Editor's Note
The USA alcohol beverage market is in decline, as drinking-age consumer demographics and preferences evolves. A recent Gallup report found that just 54% of Americans say they drink alcohol, matching the lowest level recorded since Gallup began tracking the data in 1939. The decline began in 2023 and has been seen across most demographic groups. The large Baby Boomer generation is now spending less on alcohol, and age groups behind them are not replacing those consumption declines. At the same time, consumers are increasingly embracing alternatives, with 17% reporting that they consumed a non-alcoholic beer, wine, or spirit in the past year. For beverage companies, the shift is another sign that non-alcohol products that mimic beer, wine and spirits, as well as other non-alcohol social and entertainment beverages, are becoming a meaningful part of the market.
— Shelly Malik
For questions or additional information, contact Shelly Malik at ShellyMalik@dwt.com. You can also stay connected with DWT's latest Food + Beverage insights by following our Food + Beverage LinkedIn page.
In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Nestlé announced that it is selling its mainstream vitamins, minerals, and supplements business to Yellow Wood Partners, a private equity firm, for $1 billion.
- Assembled Brands announced that it closed an asset-backed line of credit financing for Laoban, a fast-growing maker of frozen Asian dumplings, bao buns, and lo mein bowls.
- Medici Brands, the company behind David Protein, announced that it raised $250 million in its Series B financing round.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is Supply Change Capital.
- Supply Change Capital is a U.S.-based early-stage venture capital and impact investment firm that backs companies transforming the food system, with a focus on culture- and climate-driven solutions across food and agriculture.
- Supply Change Capital focuses on investments in:
- early-stage food system technology and infrastructure
- sustainable and regenerative food and ag tech
- culture-first and mission-aligned consumer food and agriculture brands and platforms
- Its portfolio includes the following companies:
- 99 Counties – a vertically integrated platform for regenerative food production
- FoodReady – food safety automation for F&B companies
- Hyfé – a biomanufacturing company converting food processing wastewater into valuable feedstocks
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- CropX Acquires NIR Spectroscopy Firm SCIO in Biggest Deal Yet, Eyes Profitability in 2027
- Beer Giant Constellation Brands Invests $100 Million in US Farm Profitability
- GUSS Automation Plans to Add Ouster Lidar to Autonomous Orchard Machines
- ZELP Launches ZELP Sense, a Wearable for Livestock Emissions Data
- Inside FarmTogether's Latest Offering: Ventura Valley Avocado Grove
- From 2D images to 3D worlds: Bonsai Bets on AI-powered Farm Robotics
- Jensen Meat Co. Introduces Plant-Based Snack Stick
- Mane Acquires Cvista to Establish US Citrus and Beverage Innovation Centre
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally New England
From Vision to Customer Impact
Tuesday, September 15 | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Online Webinar
Who are you serving, and why do they choose you?
The most successful brands don't grow because they have the best products. They grow because they deeply understand the people they serve and build every aspect of their business around creating value for those customers.
In this interactive session, explore how to uncover the mission of your best customers, translate those insights into a customer-centric marketing strategy, and build the foundation for long-term loyalty, advocacy, and sustainable growth.
Speakers:
- Josh Nelson, Fractional CMO at FlexCMO
- James Wisdom, EOS Implementer at Eosworldwide
Naturally New York
From Distribution to Demand: How Emerging Consumer Brands Can Build Retail Sales Velocity in Today's Complex Marketing Ecosystem
Tuesday, September 15 | 1–2 p.m. ET
Location: Online Webinar
Join Zeldes Media Advisors for a webinar that will help emerging consumer brands better understand today's retail demand ecosystem and how different channels work together to drive sales velocity.
This session will cover the role of social, retail media, the Open Web, CTV, shopper data, ZIP-code targeting, and measurement in practical, non-technical terms, with real examples of how brands can build demand around the stores where their products are sold.
Naturally Colorado
The Shelf Test: Consumer Data on Packaging, and What Buyers Do With It
Tuesday, September 15 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m. MT
Location: Online Webinar
Shoppers say sustainable packaging matters. Sustainability-marketed products now hold a quarter of all CPG dollars and are growing nearly five times faster than conventional ones. So the demand is real. Despite sustainability-marketed products accounting for 25% of the market, they delivered an outsized 45% of the CPG market growth (2013-2025) and retailers are taking note.
These days, consumers are paying far more attention to their impact on the environment. Single-use packaging is becoming far less acceptable, as people worry about the impact of their consumption on climate change and aim for a more sustainable lifestyle. In a recent survey, 83% of consumers 44 and younger said that they would spend more money on sustainable packaging. Even when looking at all consumers, the majority (70%) still want green packaging.
Join retail and consumer data experts alongside packaging specialists for a session on what the consumer research actually supports, how that translates into the questions you'll face in a category review, and where EPR regulation has already removed the choice.
Naturally NorCal
Sales Forum: September Round Table
Tuesday, September 15 | 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 San Diego
BevNET + NSD Meet-Up
Tuesday, September 15 | 5–7:30 p.m. PT
Location: BevNET SD Office, 2645 Financial Ct., Suite D, San Diego, CA
BevNET and Naturally San Diego are celebrating the San Diego Natural Products Community by hosting a food, beverage and beer industry meet up.
The meetup will feature 2.5 hours of live podcast recordings and industry networking, as well as adult and non-alcoholic beverages, and appetizers. Join the Producer & Editor of Taste Radio, Ray Latif, and Taste Radio co-hosts John Craven and Mike Schneider, along with industry professionals within the food, beverage, beer and beyond industries.
Naturally NorCal
Naturally NorCal QA & Operations Forum: Train Smarter, Not Harder
Wednesday, September 16 | 2–3 p.m. PT
Location: Online Webinar
Join Naturally NorCal for their September QA & Operations Forum, where guest speaker Dave Smith of Workforge will share practical strategies for building training programs that work—even when time and bandwidth are tight.
Whether you're building out your first training program or trying to fix one that's not landing, you'll walk away with actionable ideas you can put to work right away.