In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- The EVERY Company, known for its animal-free egg whites and egg white proteins, announced that it raised $55 million in its Series D financing round.
- Oddball, a plant-based food startup, announced that it raised $2 million in its Series Seed funding round.
- Appetronix, a robotic kitchen startup, announced that it raised $6 million in its Series Seed Plus funding round.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is Capital Kitchens.
- Capital Kitchens is a shared-use commercial kitchen rental, culinary incubator, and mobile food commissary based in Texas. It creates a nurturing atmosphere for startups mixed with experienced food vendors. Capital Kitchens was named as one of the top 10 Mission Driven Incubator Kitchens in the country by Foodboro.
- Capital Kitchens specializes in the following sectors:
- CPG food & beverage manufactures
- Artisan food & beverage
- Mobile food trucks & trailers
- Caterers, Personal Chefs, Bakers, and more
- Capital Kitchens has helped over 300 consumer package goods (CPG) companies, food manufacturers, caterers, chefs, and food truck businesses succeed since 2012. Examples include:
- Credo Foods
- Simmering Soup Co
- Maple & Merit
- Sezi
- Steamm Espresso
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Flagstone Foods to Cut Workforce at Texas Plant
- Hormel Foods Gives Up Control of Justin's
- Nortera Foods to Acquire Green Giant Brand in Canada
- Agtonomy Bags $18 Million to Bring AI to Ag Robotics and Automation
- Fork & Good Acquires Orbillion Bio to Take Lab-Grown Meat Platform Global
- Keurig Dr Pepper Receives $7 Billion Investment to Support Business Split and JDE Peet's Deal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally New England
Members Exclusive Online Workshop: Greatest Hits Tour with Bob Burke
Wednesday, November 12 | 12–1 p.m. ET
Meet CPG legend Bob Burke—advisor to iconic New England brands and board member of the Specialty Food Association and NNE. He'll share the most powerful lessons from his career to help founders navigate the industry.
Naturally San Diego
What's Next for Natural Brands
Wednesday, November 12 | 9–9:45 a.m. PT
The natural products industry is heading into FY26 amid fast-moving change—and founders are feeling it from every angle: shifting consumer behavior, tighter margins, tougher retail environments, and new technologies reshaping how we build and scale brands.
This session offers a clear, practical look at what's ahead for natural and emerging CPG brands—where growth is happening, where pressure points are building, and how to position your business for resilience and opportunity in the new year.
They will unpack:
- Consumer and category trends driving purchasing decisions in 2025
- Retail realities—how buyers are thinking, and what it takes to get on and stay on shelf
- Smart growth strategies for founders navigating capital constraints and rising costs
- How AI and digital tools are helping brands operate leaner and more effectively
- Where community and collaboration are creating new advantages for purpose-driven brands
Speaker:
- Myles Silvers, Consumer Products Senior Analyst at RSMUS
Naturally NorCal
Sales Forum: November Round Table
Thursday, November 13 | 12–1 p.m. PT
This month's Sales Forum meeting will be a roundtable discussion to cover your pressing needs – everything from trade show prep to distributor management best practices to trading tips on getting into your target retailer. The floor is yours!
The Sales Forum lead is Adam Biggs, Co-Founder of C2O Coconut Water and Vice President of Sales at Nova Naturals.
Who Should Attend?
This session is for paid members and partners of Naturally NorCal who are CPG-focused Sales professionals, as well as CEOs & Founders working in these areas.
Naturally New York
BEYOND THE SHELF: Food & Beverage Deep Dive
Thursday, November 13 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET
Join NIQ (NielsenIQ) for an exclusive, data-driven deep dive into the trends redefining the food and beverage landscape. This session will unpack the latest category performance insights, emerging consumer behaviors, and innovation patterns that are shaping the industry's future.
From shifting retail dynamics to evolving wellness priorities and the rise of new product formats, NIQ's experts will reveal where growth is happening—and where opportunities lie ahead. Whether you're a startup or an established brand, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to guide smarter business decisions, strengthen retail relationships, and stay ahead in a competitive market.
Speaker:
- Chris Costagli, VP, Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverage Insights Lead at NIQ
Naturally New York
WELLNESS IS THE NEW BEAUTY: What Consumers Want Now
Thursday, November 13 | 12–1 p.m. ET
Wellness isn't just influencing beauty—it's redefining it. In this insight-packed session, NIQ's Anna Mayo breaks down the latest data on how wellness trends are reshaping the beauty industry—from product innovation to retail strategy.
Explore how Millennial parents and Gen Z shoppers are driving demand for mental health support, personalized routines, and tech-powered self-care. Learn how leading retailers are adapting with curated assortments, frictionless experiences, and wellness-first positioning.
What You'll Learn:
- Which wellness-driven beauty categories are seeing explosive growth
- How consumer expectations around self-care, mental health, and personalization are evolving
- What brands and retailers must do to stay relevant in a wellness-first market
Naturally Colorado
Cultivating Connections Social Hour
Thursday, November 13 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. MT
Location: Pour Tap House, 12433 E 104th Pl Unit #2, Commerce City, CO
Consumer demand for transparency in food sourcing is transforming the CPG industry, with Colorado agriculture leading the charge through its top-quality grains, beef, fruit, and more.
Cultivating Connections, hosted by Naturally Colorado and key local partners, offers an exclusive networking event for members to connect with Colorado's producers, food hub operators, and innovators. Taking place on November 13 at Pour Tap House in Commerce City, CO (5:30 PM), this gathering fosters collaboration among farmers, chefs, and brands to drive innovation and strengthen the regional food system—with an emphasis on sustainable growth.
The event precedes the Nourish Colorado Cultivating Connections, Sowing Success conference on November 14 in Brighton, CO. This free, all-day conference—hosted by organizations including Colorado Department of Education and Nourish Colorado—brings K-12 operators, agricultural producers, and strategic partners together for sessions on Farm to School strategies, connections with local producers, and peer-led insights.
Naturally NorCal
From Startup to Standout: Building a Thriving CPG Business
Thursday, November 13 | 5–8 p.m. PT
Location: Baker Botts L.L.P., 101 California Street, Suite 3200, San Francisco, CA
Baker Botts is opening the doors of their San Francisco HQ for an inspiring evening of learning and connection, featuring a conversation with two leaders from the Patagonia Provisions team. Enjoy networking, Mediterranean bites, and drinks courtesy of the Baker Botts team.
Naturally San Diego
Diverse Founders Potluck Dinner
Thursday, November 13 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Purely Righteous Brands LLC, South Cedros Avenue 444, Solana Beach, CA
In the spirit of Friendsgiving, Naturally San Diego invites diverse founders in their community to gather for a potluck dinner! This is a relaxed evening to share a meal, connect with fellow founders, and offer peer-to-peer support.
They'll also feature a guest speaker/presentation (TBD) to inspire and spark conversation.
What to bring:
- A dish to share—if you have a product that can be incorporated into a dish, please do! Otherwise, bring one of your favorite shareable dishes.
- Ready to serve—please bring your dish fully prepared, as prep space at Purely Righteous Brands is limited.
- Not cooking? No problem—you can bring a beverage, plates, napkins, or cutlery instead.
- Let us know what you're bringing when you register (just for planning purposes—you can always change your mind!).
Who should attend:
Anyone who identifies as a diverse founder, including minority-owned, woman-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and disability-owned businesses.