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
Patagonia Provisions Acquires Moonshot Snacks
Climate neutral cracker brand Moonshot Snacks has been acquired by Patagonia Provisions, the food and beverage division of outdoor-centric brand Patagonia. The news marks Patagonia’s first acquisition in over twenty years.
Immi CEO: $10M Funding to Drive Expansion as Brand Moves Past ‘Zero to One Phase’
Last week, plant-based ramen startup immi announced it raised $10 million in a Series A round led by Touch Capital and featuring a slate of celebrity investors such as tennis pro Naomi Osaka and R&B singer Usher. Now, the company is looking to quadruple its retail footprint this year and bring manufacturing up to pace as demand rises.
Plant Protein Maker Merit Functional Foods Announces Receivership
Canadian pea and canola plant protein maker Merit Functional Foods has been placed in receivership with creditors filing court order Wednesday.
Going With Their Gut: BelliWelli Raises $15.4M
Gut health-focused snack bar brand BelliWelli announced this week it raised $15.4 million in a funding round that closed in January, led by New York-based private equity firm The Invus Group.
Eat Just: Layoffs Hit 18% Of Staff As It Aims For Vegan Egg Product Profitability
Plant-based food company Eat Just recently laid off about 40 of its over 300 employees, totaling 18% of its JUST Egg division. The California-based company’s cultured protein business, GOOD Meat, was not impacted.
XCJ Rebrands as MiLa, Prepares Retail Rollout
After bringing in $31 million in financing over the past year, Chinese food brand Xiao Chi Jie (XCJ) is preparing for its retail debut, beginning with a new name: MiLa.
Soylent CEO: Acquisition is ‘The Next Step in Our Evolution’
When plant-based nutrition brand Soylent began in 2013, it adopted a tech-influenced approach, dubbing its products Soylent 1.1, Soylent 2.0, and so on. Now, after its acquisition by CPG portfolio company Starco Brands earlier this week, the food and beverage maker is in stable release.
An Alt-Seafood ‘Unicorn’? Why Everyone’s Talking About Konjac
Glancing at the ingredient deck for plant-based proteins, you’re likely to find some familiar names, but there’s another ingredient that might soon be universal: konjac. The ancient root veggie found its way into alt-seafood despite not offering any protein content itself.
Soylent Acquired by Starco Brands
Publicly traded consumer products company Starco Brands, Inc. has acquired plant-based food and beverage maker Soylent, completing the brand’s evolution from red hot food-tech startup to cross-category CPG platform.
Miyoko Leaves Miyoko’s Creamery
Vegan dairy brand Miyoko’s Creamery has seen its namesake, founder and CEO Miyoko Schinner, formally depart the company, according to an announcement from the brand today.