In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Aplós, a functional non-alcohol spirits emerging brand, announced that it raised $5.5 million in its Series A round. The company plans to use funds to expand distribution of its products in bars, restaurants and retail.
- Campbell Soup announced that it sold its Emerald nuts business to Flagstone Foods, a private label CPG manufacturer, for an undisclosed amount.
- Big Idea Ventures, a foodtech investor, announced that it completed the first close of its second alternative protein fund - New Protein Fund II - to invest in alternative protein startup companies. Big Idea Ventures plans to raise the remainder of the targeted $75 million fund in 12 months.
- BBy, a startup that condenses breast milk into powder for neonatal intensive care units, announced that it raised $3 million in its seed round.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is McCain Foods.
- McCain Foods is based in Toronto, Canada and is the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products. It also produces other quality products such as appetizers, vegetables and desserts sold in restaurants and retail stores in more than 160 countries worldwide.
- McCain Foods has a significant food production network with a total of 49 production facilities globally - Canada (7), USA (9), Latin America (4), Europe (20 - 5 of which are in the UK), South Africa (2), Australia and New Zealand (5), India (1), and China (1).
- Some of McCain’s foodservice and retail brands include the following:
- Pickers
- Brew City
- Welten Snacks
- Moore’s
- CelaVita
- Hebro
- Mora
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Powdered Breast Milk Startups Are A Thing And This One Just Grabbed $3 Million In Funding
- Chamberlain Coffee Raises Another $7 Million in Funding
- Corn Residue Will Transform into Renewable Plastic in New Industry Deal
- These 5 Chicago Tech Companies Raised the Most Funding in May
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally Boulder
The Wild Ride of 2023 in the Cannabis Industry
Wednesday, June 7, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. MDT
Location: Sterling Rice Group, 1801 13th St., Boulder, Colorado
The cannabis industry has had quite a year. From the failure of congress to pass banking reform to the FDA punting regulatory guidance on CBD to Congress, to the absolute mess of NY legalization rollout to the increasing difficulties of operating in California – we have been on one serious bucking bronco of a year. So, what does this mean for us moving forward? Naturally Boulder has brought together several experts who will unpack our current situation and help participants navigate through the obstacles and challenges in 2023.
Naturally Minnesota
Farm Tour: Doubting Thomas Farms
Friday, June 9, 9:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: Doubting Thomas Farms, 20th Street North 12506, Moorhead, Minnesota
Cost: $25 (including lunch)
Join Naturally Minnesota for a spring excursion day trip to Moorhead, MN, on June 9th for an afternoon on the farm with Noreen Thomas of Doubting Thomas Farms. Noreen has been trailblazing in organic local farming, often focusing on heritage varieties that have caught the attention of renowned chefs, including Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barn, who sources grains from her, as well as Molly Yeh of the Food Network, and additional James Beard award winning chefs.
Naturally Network
Leveraging Data for Retailer Pitches
Wednesday, June 14, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT
Join Naturally Austin, Naturally San Diego and experts from NIQ to learn about Leveraging Data for Retailer Pitches.
Naturally Los Angeles
Naturally LA's First Coffee Chat
Friday, June 16, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PT
Join us for an informal morning of all things coffee and CPG. Will Iyawe-Parsons is helping to host our first NLA Coffee Chat. Come, grab a coffee and let's have a good time with some good brew!