Investment
Dive into the latest stories, interviews, and discussions relating to investment, funding, and mergers and acquisitions throughout the natural food industry. Explore what the financial future looks like for natural food entrepreneurs in terms of capital availability, deal terms, lending, and the strategic marketplace in order to help shape your planning strategy for the short and medium term.
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Featured Investment Content
Whole Foods Evolves As Natural Merges Into Mass
Amazon is planning to absorb all 100,000 Whole Foods employees, including frontline staff, into its core business structure, per a report this week from Business Insider.
BranchOut Food Gets $2.5M To Expand Production
BranchOut Food received $2.5 million in funding through a common stock sale as it moves to expand its production facility.
Smash Foods Closes Seven-Figure Round To Fuel Further Growth
Smash Foods has closed a seven-figure funding round to expand availability of its superfood spreads and snacks, according to co-founder and chief operating officer Steve Ford. The round was led by Eclair Partners with participation from Label Capital and The Family Fund, alongside a strategic supply chain partner.
Additional Content
AWAKE Secures CAD $5M Investment and Ramps Up Distribution, Seeking to ‘Lead the Evolution of Chocolate 3.0’
On the heels of significant distribution gains in both the U.S. and Canada, caffeinated chocolate brand AWAKE has closed a CAD$5 million (approximately $3.6 million USD) follow-on funding round from Btomorrow Ventures.
Report: Funding Climbs in Q1, But Flows to Fewer Brands
Venture investment in food and beverage brands is at its highest point in two years, according to the latest Q1 2024 report from research group FABID. But that doesn’t mean the market isn’t still tight, as well.
Hain Celestial Sells Thinsters Brand to Icee Owner J&J Snack Foods
The Hain Celestial Group has sold cookie brand Thinsters to Icee and Dippin’ Dots owner J&J Snack Foods in an all-cash transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Barilla-Owned Pasta Company Tolerant Foods Closes Up Shop
Tolerant Foods, the maker of organic legume-based pasta products, announced Thursday in an Instagram post that it has closed its doors and will begin winding down the brand.
Long Table Talks Popcorn Flour Pancakes, Post-‘Shark Tank’ Growth
Pancake and waffle mix brand Long Table is using its popcorn flour innovation to educate consumers on the importance of eating regeneratively grown, heirloom whole grains.
Making Waves With Microalgae: Meet Algae Cooking Club
Algae Cooking Club launched earlier this year and immediately began to make waves in the industry and online. But, despite the rising popularity of macroalgae – a group that includes seaweed, sea moss, kelp and other ocean-hailing ingredients – in food and beverage products, Algae Cooking Club (ACC) identifies with a completely separate group.
SEMCAP Food & Nutrition Invests $68 Million In ALOHA
Growth equity firm SEMCAP Food & Nutrition has paid $68 million for a “significant” minority stake in plant-based protein brand ALOHA.
Expo West: CPGs Secure USDA Supply Chain Funds
A trade show with over 70,000 attendees naturally creates plenty of buzz, and mid-way through Natural Products Expo West, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave a handful of companies even more to be excited about.
Expo West Notebook: Tattooed Chef Emerges From Bankruptcy; TiNDLE Expands Into New Categories
This latest news roundup from Expo West 2024 highlights the reemergence of Tattooed Chef from Chapter 11, TiNDLE’s U.S. expansion into the beverage category, Dr. Praeger’s pushes crunchy innovation and the K-food craze continues.
Sunnie Lands Strategic Investment, Builds New Distribution Channels
Sunnie Snacks is two-thirds the way to closing its first institutional investment round as it builds off its new distribution partnerships and seeks to capture consumers in others parts of the store.