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 Bland Company, a UK-based startup, has raised $2.67 million to functionalize plant proteins from ag side streams.
- Polybee has raised a $4.3 million seed round to scale its pollination and yield forecasting tech.
- Brilliant Harvest has raised a $4 million seed round to solve ag equipment's service bottleneck with AI.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is Rich Products Ventures.
- Rich Products Ventures (RPV), a division of the family-owned Rich Products Corporation, known for its expertise in frozen food, offers a mix of operational, technological, and investment expertise enhanced by its broad network and global footprint with team members across the United States and China.
- RPV is committed to delivering maximum value to their portfolio companies through four key areas of focus:
- Nutrition & Health
- Sustainable Production
- Next Generation of Retail & Foodservice
- Dynamic Supply Chain
- Some of its portfolio companies include the following:
- Good Eggs
- Grabango
- Kitchen United
- Thistle
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Campbell's to Close Hyannis plant, Consolidate Cape Cod Chip Production
- GrubMarket Raises $50 Million in Series H Funding at $4.5B Valuation
- Little Sesame Goes Big with New Facility
- Omeat Becomes Evergreen, Bags $6 Million to Launch Blended Lab-Grown Beef
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally New England
Member-Exclusive Workshop: Profit Through Positioning
Wednesday, February 18 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. ET
Location: Online Webinar
In today's crowded CPG landscape, great products aren't enough—brands that win are the ones that clearly communicate why they matter. Join Naturally New England for a practical, strategy-driven workshop on how to use brand positioning as a lever for profitability and long-term growth.
Led by marketing strategist Josh Nelson, this session will break down how founders and operators can sharpen their brand story, differentiate in competitive categories, and strengthen pricing power—without relying on constant promotions or expensive paid acquisition.
Speaker:
- Josh Nelson, Fractional CMO at FlexCM
Naturally NorCal
Sales Forum: February Round Table
Thursday, February 19 | 12–1 p.m. PT
Location: Online Webinar
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.
Naturally NorCal
AI in CPG: Where AI Is Actually Saving Time for CPG Teams
Tuesday, February 24 | 12–1 p.m. PT
Location: Online Webinar
AI tools are evolving quickly across CPG teams. This session provides a behind-the-scenes look at how teams are applying AI in day-to-day work, what's delivering real efficiency gains, and what's proving less useful in practice.
What you'll take away:
- Where AI is genuinely saving teams time today
- What to avoid: where AI becomes a distraction
- How to level up with AI
- Practical guidance for prioritizing AI inside resource-constrained teams
Naturally Chicago
Wellness is Evolving and AI is Reshaping Discovery
Tuesday, February 24 | 3–4 p.m. CT
Location: Online Webinar
Brand and product discovery used to be about placement: shelf position, keyword rank, influencer reach.
But wellness shoppers increasingly want personalized answers: what works for my body, my goals, my constraints. AI is becoming an interface for those answers, sitting between brands and consumers. The following panel of experts will discuss how wellness is evolving, how AI is changing and aiding discovery and what brands can do right now to stay findable, credible, and chosen.
Speakers:
- Tracey Halama, CEO, Supergut
- Katie Kloke, Senior Manager, SPINS
- Shiv Gupta, Founder, U of Digital
- Katie Rosholt (Moderator), Managing Director, SOCIETY U.S.
Naturally Seattle
Cascadia IFT Supplier Night
Tuesday, February 24 | 4–7 p.m. PT
Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport, 18740 International Boulevard, Seattle, WA
Stop by Naturally Seattle's table to sample products from their member brands, learn about our 2026 programs and events, and connect with their team. They'll be there to answer questions, share updates, and help you make the most of your membership.
Discover the latest products and services across the food supply chain at Cascadia IFT's annual food industry expo. This networking-friendly evening brings together suppliers, brands, and food industry professionals to explore innovations, enjoy light snacks, and connect with peers, customers, and partners.