In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
Scimplify, an Indian startup that connects ag and pharmaceutical companies to manufacturers of specialty chemicals, announced that it raised $40 million in its Series B round.
Grão Direto, a Brazilian digital trading platform, has raised $15 million in its Series B round.
GigaCrop, a plant biology startup, raised $4.5 million in its seed round.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund 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 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
- Some of SLoFIG's portfolio companies include:
- Soom
- Canopy Farm Management
- Fillo's Americas Made
- Village Farmstand
- Pear Chef
- Kitch FIX
- Prairie Wind Family Farm
- Phyter
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Arla Foods Ingredients Forms Partnership with Valley Queen | Food Business News
- Avalo Nets $11 Million, Partners with Coca-Cola on Climate Smart Sugar
- Regenerative Brand GoodSAM Foods Raises $9 Million
- Ingredion to Upgrade Iowa Facility in $50 Million Investment
- Colavita Expands with Deal for Pasta Maker
- AgZen Clinches $10 Million in Series A Round
- Yamaha Launches Ag Venture
- Nitricity Raises $10 Million for Organic Fertilizer Plant in California
UPCOMING EVENTS
Every Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday from 11:00 am - 12:15 pm PT
A series of in-depth conversations exploring the financing and mindset journeys of CPG companies, featuring CPG founders and industry experts. This event is FREE for all who register, allowing access to both the live events and the recordings through to May 31, 2025.
OSC/JEDI Peer Mentoring Circles for Women in Leadership in Natural Products
Applications are open for OSC's Women's Circles, a year-long peer mentoring circle designed to accelerate the advancement of female and/or women-identifying intersectional leaders through connection, shared experience, development, and peer to peer mentoring. For more information, visit their website.
Nominate someone amazing: Know a woman leader (Director-level+, excluding CEOs) who would thrive in this space? Nominate her here.
Naturally New England
Members Exclusive Online Workshop: How to Manage Demand Planning
Tuesday, March 18 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET
Join Naturally New England for an exclusive online workshop designed for early-stage CPG founders looking to build a strong foundation in demand planning. Led by Kevin Mannering, partner at RodeoCPG and co-founder of SnoBase (software to streamline your S&OP), this session will break down the fundamentals of forecasting, inventory management, and supply chain alignment. Attendees will gain practical tools and actionable strategies to integrate demand planning into their day-to-day operations, helping to optimize growth and reduce costly missteps. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from an industry expert and set your brand up for long-term success!
Who Should Attend?Speaker:
- Kevin Mannering, Partner and Chief Product Officer at RodeoCPG Inc.
Naturally NorCal
AI in CPG: Innovation Pipeline and Product Development
Tuesday, March 18 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT
Join Naturally NorCal for a panel discussion about how brands are using artificial intelligence for more effective product development and innovation pipeline planning. Industry experts will explore how AI is transforming the process from ideation to launch, sharing practical applications in market intelligence, consumer insights, concept testing and more. This session is perfect for anyone looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving CPG landscape—especially brand managers, product developers and innovation teams - and those looking to optimize resources.
Speaker:
Alexandra Crane, Senior Brand Director of Grove Collaborative
Naturally New England
Sweet Insights
Wednesday, March 19 | 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET
Location: Lake Champlain Chocolates Flagship Store, 750 Pine Street, Burlington, VT
Join Naturally New England for an exclusive and intimate tasting experience at Lake Champlain Chocolates, where you'll savor delicious chocolates and engage in an inspiring fireside chat with the leadership team behind the iconic brand. This event offers a unique opportunity to hear firsthand about the company's journey, values, and commitment to quality, all while enjoying a curated tasting of their finest chocolates.
Speakers:
- Eric Lampman, President at Lake Champlain Chocolates
- Allyson Myers, Director of Marketing & Customer Experience at Lake Champlain Chocolates
Naturally NorCal
QA & Operations Forum: March Meeting
Wednesday, March 19 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT
Connect, collaborate, and grow with our Forums—peer networking groups designed to bring together professionals in similar roles for meaningful connections, fresh insights, and actionable solutions to shared challenges.
The QA & Operations Forum leads are:
- Cheriene Griffith, Director of FSQA at Torn Ranch
- Nathan Wilson, Senior Manager Quality Assurance at Easton & Co
The QA & Operations Forum meets Wednesday, March 19, May 14, August 13, and October 8.
Naturally Colorado
Naturally Colorado & Just Be Kitchen Networking Collision
Wednesday, March 26 | 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. MT
Location: Just Be Kitchen, 2364 15th Street, Denver, CO 80202
Join Naturally Colorado's Collision Series of Networking Events – a low-key, relaxed series of no-registration-required connection opportunities where you'll run into old friends and connect with new contacts. Want a chance to meet more folks in the natural and organic products industry? Wear green if you can to help spot each other. This is a free event; pre-registration is available but not required. Keep an eye out for Naturally Colorado's board host, Rob!
Naturally Seattle
March CPG Connect: Celebrate Spring w/Naturally Seattle
Wednesday, March 26 | 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT
Location: Fast Penny Spirits, West Ewing Street 1138, Seattle, WA
Join Naturally Seattle to celebrate the arrival of spring, the success of their first three months as a chapter, and the final countdown to Naturally Rising applications!
Your ticket includes an exclusive VIP tasting experience of Fast Penny's unique Amaro collection!
Naturally Minnesota
March Founders Forum | Grant Writing Master Class
Thursday, March 27 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CT
Location: MidCity Kitchen, Raymond Avenue 693, Saint Paul
Join this Grant Writing Master Course for an in-depth exploration into securing funding designed for For-Profit and Non-Profit organizations. This course is tailored for novices and those with intermediate experience in grant seeking, delivering practical insights and actionable strategies to enhance your success rate.
Embark on a transformative journey through this two-part master class. Each segment is crafted to equip you with the tools and knowledge to write compelling grant proposals that effectively communicate your business's mission and objectives for requesting funding. Gain insider knowledge from a panel of successful grant recipients and seasoned funders who will share their experiences, funding trends, and best practices for securing business grants.
Naturally NorCal
Sales Forum: March Meeting
Thursday, March 27 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT
Connect, collaborate, and grow with our Forums—peer networking groups designed to bring together professionals in similar roles for meaningful connections, fresh insights, and actionable solutions to shared challenges.
This session will be a roundtable discussion to debrief on Expo West and dive into any other pressing concerns or new learnings that you want to share with the group.
The Sales Forum lead is Adam Biggs, CO-Founder of C2O Coconut Water and Vice President of Sales at Nova Naturals.