In This Issue:
- Food Venture Financing Trends
- CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Funds
Food Venture Financing Trends
- Liberation Labs, a precision fermentation startup, announced that it raised $20 million in seed funding. The company plans to use the funds for operations development.
- Mondelēz International announced that it plans to sell its gum business to Perfetti Van Melle Group, a leading European gum producer, for $1.35 billion.
- Moolec Science, a molecular farming tech company, began trading on Nasdaq on January 3, 2023 after the completion of its SPAC deal.
- International Flavors & Fragrances announced that it plans to sell its Savory Solutions Group to PAI Partners, a global private equity firm, for approximately $900 million.
CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund
This week's featured CPG Corporate Venture and Private Equity Fund is Lotus Bakeries' Corporate Venture Fund – Fast Forward 2032.
- Belgium-based Lotus Bakeries, owner of the Nakd snack bar and BEAR snacks brands, launched an incubator fund called Fast Forward 2032 ("FF2032"€) to invest in emerging U.S. and EU-based brands and growth companies.
- FF2032 primarily focuses on companies that specialize in sustainability and food technology innovation.
- The portfolio companies include the following:
- The Good Crisp Company, a US savory snacking brand
- Peter's Yard, a British brand of artisanal sourdough crackers, crisps, and crispbread
- Oot Granola, a Netherlands-based organic granola start-up
- Partake, a US brand of gluten-free and allergen-friendly cookies
- Love Corn, a US crunchy corn snacks brand
[View source.]