In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
- Links to Relevant Content and Events
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Butternut Box, a European dog food startup, announced that it raised 75 million Euros in debt funding.
- Verdi, a Canadian agtech startup, raised $6.5 million in its seed round.
- Freshflow, a German food supply chain startup, raised 6.5 million Euros in its recent funding.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured corporate venture and private equity fund is Organic Food Incubator.
- Organic Food Incubator™ (O.F.I.) is a food manufacturer and incubator based in New Jersey. It has over 25 years of experience assisting other startups, restaurants, entrepreneurs, and small businesses gain the necessary assistance they need to strive in this industry.
- O.F.I. offers unique manufacturing solutions to businesses and entrepreneurs. The facility is available to produce food and beverage products for organic and conventional food companies who are in need of access to a commercially licensed, certified organic production space. The O.F.I. offers food consulting and product development to help new entrepreneurs grow and expand their concepts.
- Featured companies include:
- Hot Graham
- Jersey Barnfire
- Hellgate Farm
- Pallotta Hot
Links to Relevant Content and Events
ARTICLES
- Plant-Based Meat by Numbers: Grim Reading for the US Retail Market, Brighter Spots in Foodservice and Globally
- T. Hasegawa Creates Flavor Technology for Plant-Based Applications
- Newly Weds Foods Expands Tennessee Footprint
- TurtleTree Receives US FDA 'No Questions' Letter for Animal-Free Lactoferrin
- Verax Enters Partnership to Expand Domestic Sugar Supply
- Corteva: AI Can Transform Crop Protection to Replace 'Randomness and Chance' with 'Prediction, Specificity and Design'
- From Data to Dairy: How AI is Accelerating Product Innovation
- Cultivating Opportunity: Columbia Farm Services on the Future of Permanent Cropland Investment in the PNW
UPCOMING EVENTS
Naturally Chicago
Naturally Rising/Naturally Chicago Conscious Pitch Competition and Forum
Monday, June 2 | 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Venue SIX10, 610 S Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
Naturally Chicago invites you to join them for their biggest annual business-building event: brands pitch competition and finance & investment forum.
Naturally Seattle
Naturally Rising Seattle
Wednesday, June 4 | 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT
Location: Seattle University | Pigott Auditorium, 12th Avenue 901, Seattle, WA
Formerly known as Pitch Slam, Naturally Rising has evolved into a competition that not only showcases emerging, purpose-driven brands but also celebrates conscious leaders in the natural products industry.
The Naturally Rising pitch competition allows entrepreneurs to present their innovative product companies to WIN the ultimate prize package of cash and services - and advance as a national finalist at Newtopia Now!
Naturally Los Angeles
CPG Pickle Ball Party
Wednesday, June 4 | 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. PT
Location: Dignity Health Sports Park, Avalon Boulevard 18400, Carson, CA
LA's most exciting CPG brands, founders, and insiders will come together to connect—with a paddle in hand.
This is where CPG meets culture.
- Kick it off with a brand fireside chat to spark real convo
- Chill, community-first energy (no name tags, no pressure)
- Sampling + surprise activations from breakout and legacy brands
- Coaching by expert pickleballers if you're game to play
- And most importantly: genuine connections that actually matter
Whether you're building, scaling, or investing in the consumer goods space, this is the scene to be part of.
Naturally New England
Off The Beaten Path: Leadership Dinner
Thursday, June 5 | 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Location: King Arthur Baking Company, 135 U.S. 5, Norwich, VT
Naturally New England is going "Off the Beaten Path" in collaboration with Vermont Specialty Foods Association, for their next Leadership Table Dinner—this time to the iconic King Arthur Baking Company for their legendary Burger Night.
The evening kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with a behind-the-scenes facility tour, followed by a casual dinner and fireside chat with King Arthur's leadership team. Enjoy a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere as we gather for this unique New England dining experience.