In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- U.K.-based meat-free protein company Quorn secured £18 million from its Filipino parent company to position itself as a market leader in the meat-free food sector.
- Halifax-based biotech firm Mara Renewables raised $9.1 million from S2G Investments to expand the global reach of its algae-based omega-3 products, a sustainable alternative to fish-derived omega-3s.
- London-based food tech startup Win-Win raised £3 million in Series A funding to scale its cocoa-free chocolate products, enabling market expansion and strategic partnerships.
- The European Investment Bank (EIB) provided £20 million in venture debt financing to Dutch biotech company Solynta, which is developing disease- and climate-resilient potato varieties.
- AWAKE Chocolate, a Canadian maker of caffeinated chocolate bars and bites, closed an $8 million CAD investment round.
- Generous Brands, a leading North American premium refrigerated beverage platform, announced a definitive agreement to acquire Health-Ade, a growing innovator in kombucha tea beverages.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is Arbor Investments ("Arbor").
- Arbor Investments is a specialized private equity firm focused exclusively on acquiring premier companies in the food, beverage, and related industries.
- For over 25 years, Arbor has leveraged its in-house food expertise to help grow nearly 90 revolutionary food businesses.
- Arbor approaches investments with an innovative mindset and a detailed game plan designed to help companies achieve exponential success.
- Some of their current portfolio companies include:
- Rubix Foods: A leading culinary and food science-focused provider of functional ingredients for restaurants and manufacturers.
- Golden Waffles: A supplier of waffle irons and mixes to the hospitality and foodservice industries.
- Red Collar Pet Foods: A manufacturer of mainstream and private-label pet food and treat products for national retailers.
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- PepsiCo and Cargill Commit $100 Million in Regenerative Ag Push
- PepsiCo to End Manufacturing at Detroit Plant
- Keurig Dr Pepper Acquires Drink Mix Maker Dyla
- Bonsai Robotics Acquires Farm-ng to Herald New Era of Ag Robotics
- EmGenisys Completes Oversubscribed $1.5 Million Raise from Leading VCs to Transform Livestock Reproduction with Artificial Intelligence
- Vilore Acquires Hispanic-focused Tia Lupita Foods
- King's Hawaiian expanding in Georgia
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally NorCal
Human Resources Forum: Legal Hot Topics & How to Prepare
Wednesday, August 6 | 3:30–4:30 p.m. PT
AUGUST TOPIC: Legal Hot Topics & How to Prepare
In today's climate, employers need to be ready for anything. This session will walk through best practices for maintaining clean employment files, understanding your obligations, and preparing your team for potential compliance checks.
Naturally NorCal's HR Forum is led by:
- Geraldine Flatt, VP People Operations, Our Home
- Annie O'Hare, Human Resources Director, Rustic Bakery
Naturally Minnesota
The Future of Retail
Thursday, August 7 | 12–1 p.m. CT
Retail is evolving fast. From AI shopping assistants to social commerce and Gen Alpha's influence, the landscape is shifting. NIQ explores what's next for food and beverage—where innovation, personalization, and bold strategies lead the way. Discover key trends in omnichannel shopping, health-driven products, and emerging brand breakthroughs. Whether you're scaling online, testing retail media, or rethinking distribution, gain fresh insights and actionable ideas to stay ahead.
Speaker:
- Krystal Dawson, Vice President | North America Business Partner Cluster Leader at NIQ
Naturally Chicago
Barilla Culinary Innovation Showcase
Thursday, August 7 | 1–4 p.m. CT
Location: Barilla Americas, 885 Sunset Ridge Rd., Northbrook, IL
Join Naturally Chicago's Culinary Innovation Showcase at Barilla Americas' headquarters in Northbrook. Enjoy demonstrations by Barilla's executive chefs on how to best showcase products at events and insights from NIQ on food industry innovation. Connect with Barilla's R&D team, including product developers, nutritionists, and regulatory experts.
Space is very limited...reserve your spot now.
Naturally Colorado
Volunteer Event at A Precious Child
Friday, August 8 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. MT
Location: The Donation Center at A Precious Child, 7051 W 118th Ave, Broomfield, CO
The Donation Center at A Precious Child accepts new and gently used clothing, hygiene products, baby essentials, essential home goods, and other items to benefit the families we support. On average, they receive 3,178 pounds of donations every day! Volunteers are an integral part of the team, helping them get all donations ready to distribute to children and caregivers.
Naturally England
Coffee + Co-op: A Morning Tour at Fiddleheads Co-op
Tuesday, August 12 | 10–11 a.m. ET
Location: Fiddleheads Food Co-op, 13 Broad St., New London, CT
Join Naturally New England's Connecticut Ambassador, Maddie Conkey, for a behind-the-scenes tour of Fiddleheads Food Co-op in New London! Learn how Fiddleheads is building a stronger local food system, meet fellow members, and get inspired by the power of cooperative retail in action.
This event is free and open to Naturally New England members. Space is limited—RSVP encouraged!
Naturally San Diego
Influencers on a Budget: Social Strategies for Emerging CPG Brands
Tuesday, August 12 | 9–10 a.m. PT
Emerging CPG brands often face the challenge of growing their audience without agency-size budgets. In this practical and inspiring session, founders from The Coconut Cult and ONO Protein Oats will share how they launched and scaled their influencer programs. They'll be joined by Ashley LaBrune, Associate Director of Social, Influencer at Power Digital, who will share expert guidance on what works in influencer marketing, from outreach tactics to content collaborations.
Speakers:
- Ashley LaBrune, Associate Director of Social, Influencer at Power Digital
- Nilou Shahryari, Founder of ONO Protein Oats
- Noah Simon-Waddell, Founder of The Coconut Cult
- Stacey Sultar (Moderator), CMO at TalentSmartEQ
Naturally NorCal
Exit Planning – How & When to Start Thinking About a Sale
Wednesday, August 13 | 12–1 p.m. PT
Selling your company may seem far off, but early planning for an Exit can make all the difference. This webinar is designed for founders and business leaders who want to understand when and how to begin preparing for a successful sale. Hear from experts in wealth management, accounting, estate planning, and investment banking as they share key strategies for maximizing value and avoiding common pitfalls.
What You'll Learn:
- Why it's never too early to start thinking about your exit
- Steps to align your personal financial goals with your company's future
- How to prepare your business to be attractive to potential buyers
- Ways to streamline the transaction process for both sellers and buyers
- Key insights from professionals who support founders through the exit journey
Don Buder, Naturally NorCal Emeritus Board Member and Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine, will lead the conversation with our esteemed panel.
Speakers:
- Don Buder, Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
- Willis Davis, Senior Vice President at The Burbank Group at Morgan Stanley
- Damon Houterman, Principal at Baker Tilly LLP
- Robert Lucchese, Bank of America
- Dana Reid, Partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Naturally NorCal
Naturally NorCal QA & Operations Forum: FSMA 204 and Beyond
Wednesday, August 13 | 2–3 p.m. PT
AUGUST TOPIC: FSMA 204 & Beyond
The effective date for FSMA Rule 204 may have been pushed back — but don't let that lull you into waiting to act. Smart brands are using this time to get ahead, putting systems and processes in place now to meet new traceability requirements and rising expectations from retailers and foodservice customers.
Get ready for a practical, forward-looking session focused on traceability and compliance. Derek Hannum of ReposiTrak will join us to unpack the key elements of FSMA Rule 204, and take it a step further, exploring how customers are raising the bar with their own traceability standards, and how you can proactively plan for the changing expectations.
This is your chance to connect with fellow QA & Ops professionals, compare notes, and leave with insights to help your team stay ahead of regulatory and customer-driven demands.
Speaker:
- Derek Hannum, Chief Customer Officer at ReposiTrak
Pacific Community Ventures - National Research Study
Pacific Community Ventures is offering a PAID opportunity for small business owners to participate in a national research study on what makes a good job at small and mid-sized businesses.
If you have between 10 - 1,000 full-time W2 employees, you can:
- Receive a $2,170 stipend for participating
- Get free business advisory support to improve employee retention and satisfaction
- Gain practical tools to strengthen your business and bottom line
Enrollment is open until July 30, 2025, and the program runs until September 30, 2025.
Learn more and apply here.