In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Oishii, a vertical farming company, announced that it raised $150 million in the initial closing of its Series C round.
- Stone & Skillet, which makes artisan English muffins, raised $5M in its Series A round.
- Roxberry, a better-for-you soda brand for kids, closed a $4M funding round.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is Arbor Investments.
- 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
- Adamo Foods Lands €10 Million EU-Backed Funding to Scale Whole-Cut Mycelium Steak Production
- Bunge Opens Soy Protein Plant with Capabilities for Meat Products
- Cargill Launches Cocoa Alternative with Voyage Foods
- Founded by Perfect Day Alums, Melazyme Raises $2 Million for Melanin & Sweet Proteins
- FrieslandCampina Ingredients Opens New Jersey Innovation Hub
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally Colorado
Morning Meetup: Nature Hike
Friday, May 22 | 8–9 a.m. MT
Location: Teller Farm, White Rocks Trail, Boulder
Join Naturally Colorado to connect with natural and organic products industry professionals in a relaxed outdoor setting. Whether you're looking to expand your network or catch up with familiar faces, lace up your walking shoes and join them for an energizing walk!
Naturally NorCal
Winning DTC in 2026: Real Strategies to Sell Smarter
Wednesday, May 27 | 12–1 p.m. PT
Location: Online Webinar
DTC is one of the biggest growth levers available to emerging brands right now. Are you using it right?
Join Naturally NorCal for a candid panel with brand leaders and marketing specialists breaking down what's actually working for emerging natural products brands today.
You'll hear about:
- The state of DTC in 2026 and what the new playbook looks like
- Customer acquisition that actually works: paid media, social selling, creators, and owned channels
- Omni-channel strategy: how to evaluate profitability across DTC, retail, and marketplaces
- AI in the DTC stack: what's worth your time and what's still overhyped
Whether you're just launching DTC or optimizing an existing channel, this one's worth your lunch hour.
Naturally Seattle
CPG Connect: Coffee in Bellingham
Thursday, May 28 | 9–10 a.m. PT
Location: Non-GMO Corporate Office
Naturally Seattle will be co-hosting with their partner, the Non-GMO Project, a morning coffee networking at the Non-GMO Project office starting at 9:00am.
It is a relaxed, community-focused morning and a great opportunity to connect with fellow members and meet some new faces in the Pacific Northwest natural products space.
Naturally New York
Naturally Rising New York - The Conscious Business Pitch Competition
Thursday, May 28 | 6–9 p.m. ET
Location: Home Studios Inc., 873 Broadway- 4th floor, New York, NY
Naturally Rising is the premier national CPG pitch event - an evolution of the successful Pitch Slam that Naturally Network celebrated for over a decade. Judged by a panel of industry experts and advised by invaluable mentors, this thrilling competition celebrates innovation, purpose-driven business, the future of better-for-you brands, and leaders in the conscious business industry.
On Thursday, May 28, Cotto, DEFI Snacks, Figa Foods, Goldholly, NADAS Empanadas & Sourmilk will take the stage to present their pitch to a live audience and powerhouse panel of judges for the chance to WIN the ultimate prize package valued at $100,000 in cash and services!
Naturally San Diego
Financing the CPG Dream
Thursday, May 28 | 5–7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Bank of America Financial Center, 12830 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA
From bootstrapping to strategic capital, join Naturally San Diego for an interactive panel discussion exploring how CPG brands fund growth at every stage.
Featuring Sharon Brown, Founder of Bonafide Provisions, who will share her firsthand experience building and financing a mission-driven food brand. Through Sharon's story, attendees will gain practical insight into capital constraints, investor relationships, and how to choose financial partners that support long-term growth.
Naturally NorCal
Naturally NorCal Coffee Meetups
Friday, May 29 | 9:30–10:30 a.m. PT
Location: Oakland, Mill Valley, San Francisco, Petaluma, Burlingame
Gather with fellow founders, operators, and industry leaders at local Equator Coffees locations for casual, welcoming, no-pressure networking.
Naturally Minnesota
May Founders Forum: Food Service and National Restaurant Association Recap
Friday, May 29 | 2–4 p.m. CT
Location: JT Mega Food Advertising, 4020 Minnetonka Blvd., Minneapolis, MN
Join Naturally Minnesota for their next Founder Forum—bringing together Minnesota's food and beverage community for an afternoon of insight, connection, and real talk. This session will spotlight the evolving world of foodservice, featuring a founder panel and key takeaways from the National Restaurant Association Show.
Whether you're building, scaling, or simply exploring what's next in food, this is a space to learn from those in it every day.