Hey friends,
If you’re at Newtopia Now this week, I hope you’re having a great time. This week’s roundup spans a celebrity beauty raise, a wave of M&A (Sazerac, Ferrero, and a Samsonite deal for BÉIS), some fun brand collabs, and a beverage shutdown just 18 months after launch. Here’s what’s happening in consumer.
Before we get into it, a word from our partner, The Hidden Gems.
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On to the news from the week:
💰 Fundraises 💰
Lindsay Lohan’s beauty brand, Linlo Beauty, is seeking to raise up to $5 million through a private securities offering. They have currently raised $250,000. The company is focused on beauty products including skincare and makeup - Beauty Independent
CardVault by Tom Brady, the omni-channel retailer that sells sports cards, TCGs (Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic), memorabilia, and branded merch, announced a strategic investor group to support its growth, raising funds for new store openings and technology enhancements. The company aims to expand from 17 to over 100 locations nationwide - PRNewswire VC
UNDO Gummies, a pre-alcohol gummy that’s designed to be taken before you drink alcohol to help prevent morning hangovers, raised $1 million and is launching in 900 Targets – Nosh
💸 M&A 💸
Sazerac is acquiring Au Vodka, a top-selling canned vodka brand in the U.K., to broaden its ready-to-drink portfolio and facilitate U.S. expansion. This acquisition follows Sazerac‘s recent strategy of acquiring brands in the ready-to-drink category, which has shown growth in the alcohol market - Food Dive
Ferrero Group has agreed to acquire Purely Elizabeth, an ancient grain wellness breakfast brand whose products include granola, oatmeal and cereal. Last September, Ferrero acquired WK Kellogg Co for $3.1B and are now adding Purely Elizabeth to their breakfast portfolio - ESM
BÉIS, a direct-to-consumer luggage brand, sold a majority stake to Samsonite for $210 million, marking Beach House Group’s largest exit.
Source: PRNewswire M&A
🚀 Debuts, Distribution & Expansion 🚀
Fabletics is expanding its College Shop to include licensed merchandise for 200 U.S. colleges, aiming to attract new customers and enhance its brand presence. The expansion follows successful initial results from a test with 100 schools, and Fabletics is targeting a revenue goal of $2 billion by 2030 – Modern Retail
Yoto, a screen-free audio platform for children ages 3 to 12+, is expanding its presence at Target, moving to the Play section and increasing its assortment of audio cards. The company reported $120M in revenue for 2024 and aims to provide a screen-free audio experience for children, appealing to families seeking alternatives to traditional gadgets. – Forbes
🚀 Product Launches & Collabs
Cadbury x Beauty? Cadbury has collaborated with Australian beauty brand MCoBeauty to introduce a Dairy Milk Watermelon chocolate bar along with a matching cosmetics collection, aiming to engage consumers in a playful way - FoodNav
Ritter Sport has launched a limited-edition Balla Bites chocolate bar in collaboration with Haribo, aiming to excite shoppers and expand distribution. This initiative represents a significant investment in the Ritter Sport brand, with millions of bars set to hit the market - FoodNav
Khloud has expanded to Plus Collagen Protein Chips, featuring 17 grams of protein per serving and available exclusively at Walmart. The chips include collagen for health benefits and come in various flavors - Food Dive
7UP is launching a new flavor, 7UP Lime Lemon, marking its first reformulation in over 15 years. The brand aims to appeal to consumers with a more pronounced lime flavor across its product range. This initiative is part of a strategy to strengthen its position in the lemon-lime category - FoodNav
Kraft Heinz has introduced lactose-free Philadelphia cream cheese and gluten-free Velveeta Shells & Cheese to meet consumer demands. The company is responding to trends for healthier options amid declining organic sales, which fell 3.4% in 2025 - Food Dive
AG1 launches Essential Gummies. AG1, one of the pioneers of the daily foundational nutrition drink with its single-SKU green powder, has now expanded into gummies - Fast Company
🔻Shut Downs🔻
Alex Cooper’s Unwell Beverages is shutting down after 18 months in business. Timeline: January 2025 – Launched nationwide into Target with three hydration SKUs. September 2025 – expanded into protein drinks. December 2025 full rebrand and launched a four-flavor energy drink line. They shut down the beverage business on August 13th, the day after Unwell Media raised at a $500m valuation – Bloomberg
Great news recap! I'm especially curious to see how Purely Elizabeth evolves under Ferrero. My question is how it will sit next to Kellogg's cereals, which Ferrero bought last year: the premium tier of one breakfast portfolio, or a brand kept deliberately apart? What do you think?