cream has raised an $11 million Series A round to support farmers building regenerative supply chains and accelerate growth.

West Coast seafood industry group Positively Groundfish has launched an accelerator to help rebuild a market for the fishery’s species.

The CPG space is tough, and plenty of businesses are working to ensure they have plenty of cash on hand amid the ever-changing tariff situation, tight investment environment and whatever else is still to come. Some are bridging those gaps with lines of credit.

Alternative dairy ingredient provider Climax Foods has rebranded as Bettani Farms amid new leadership and a $6.5 million investment.