Investing & fundraising

Mars-Kellanova Deal: Commission restarts the clock

The EU has resumed its investigation into Mars’ $35.9bn merger with Kellanova, following a stop in July

Sustainable September

Agricultural sustainability grants up for grabs

The USDA, National Geographic Society and Growing Justice Fund offer funding to strengthen food production

Sustainable September

Papacks bets on fiber bottles as plastic alternative

German company looks to US collaborators to scale compostable bottles

Major PepsiCo investor launches campaign for overhaul

Elliott Investment Management, with a $4bn stake in the company, wants to shake things up

Celsius buys Rockstar Energy Drink from PepsiCo

The deal also includes a $558 million investment from PepsiCo and distribution of Celsius’ Alani Nu

Positively Groundfish’s Catch+Create Accelerator seeks startups to scale sustainable west coast seafood products

The new accelerator empowers early-stage seafood innovators to develop and launch value-added products that meet growing consumer demand for sustainable, traceable West Coast seafood

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast

Investors return to CPG, but with caution and only for the right kind of growth

Pitchbook reports a modest rebound in private equity deals in Q1 of 2025, and JPalmer Collective’s Jennifer Palmer sees reasons for optimism for mission-driven brands and women-owned and -led brands. But both warn the current uncertainty is the new norm

2025’s biggest food & drink M&A deals so far

From billion-dollar beverage buyouts to bold wellness bets, 2025’s food and drink M&A deals reveal what’s shaping the future of the industry

From GLP-1 to gut health: Real California Milk Excelerator 2025 seeks dairy disruptors

Start-ups behind scalable dairy innovations stand to benefit from financial, mentorship and marketing support to bring their products to market

Mealogic’s white labeled meal programs offer ‘convenient compliance’ for healthcare and wellness brands

The food delivery program aims to expand its personalized and diet-compliant meals using local chefs across the US

Sojo Industries secures $40M to scale modular packaging and automation platform for multi- and variety-pack food products

Sojo Industries will use the funds to improve CPG supply chains with fast-deploy modular packaging robotics and blockchain-enabled logistics software

Eat Happy Kitchen taps owned channels to accelerate retail growth

The company leveraged Founder Anna Vocino’s podcast and cookbook audience, clean-label products and Startup CPG momentum to expand into 479 more Kroger banner stores

When should a start up sell?

A thoughtful, well-timed exit begins not with the market, but with a company’s internal readiness

Positive Nutrition

How can plant-based brands bridge the gap between innovation and adoption?

As inflation continues to strain household budgets, consumers are zeroing in on grocery staples that offer clear nutritional and economic value, which often exclude plant-based foods

Why reproducibility is the next big hurdle in sustainable protein innovation

As sustainable protein companies scale, reproducibility is foundational – and the future of alt protein depends on shared scientific standards, from lab upgrades to collaborative testing.

CPG reset? Beyond Meat’s new moves, gut health education and FDA’s dye crackdown

Beyond Meat expands amid sinking category sales, consumers show a growing but shallow interest in gut health and FDA’s focus on dyes signals a potential distraction from larger regulatory tasks

Allergen-free foods: Why clear labeling is crucial to tapping into trend

Food and beverage manufacturers must know the difference between voluntary and mandatory allergen labeling to ensure consumers understand their exposure risk

Tariff ‘whiplash’ causes ‘paralysis’ among CPG businesses and retailers

President Trump’s ‘pause’ on higher reciprocal tariffs may have relieved stock market investors, but industry insiders say CPG manufacturers, retailers and grocery shoppers remain uncertain about the future

Natural Products Expo West

Ignite20 Ventures seeks 20 CPG startups for inaugural fund

Emerging CPG startups have until May 4 at 11:59 PM ET to apply for Ignite20 Ventures’ first funding round and accelerator program

Natural Products Expo West

State of VC in CPG: ‘Marquee acquisitions’ kick off Q1 2025

Major acquisitions like PepsiCo purchasing Siete Foods and Flower Foods buying Simple Mills is providing liquidity to venture capitalists, laying the groundwork for capital to flow back to emerging brands hungry for funding

Beyond Meat aims for a resilient 2025 with cutbacks and investments

The company explores recapitalization options to secure growth and restore market confidence

Nestlé dials in on coffee and health sciences to boost profits

The company is betting big on high-growth categories to boost sales and cut costs

Startup Spotlight

Tips to survive a failed crowdfund campaign

Choosing a funding model that aligns with a brand’s growth trajectory can be just as crucial as the product itself

Startup Spotlight

Loopini’s pizza is packed with nutrition – but that’s not the selling point

Frozen pizza startup Loopini crafts premium pizzas enriched with protein and fiber from lupini beans — prioritizing taste over ingredients

VC funding 101: Habitat Partners discusses strategies to secure capital

CPG founders seeking venture capital funds in 2025 should prioritize capital efficiency and how they uniquely tackle business challenges to woo prospective investors

Potato power: Americana Foods and Farm Frites to ramp up MENA expansion with new US$100m plant

Americana Foods and Farm Frites have built a new manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia, as part of strategic growth plans in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Misha’s expands dairy-free cheese portfolio with Vertage acquisition

The plant-based cheese brand emerges out of lean operations with the acquisition of dairy-free brand Vertage

Vertical farming’s path to profitability, long-term planning and M&A shifts

Vertical farming success hinges on planning, economics, consistency and capital allocation

Flowers Foods to acquire Simple Mills for $795 million

The 2025 merger and acquisition starting bell rings as Flowers Foods is set to acquire the natural snack brand

Founders' Fundamentals

What CPG startups must know about debt financing in 2025

CPG startups searching for funding in 2025 should steel their nerves in the face of inflation and possible tariff increases

Biggest trends of 2024 and what to expect in 2025

M&A ‘frenzy’ in specialty ingredient industry could mark 2025 following multi-year lull

The specialty food and beverage ingredient industry is on the precipice of a “frenzy of M&A activity” after a multi-year lull with private equity and smaller companies leading the charge and larger, strategic players taking a backseat, predicts strategic...

Biggest trends of 2024 and what to expect in 2025

Letter from the editor: What to expect for packaged food & beverage in 2025

As 2024 ends and a new year begins, many US consumers are looking for control and comfort from the foods and beverages they buy as they continue to navigate rising prices, mounting food safety concerns and general discord from a divisive presidential...

Gavan Technologies raises $8m to commercialize Fatrix

Israeli food tech company Gavan Technologies is bolstering the commercialization of its plant-based fat Fatrix with an influx of venture capital funding.

Mondelez’s SnackFutures Ventures invests in Celleste Bio to scale cell-culture cocoa production

Cocoa-tech startup Celleste Bio may soon produce the same amount of cocoa butter from just one to two beans as traditional production methods currently produce from four tons of cocoa pods, thanks in part to an infusion of $4.5 million in seed funding...

Apothékary secures additional funding, bridges beverage, beauty categories

Apothékary continues its expansion in the wellness space, securing additional funding for its Series A round from global Japanese beauty brand Shiseido and launching on Ulta.com as the retailer’s first alcohol alternative product.

Donut brand Drumroll adds fuel to ‘rocket ship year’ with $3m in capital from 7 Mile Brands

Drumroll Snacks received $3 million in capital from CPG incubator 7 Mile Brands to fuel growth after a "rocket ship year," as the better-for-you sweet baked goods brand gears up to go after large national accounts like Whole Foods and Sprouts, the two...

11 startups disrupting dairy across categories from the farm to store shelf

Dairy’s nutrient density and decadent eating experience create a powerful canvas for startups innovating across categories to offer better-for-you moments of permissible indulgence while simultaneously supporting the health of consumers, the planet and...

Soup-to-Nuts Podcast

Steward’s novel lending model reinforces supply chains for regenerative, regionally produced ingredients and products consumers want

Consumer interest in products made with ingredients from regional smallholder farmers or those practicing regenerative agriculture is on the rise, but CPG companies and suppliers are struggling to meet their demand in part because most farmers are unable...

ADM on the farm: Building regenerative agriculture builds business opportunities

Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a powerful marketing concept with recent research by ingredient supplier ADM revealing most consumers familiar with the tenets are more likely to trust and buy from brands that support the practice.

Lil Bucks raises $3m in Series A funding to fuel retail growth, product innovation

Sprouted buckwheat food brand Lil Bucks secured $3 million in Series A funding in a round led by Proterra Investment Partners, following measures to extend its runway amid continued capital-raising challenges, company founder and CEO Emily Griffith told...

What are the barriers to innovation in food and beverage?

Many of food and beverage's greatest innovations are born from from start-ups. But why is innovation on a decline and what's the future of food and drink NPD?

Tyson Foods' ‘multi-protein, multi-channel strategy’ pays off, amid consumers trading down

Tyson Foods touted the benefits of its multi-pronged protein strategy at the 2024 Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference as the company continues shuffling its manufacturing capacity, closing and opening facilities.

David protein bars secure $10M backing, led by CPG veterans emphasizing nutrition over diet trends

Protein bar brand David’s founders, including RXBAR Co-founder Peter Rahal, attracted investors with their industry experience and an emphasis on protein as a science-backed, enduring macronutrient over fleeting diet trends, Rahal told FoodNavigator-USA

Startup Spotlight

Mission MightyMe’s snack puffs hit Target shelves, as brand aims ‘to drastically reduce the rate of nut allergies’

Children's snack brand Mission MightyMe is taking its first big step beyond ecommerce, launching in select Target stores, after raising $2.3 million earlier in the year to fuel growth and raise awareness on reducing peanut allergies by introducing the...

The Better Meat Co. receives $1.4m federal grant to commercialize mycoprotein Rhiza

Bioscience company The Better Meat Co. is scaling up production of its allergen-free mycoprotein Rhiza with the help of a recent US Department of Defense (DoD) grant, as the company prepares its next round of funding.

Snack attack: Is Mars’ $35.9bn bet on Kellanova the key to dominating the healthier snacks market?

The mega payout by Mars, Inc. for Kellanova is driven by the candy giant’s desire to expand its footprint in the fast-growing market for healthier snacks, which is underpinned by consumer preference that is shifting away from traditional packaged foods...

Mars to acquire Kellanova for $35.9bn in snack push, as M&A activity set to takeoff

Following media reports, candy and snack maker Mars is set to acquire Kellanova — the parent company of Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts and more — in an all-cash deal worth $35.9 billion, marking one of the biggest deals in food and beverage CPG history...

InvestBev moves into non-alc category, invests in Sèchey

Private equity firm InvestBev’s is making its first foray into the non-alcoholic category with an investment in Sèchey, a zero-proof wine, beer and spirits brand and marketplace.

Asentia navigates the road ahead: Challenges & opportunities in the alt protein sector

⁠The alternative protein industry offers immense opportunities for innovation and market expansion, but successfully navigating this complex landscape requires a balance of advanced R&D, strategic partnerships and a deep understanding of consumer...

[Podcast] Founders' Fundamentals: Greenwich Capital Group on negotiating everything from slotting fees to successful exits

To create a sustainable business, early-stage CPG companies must be prudent in how they spend their limited capital — being cautious on how much they pay in slotting fees — and ensure they maintain authenticity and their disruptor mentality when hitting...