In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Mark Anthony Group, the owner of White Claw, has reached a deal to acquire ready-to-drink brand The Finnish Long Drink for an undisclosed amount.
- No Sleep Beverage, which operates brands including Juliet Wine and Madre Mezcal, acquired three independent brands including Whiskey Del Bac, Nine Branded Whiskey, and Ume Plum Liqueur.
- Odeko, an operations and technology platform serving independent coffee shops, announced it has acquired Boston based Shirazi Distributing as part of a national expansion strategy.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is Fonterra Ventures Co-Lab.
- In 2016, Fonterra, the world's largest dairy exporter, launched the Fonterra Ventures Co-Lab. This open platform is designed to establish potential partnerships with entrepreneurial individuals and businesses.
- Through its platform, Fonterra Ventures encourages the submission of innovative ideas and concepts from both startups and large corporations in various domains, including new technologies, services, and business models, to promote mutual benefits.
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- DrinkPAK Sets New Benchmarks in Beverage Manufacturing
- SBA "Grocery Guarantee" Expands Financing Options for Food & Beverage Businesses
- Ambienta Backs Plant-Based Dairy Producer The Bridge to Accelerate European Growth
- Good Girl Snacks Gaining Momentum
- Ringmetall Expands U.S. Footprint with Thermoforming Acquisition
- Tetra Pak Launching $22 Million Facility to Support Food, Beverage Innovation
UPCOMING EVENTS
OSC x PlanetHAUS
Wednesday, April 22 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. PT
Location: The Battery, 717 Battery St, San Francisco, CA
PlanetHAUS SF will bring together brand leaders, consumers, retailers, investors and creators at the intersection of climate and culture for this one-day immersive experience during SF Climate Week. On Earth Day, April 22, PlanetHAUS will showcase a "sustainable home of the future" with product tastings, samples, live demos, and tons of engaging, action-oriented conversations throughout the day. It's a can't miss event of SF Climate Week. Come to PlanetHAUS to experience what sustainability actually looks and feels like.
Naturally Los Angeles
2026 Trivia Night
Tuesday, April 21 | 6–9 p.m. PT
Location: Umbrella Club, 7465 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA
Join Naturally Los Angeles and put your knowledge to the test at their upcoming CPG Trivia Night! Whether you're a CPG guru or just curious about the industry, gather your friends for an evening of challenging questions, networking, and fun.
Naturally NorCal
Naturally Rising NorCal Pitch Slam + Community Celebration
Wednesday, April 22 | 3:30–8:30 p.m. PT
Location: Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA
Let's celebrate Northern California's up-and-coming Natural Products Industry brands with a community celebration and pitch competition. A select group of entrepreneurs will pitch to the industry's premier investors, retailers, advisors, and industry peers for a chance to win prizes worth $50K+, including $5,000 cash, and the opportunity to pitch on the national stage!
Naturally Colorado
Naturally Colorado's 21st Annual Pitch Slam
Wednesday, April 22 | 4:30–9 p.m. MT
Location: Social Capitol, 6543 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO
Welcome to Naturally Colorado's 21st Annual Pitch Slam, now called Naturally Rising "The Conscious Business Pitch Competition"! Come cheer on your favorite brands as they compete for a generous prize package and title of Pitch Competition winner! Sample the latest and greatest new innovative products from the local community.
Naturally New England
BOSS GPT
Thursday, April 23 | 5:30–7:30 p.m. ET
Location: BevNet, 65 Chapel Street, Newton, MA
Member Exclusive Event: AI is quickly becoming part of every leader's toolkit—but most founders and operators are still figuring out how to use it beyond simple productivity.
Join Naturally New England for an interactive evening exploring how AI can support better leadership, decision-making, and problem solving. Led by Jeff Sigel, this session introduces the BossGPT framework—a practical way to think about using AI as a strategic thought partner rather than just a task tool.
Naturally New York
Spring Fling
Thursday, April 23 | 6–9 p.m. ET
Location: Talea Beer Co. (Penn District) -160 W. 32nd St. New York, NY
Join Naturally New York for an evening of springtime celebration and networking with the Naturally New York community!
Enjoy complimentary food and beverages while mingling with fellow members of the CPG industry at Talea Beer Co.- Penn District.
Naturally Austin
Spring Austin CPG Happy Hour
Thursday, April 23 | 6–8 p.m. CT
Location: Central Machine Works, East Cesar Chavez Street 4824, Austin, TX
Join the Austin CPG community for happy hour at Central Machine Works!
Naturally San Diego
Naturally Rising 2026
Thursday, April 23 | 4:30–7:30 p.m. PT
Location: VESPER Venue, 2875 Dewey Rd, San Diego, CA
On April 23rd, five finalists will go head-to-head in this shark-tank-style live showing of Southern California's most promising group of natural products brands.
Naturally San Diego's in-person Naturally Rising Pitch Slam will give natural products entrepreneurs the stage to pitch their up-and-coming companies to a panel of experts and audience members, ultimately winning a suite of prizes from our local San Diego community to help propel their industry growth!
Naturally NorCal
Naturally NorCal Coffee Meetups
Friday, April 24 | 9:30–10:30 a.m. PT
Location: Oakland, Mill Valley, SF, Burlingame
Gather with fellow founders, operators, and industry leaders at local Equator Coffees locations for casual, welcoming, no-pressure networking.
Naturally Minnesota
CPG Resource Round Up 2026
Wednesday, April 29 | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CT
Location: NEON Collective Kitchens, 2103 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, MN
Join Naturally Minnesota for a unique networking opportunity that connects local food entrepreneurs with expert resource providers, offering essential connections and knowledge crucial for building and sustaining your business.
Who should attend? This event is tailored for early-stage founders in the CPG space—whether you have an idea, are pre-revenue, sell at farmers markets, or have minimal retail presence.