In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Alternative protein companies continue to attract substantial investments. Perfect Day, Inc., an alternative dairy protein startup, announced that it raised $350 million in its Series D round.
- New Age Meats, an alternative meat protein company, announced that it raised $25 million in its Series A round.
- According to recent data at SPINS presented at Natural Products Expo East, organic products sales and companies that focus on animal welfare are driving demand in the food and beverage space.
- The 2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard reported that large corporations are beginning to improve plastic pollution and sustainability goals, with Coca Cola receiving the highest marks.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
This week's featured program is The Sustainable Local Food Investment Group.
- The Sustainable Local Food Investment Group (SLoFIG) is a network of accredited independent investors who share the mission of using private investment to re-establish a robust and sustainable food system across the Chicago foodshed. It provides capital, expertise, and a network of contacts to start-up and early stage companies to help drive their success.
- SLoFIG invests in early stage companies along the entire food value chain:
- production / farming / urban ag
- processing / business services
- aggregation / distribution
- consumer packaged goods
- grocery / other retail
- food service / meal delivery
- waste / compost
- Investments by SLoFIG investors tend to range from $25k to $500k.
- Some of SLoFIG's portfolio companies include:
- Village Farmstand
- Pear Chef
- Kitch FIX
- Snackwerks
- Moon Meals
- Prairie Wind Family Farm
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Data Snapshot: Alt-Protein, Functional Foods Raise Record $1.4 Billion in H1 2021
- Ardent Mills to Buy Gluten-Free Firebird Artisan Mills
- Tofurky Partners With Triton Algae to Bring Its Ingredients to Plant-Based Meat
- Vytelle Raises $13 Million Series A Funding to Help Farmers Pick the Cream of the Cattle Crop
- Semios Raises $100 Million to Expand Agtech Platform Globally
- The Counter Asks if Cultivated Meat Is a Billion Dollar Boondoggle. It's a Question Worth Asking
- Agtech Startup Intelinair Secures $20 Million in Series B Financing
- Perfect Day Raises $350 Million to Expand Consumer and Enterprise Biology Platforms
- Foodtech Startup New Age Meats Raises $25 Million in Series A Funding
- Organic and Animal Welfare Claims Drive Sales, SPINS Finds
- 2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard
EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Naturally Network's upcoming events include:
October 21: 17th Annual Pitch Slam & Autumn Awards
See Naturally Boulder's events page for more details.
October 7: Funding Early-Stage Natural Businesses
October 28: Millennials Are Driving Our Industry... But Where?
See Naturally Chicago's events page for more details.
Please check out DWT's newly re-launched Startup Law Blog
At DWT, we are proud to have one of the largest Food & Beverage legal practices in the country, with over 40 attorneys representing food innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors at every level of the food chain, from Farm to Label.
The facts, laws, and regulations regarding COVID-19 are developing rapidly. Since the date of publication, there may be new or additional information not referenced in this advisory. Please consult with your legal counsel for guidance.
DWT will continue to provide up-to-date insights and virtual events regarding COVID-19 concerns. Our most recent insights, as well as information about recorded and upcoming virtual events, are available at www.dwt.com/COVID-19.