In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- St. Louis-based agtech firm Saluna raised $1.5 million to advance hemp crop development.
- French foodtech company Fungu'it raised $4.6 million to transform agricultural by-products into natural flavorings.
- Plan(e)t Foods, a plant-based ice cream company from Greece, raised €1.05 million to expand their business into other European countries.
- Slovenian startup Juicy Marbles teamed up with Austrian startup Revo Foods to launch a mycoprotein-based fish fillet called "Kinda Cod," with the goal of making plant-based whole cuts accessible to a broader audience.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is AF Ventures ("AF").
- AF is a consumer fund investing in emerging growth-stage businesses that focus on health-oriented consumer brands in the food & beverage, health & wellness, beauty, personal care, household, and pet sectors.
- Across industry sectors, AF prioritizes disruptive products and works with founders who have a clear understanding of their target market.
- Some of AF's current portfolio companies and past successes include:
- Siete, a Mexican American food brand acquired by Pepsi.
- Jinx, a company creating all-natural, high-quality dog food and treats.
- Clio, the company behind the first-ever refrigerated Greek yogurt bar.
- Cirkul, a water bottle and flavor cartridge company that aims to make drinking water more convenient, delicious, and fun.
- Yumi, a company creating nutrition-first meals and snacks for babies and toddlers.
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Pasta Sauce Startup Raises $12 Million
- General Mills Takes on Taco Shell Maker
- Danone Opens New $65 Million Production Line at Florida Facility to Boost Creamer and Coffee Production
- Micropep and Corteva Partner on Peptide-Based Biocontrols
- Clever Carnivore's Pragmatic Path to Cultivated Meat Profitability
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally Wisconsin
Naturally Wisconsin in Chicago: IFT FIRST Breakfast
Monday, July 14 | 7:30–9:30 am. CT
Location: Spoke & Bird, 205 E 18th St., Chicago, IL
Join Naturally Wisconsin for an engaging breakfast roundtable at Spoke & Bird during IFT FIRST! Connect with fellow professionals passionate about the natural and organic food industry in Wisconsin. Enjoy a delicious breakfast in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - note that food is available but not provided.
Naturally New York
Riverside Chat with Whole Foods Market
Wednesday, July 16 | 5:30–8 p.m. ET
Location: Whole Foods Market, Harborside 3, 210 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ
Spend a summer evening with Naturally New York and Whole Foods Market at their Jersey City HQ for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience to see where the magic happens!
Step inside for a rare Q&A with category merchants and mingle with fellow NNY members while enjoying light bites, drinks, and panoramic views of the Hudson River.
Speaker:
- John Lawson, Forager for Local & Emerging Brands at Whole Foods Market
Naturally New England
Summer Shindy 2025
Thursday, July 17 | 11 a.m.–4 p.m. ET
Location: Kimball Farm Westford, 400 Littleton Road, Westford, MA
Celebrate summer with us at the First Annual Summer Shindy—a fun-filled, family-friendly event featuring…
- Unlimited BBQ & Nonalcoholic Beverages – Savor a barbecue feast paired with unlimited nonalcoholic drinks to keep you refreshed.
- Unlimited Ice Cream Bar – Treat yourself to endless scoops of Kimball Farm's famous ice cream!
Naturally Wisconsin
Small Business Happy Hour
Thursday, July 17 | 4–5:30 p.m. CT
Location: Pasture and Plenty, 2433 University Avenue, Madison
Join Naturally Wisconsin and Pasture and Plenty for a Small Business Happy Hour Series, a three-part summer gathering for folks growing and making good food in Wisconsin.
Naturally Network
ConsciousCPG Summit 2025
July 21-24, 2025
Join Naturally Seattle for a 4-day virtual summit designed to equip CPG leaders with tools, insights, and connections to truly build a conscious business.
Naturally New England
Equip For Surfing Volunteer Day
Thursday, July 24 | 4:30–7 p.m. ET
Location: York Beach, York, ME
Join Naturally New England for a meaningful morning at the beach as we partner with Equip for Surfing, an adaptive surf program that helps individuals of all abilities experience the freedom and joy of surfing.
Naturally Colorado
Happy People, Healthy Profits: The Culture Shifts That Work
Thursday, July 24 | 3–6 p.m. MT
Location: CU Boulder Center for Community Building, 2010 Willard Loop Dr, Boulder, CO
In this lively interactive workshop, you'll collaborate with fellow leaders to explore how proactivity, intentionality and heart weave together to give you a competitive edge – attracting, retaining and engaging top talent.
Join Peggy Shell, Founder & CEO of Creative Alignments, who has been connecting the hottest brands with the best talent for decades. She will share her insights and wisdom from some of the industry's most impactful leaders to reveal the secret sauce for building thriving workplace cultures.