Keurig Dr. Pepper Plans to Split, Recess Raises $30mm, ShopMy Raises $70mm & more
Consumer VC Roundup #140– Latest News in Emerging Consumer Brands, Tech & Commerce Enablement From the Week of October 27th
Glimpse and PRESENCE Marketing announce official partnership
PRESENCE, the US’s largest natural and organic CPG brokerage service provider, has announced their official partnership with Glimpse, allowing brand partners to leverage automated deductions management technology that saves time and recovers more revenue lost to invalid distributor and retailer chargebacks.
“We’re constantly looking for innovative partners that drive real results for our clients,” said Andi Hendricks, VP of Professional Services at PRESENCE. “Glimpse’s AI technology directly addresses one of the biggest challenges our brands face, deductions, empowering them to recover revenue faster and focus on growth.”
To help brands experience the platform firsthand, Glimpse offers a risk-free trial, including a 12-month audit look-back and dedicated recovery team to ensure success.
Hey everyone,
I wanted to share some news about what we’ve been building with our CVC Live Series. A couple of weeks ago, we hosted our first all-day summit in Austin, TX.
We’ve produced events in Austin before, but this one was different — a full day of eight content sessions running from 9AM to 6PM. We didn’t know what to expect but the response blew us away.
Founders and investors flew in from LA, NYC, DC, San Diego, Washington State, Florida, and Chicago just to be in the room. And Austin welcomed us with open arms.
If I’m honest, Austin was our test run – and it passed with flying colors.
For next year, we’re planning to take CVC Live on the road – targeting four cities, with a mix of half-day and full-day events.
We believe what we’re building with CVC Live is different from any other event series out there. Our mission is simple:
👉 Bring together compelling companies and capital.
👉 Connect consumer and commerce founders with investors who can help them grow.
Success for us isn’t just about packed rooms — it’s about real outcomes. When we hear investors say they met or reconnected with a company at one of our events and actually invested, that’s the win — and that’s already happening.
CVC Live is becoming a channel for investors to source new opportunities — and our job is to curate the right room.
💭 We’d love your input: what city should we bring CVC Live to next?
🤝 Also, if you’d like to partner with us and sponsor this series, happy to chat!
On to This Week in Consumer –
This Week In Consumer
📰 Consumer News📰
Ulta Beauty’s new UB Marketplace is aimed at boosting its online presence, but the launch has sparked customer backlash as shoppers express frustration over limited information and the inability to use rewards on marketplace purchases. BI
At Home has emerged from Chapter 11, eliminating nearly $2B in debt while securing $500M in new financing from its lender owners. The furniture retailer now operates 229 stores across 39 states, down from 260 before the bankruptcy filing. RD
Tsingtao Brewery has canceled its planned acquisition of Jimo Yellow Wine Factory, saying conditions for completion weren’t met and it won’t be held liable for terminating the agreement. JD
🧃Consumer Brands👚
Recess, the category pioneer and leader of the relaxation beverage space, has raised $30 million in Series B funding, led by CAVU Consumer Partners, and appointed Kyle Thomas as President & Co-CEO. This investment will help scale operations, expand retail, and boost marketing efforts. CAVU’s backing follows its successful investment in poppi, which was recently acquired by Pepsi for $1.95 billion. BW
Iris Ventures has made a multimillion-dollar minority investment in Goddess Maintenance Co., a biotech beauty brand focused on innovative hair care through a new category called “bioprotection.” Founded by Denise Russell, Edward Connaghan, Lauren Vesler, and Manda Mason, the company aims to redefine professional hair care with science-backed solutions, leveraging the founders’ experience from brands like Olaplex and K18. PRN
Unilever has sold Kate Somerville to Rare Beauty Brands as part of its strategy to streamline its prestige portfolio. Kate Somerville — known for clinic-backed, results-driven skincare — will continue to grow under Rare Beauty Brands’ leadership. BM
As the fragrance category continues to surge, Snif — now nearing $40M in sales and fresh off new funding — is betting on further growth with a new subbrand and playful “fragrances as toys” concepts as it aims to solidify its place among future category leaders. BI
Jennifer Krouse is launching Aunu, a skincare brand centered on medical-grade Mānuka honey, in partnership with Comvita. The EWG-verified product lineup includes a cleanser and cream, aiming for $5 million in sales in its first year. Aunu is marketed directly to consumers and through dermatologists, highlighting Mānuka honey’s unique properties, with plans for expansion into areas like acne treatment and pet care. WWD
Keurig Dr Pepper secured a $7B investment from Apollo and KKR to support its purchase of JDE Peet’s and its plan to split into two U.S.-listed companies. $3B will fund its soft drinks unit, while $4B will support a new joint venture for K-Cup and single-serve coffee manufacturing. JD
Hanni, the body care brand sold at Sephora, has raised $2M in a round led by Melitas Ventures with Cult Capital and Rodeo GP, bringing its total funding to $9M as it looks to expand its retail presence. BI
Yuv, a hair color tech startup, secured the largest deal in “Dragon’s Den” history — valuing the company at $33M after investors competed to back founder Francisco Gimenez. BI
Cymbiotika, the supplement brand, is expanding into big-box retail with a chainwide launch at Target as it surpasses $200M in sales. BI
Unfabled, the women’s wellness startup, has raised $1.7M and is expanding into 737 Boots stores across the UK — a rapid scale-up since launching in 2021. With a community-led approach to women’s health, the brand’s Essentials supplements are becoming high-street bestsellers, turning social buzz into major retail traction. RT
Saje Natural Wellness has entered Ulta Beauty stores in its first U.S. retail partnership, supporting the brand’s expansion as it targets $250M in revenue. BI
Amazon will cut about 14,000 corporate jobs as it simplifies its structure and prepares for changing workforce needs driven by AI. Impacted employees will have a chance to apply for internal roles before receiving severance if they can’t or don’t transition. RD
Sweet Chemistry raised $1M to fuel its next-gen, peptide-focused skincare, tapping into growing investor demand for science-backed beauty brands. BI
Target is eliminating about 1,800 corporate roles — 1,000 layoffs plus 800 open positions — as it restructures its headquarters. Store and supply chain jobs won’t be affected, and impacted staff will receive pay, benefits and severance through early January. RD
Fazit, the viral glitter freckle brand favored by Taylor Swift, is expanding internationally as its trendy makeup patches gain global demand. BI
Taste Tomorrow Ventures has made a minority investment in U.S. ready-to-drink coffee brand Happy Products to support its retail expansion, product innovation, and overall growth. JD
SEV Laser, a med-spa chain focused on accessible laser hair removal, has rapidly expanded to over 50 locations across the U.S. BI
E.l.f. Cosmetics is the first brand to test Twitch’s new shoppable livestream ads, letting viewers buy products directly without leaving the stream. Powered by Amazon Ads, the integration launches on E.l.f.’s own Twitch channel and aims to boost conversions as platforms push deeper into social commerce. RD
Esme Mancia, the El Salvador–born creator behind iconic products like Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and Stila’s Kitten Eye Shadow, has launched her own makeup brand to craft her next cult favorites. BI
Gently Soap, founded by Kristen Dunning and featured on “Shark Tank” and Oprah’s Favorite Things, is launching in Walmart just two years after its dorm-room start. BI
Carter’s will lay off about 300 corporate employees and shut 150 stores in North America over the next three years as tariffs severely cut into profits. The retailer reported an 80% drop in Q3 net income and over a 60% decline in operating income. RD
Cycling Frog’s THC seltzers are now available for delivery on Gopuff in Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Florida. Customers 21+ can order these refreshing drinks made with real fruit juice directly through the app, with delivery in as fast as 15 minutes. Peter Click, VP of Sales, highlights the brand’s mission to normalize THC consumption, making it easier for consumers to enjoy these beverages during fall sports and holiday celebrations. PRN
💻Consumer Software💻
Bending Spoons — the Italian software firm behind Evernote, MeetUp, and WeTransfer — is acquiring AOL from Yahoo after securing $2.8B in debt financing. Once an internet giant, AOL now mainly runs a web portal and email service, having recently ended its dial-up era. TV
DRUO, a direct-debit payments network connecting over 10,000 financial institutions and nearly 1M users across the U.S. and Latin America, has raised a seed round led by Global PayTech Ventures. The funding will support global expansion to 30+ countries in 2026 as the company works to reduce payment processing costs and improve access by enabling low-fee, secure bank-to-bank transactions. PRN
Sweatpals, a social fitness platform focused on community-building through wellness experiences, has raised $12M in seed funding led by Patron, a16z speedrun, and HartBeat Ventures. The company will use the capital to scale nationally and expand its tools for gyms, studios, and independent hosts to create fitness-based social communities, tapping into the growing trend of wellness as the new way people connect. PRN
SavvyMoney, a financial wellness and growth platform serving more than 1,500 financial institutions, has secured a $225M minority investment co-led by PSG and Canapi Ventures, with continued backing from Spectrum Equity. The funding will accelerate product innovation and go-to-market expansion as the company continues helping banks, credit unions, and fintechs enhance customer financial health through real-time credit insights, personalized offers, and integrated lending experiences. PRN
Flamingo has emerged from stealth with OpenFrame, an AI-powered open-source platform designed to transform the $380B managed service provider market. More than 1,000 MSPs — representing about 3% of the industry — have joined the waitlist, with 150+ already testing and collaborating through Flamingo’s community. Built to improve the razor-thin margins MSPs face, OpenFrame aims to reduce vendor dependency and automate repetitive IT work, helping providers scale more efficiently and profitably. PRN
Snabbit, an on-demand home-help startup in India, has raised $30 million, increasing its valuation from $80 million to $180 million in five months. Founded in 2024, it offers services like cleaning and laundry through a 5,000-strong women-led workforce, achieving over 10,000 daily bookings and 300,000 total customers. Snabbit plans to expand further across major cities. TC
🛒eCommerce & Retail Tech🛒
ShopMy, a curated commerce infrastructure company, has raised $70 million, achieving a valuation of $1.5 billion. Led by Avenir and backed by investors like Bain Capital Ventures and Bessemer Venture Partners, ShopMy aims to support premium brands and consumers through a unique marketing system designed for sustained engagement rather than quick campaigns. Initially serving creators, the company has expanded to include brands and now directly caters to consumers. PRN
Drivepoint, an AI-powered financial planning platform that secured $7M in Series A funding in August, is now focused on helping beauty and personal care brands with over $100M in annual revenue streamline finance and demand planning. BI
Lula Commerce raised an $8M Series A led by SEMCAP AI, bringing its total funding to over $16M. The company provides AI-powered digital commerce tools for more than 2,000 convenience retailers, helping them offer online ordering, pickup, and delivery across platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub. GNW
Thanks for reading!