In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Infinite Roots, an alternative protein foodtech startup that focuses on mycelium fermentation, announced that it raised $58 million in its Series B round.
- Elo Life Systems, a foodtech company that develops a natural high-intensity sweetener, announced that it raised $20.5 million in its Series A2 round.
- Eatable Adventures, a Spanish accelerator for agri-food tech companies, announced that it closed half of its target 30 million Euros for its investment fund.
- Nasekomo, a startup that develops AI solutions for breeding and developing insect protein products, announced that it raised 8 million Euros in its Series A round.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is PINC Group.
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PINC is Paulig's (a Finland-based, family-owned food and beverage company) venture arm for early stage investments in the future of food.
- PINC's primary investment focus includes the following:
- Pre-seed & seed
- Scalable to 10-50+ MEUR within 5-10 years
- Nordics but open to Europe
- High degree of innovation in Taste, Health, Sustainability or Availability
- Lead or co-invest
- PINC's portfolio includes:
- Amatera (sustainable cultivation of perennial crops)
- Improvin (AI-powered platform drives emission reductions in the agrifood value chain)
- WNWN Food Labs (producer of the world’s first cocoa-free alternative to chocolate)
- EvodiaBio (bio-industrial company that reinvents production of natural aromas)
- Melt & Marble (next generation of plant-based fat)
- Willicroft (plant-based cheese company)
- Carrot Kitchen (mobile cooking buddy for kids)
- Mirai Foods (second generation of cellular meat)
- Kaffe Bueno (upcycling of coffee waste into high-value ingredients)
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Franklin Farms Collaborates With Disney on Plant-Based Foods Featuring Mickey Mouse
- Impossible Foods Makes Executive Changes for a ‘Decisive Year,’ CEO Says
- Oatly and Carvel Partner to Bring Dairy-Free Flavors to Stores Nationwide
- Ingredion Partners, Invests in Startup Reducing Sugar in Juice
- Farm-ng Closes $10 Million Series A to Scale Affordable Robotic, AI Solutions
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally Network
2024 Natural Products Industry Update
Tuesday, January 30 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT
Join Naturally Network for a high-impact webinar to kick off your 2024. This event will offer CPG market trends expected to shape 2024 and insights spanning people & culture, retail & distribution, flavors and ingredients, regulatory impacts, and so much more from industry heavy hitters.
This webinar is an essential opportunity for our community as we look to stay informed and adapt to the upcoming market shifts. Attendees will leave this session equipped with new knowledge to make informed decisions and stay competitive in the year ahead.
Speakers:
- Sean Conner, Chief Progress Officer at ForceBrands
- Scott Dicker, Market Insights Director of SPINS
- Erin Flaherty, Vice President of Sales at SPINS
- Stephanie Jerger, Vice President of Operations at Organic Trade Association
- Audarshia Townsend, Content Director of Informa Markets/SupplySide/ Food & Beverage Insider
Naturally San Diego
CPG Over the Last 15 Years with Justin Gold
Tuesday, January 30 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. PT
Curious to know how the span of CPG has changed over the last 15 years? Hear from Justin Gold, Founder of Justin's and current CIO of Rudi's Rocky Mountain Bakery, as he reflects on improvements made and challenges faced within the industry.
Speakers:
- Justin Gold, Founder, Justin's Nut Butter & CIO, Rudi's Rocky Mountain Bakery of Rudi's Rocky Mountain Bakery
- Matt Clifford (Moderator), Board Member at Naturally San Diego
Naturally Minnesota
2024 Town Hall with Naturally New York
Wednesday, January 31 | 10:00 – 11:15 a.m. CT
Location: FINNOVATION Lab, Fifth Avenue South 817, Minneapolis, MN
Join Naturally Minnesota for this round table discussion where seasoned founders will share their experience around a specific topic, answer questions, and then the session will open up for general questions. The January session will feature Eric Hall, of So Good So You, and Nora Schaper of Hi-BAR, talking about their growth with a focus on retail strategy so come prepared to discuss and ask questions related to adding retailers, distribution, and channel strategy.
This event is in conjunction with FINNOVATION Lab Community Day - from 11am-5pm at FINNOVATION Lab.
Come enjoy the full day, have lunch, network, and connect with your Community!
Topic: 2024 Founders, Fractionals and FINN Lab
Use this link to register for the rest of the day
Speakers:
- Eric Hall, Chief Executive Officer at So Good So You
- Nora Schaper, co-founder & president of HiBAR
Naturally Bay Area
CEO & Founders Forum Meeting
(For Naturally Bay Area Members only who are Founders or CEOs of a Natural Products CPG brands)
Wednesday, January 31 | 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. PT
Location: BPM, One California Street, Suite 2500, San Francisco, CA
Ben Mand, CEO of Harmless Harvest, will lead the group in a roundtable discussion to help set you up for a productive 2024. Come prepared to share 3 things you are looking to accomplish this year, and also what your biggest worry or risk is. We'll share as a group and help brainstorm to help you accomplish your goals.
Naturally Bay Area
AI in CPG – Fireside Chat + Networking Night
Wednesday, January 31 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. PT
Location: S2G Ventures, 501 Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA
AI is revolutionizing the relationship between food and medicine, revealing the connections between farming practices, soil health, and bioactives as indicators of food's nutritional value.
The evening will kick off with a fireside chat led by Chuck Templeton, Managing Partner of S2G Ventures, with Lee Chae, Co-founder and CSO / CTO of Brightseed, exploring how AI and machine learning are being used across the food and consumer health industries. Stick around after the chat to parley and ponder what the future might hold with your fellow Bay Area innovators and CPG leaders.
Speakers:
- Chuck Templeton, Senior Managing Director of S2G Ventures
- Lee Chae, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Science & Technology Officer of Brightseed
Naturally Boulder
Networking Collision Series
Wednesday, January 31 | 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. MT
Location: Holidaily Brewing Company, Brickyard Circle 801, Golden, Co
Welcome to the latest installment of Naturally Boulder's Collision Series of Networking Events – a low-key, relaxed series of no-registration-required connection opportunities where you'll run into old friends and connect with new contacts. Want a chance to meet more folks in the natural and organic products industry? Wear green if you can to help spot each other.
Speakers:
- Michelle Lishnevsky, Sales Operations Specialist at Cappello's
- Kelly Perkins, President/CEO of Spinster Sisters Co
Naturally Austin
HomeRoom - Informal CPG Storytelling Workshop
Thursday, February 1 | 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. CT
Location: Easy Tiger, South Lamar Boulevard 3508, Austin, TX
Lyn Graft (LG) going to lead an informal workshop centered on storytelling for CPG founders and executives. He will cover the reason why stories are incredibly powerful (& necessary) for founders, the definition and structure he developed over the last decade designed specifically for entrepreneurs to create a story, and the 3 most important things your story must do in order to be successful in business. LG will also provide examples of highly successful (8 & 9 figure exits) CPG founders that have used their stories to raise capital, drive sales and get press at all stages of their journey.