Temu Integrates with Shopify, YSE Beauty Raises $15M + more
Consumer VC Roundup #147 – Latest News in Emerging Consumer Brands, Tech & Commerce Enablement From the Week of December 15th 2025
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This Week In Consumer
📰 Consumer News📰
TJX, Ross and Burlington largely protected margins from new U.S. tariffs in Q3 by tightly managing inventory and pricing. TJX fully offset tariff pressure, while Ross and Burlington limited the impact through opportunistic buying and selective pullbacks. All three expect even stronger tariff mitigation in Q4. RD
The Starbucks “Red Cup Rebellion” barista strike, which began on Nov. 13, has spread to 130+ cities, involving 3,800 union workers at over 180 stores, with solidarity actions in major cities worldwide including London, Paris, and Toronto. RTP
Starting in 2027, Whole Foods will convert in-store food scraps into nutrient-rich chicken feed using Mill Commercial’s on-site technology, aiming to reduce waste, cut carbon emissions, and support a circular supply chain for its private-label egg suppliers. RTP
🧃Consumer Brands👚
💰Fundraises💰
YSE Beauty has raised $15 million in Series A funding led by Silas Capital, with participation from L Catterton and existing investors. The funding will support expansion across all U.S. Sephora stores and continued growth of the brand’s direct-to-consumer business. BND
💸M&A💸
Diageo has agreed to sell its 65% stake in East African Breweries (EABL) to Japan’s Asahi Group for $2.3 billion, marking Asahi’s largest investment in an African alcohol business. The deal includes Diageo Kenya Limited and its stake in spirits producer UDVK, while EABL will continue producing and distributing key Diageo brands under long-term licensing agreements. FBM
Office Depot has officially gone private after an $842 million acquisition by Atlas Holdings, valuing ODP’s retail and B2B operations at about $1 billion. The deal includes new leadership, with Craig Gunckel appointed CEO following the departure of Gerry Smith. RTP
Plus-size apparel retailers DXL and FullBeauty Brands have agreed to merge, with the deal expected to close in the first half of 2026. Led by FullBeauty CEO Jim Fogarty, the combined company will serve 34 million households, operate 296 stores and target $25 million in annual cost savings by 2027. RD
Italian plant-based food company Valsoia has entered the European kefir market by acquiring a 70% stake in Slovenia’s Kele & Kele for about €3 million, valuing the business at €5.4 million. The deal marks Valsoia’s move into dairy and fermented foods, with an option to acquire the remaining stake in the future. FBM
Gordon Brothers has acquired a majority stake in the Rachel Zoe brand’s intellectual property as part of its growth-through-licensing strategy. Rachel Zoe will remain a key shareholder and continue as founder, chief creative officer and board member. RD
🚀Debuts, Distribution & Expansion🚀
Saudi-born haircare brand Clara has launched in the UK with a range of colorful, tech-led hair tools designed for quick, effortless styling. Priced between £120 and £220, the tools feature universal voltage and are suitable for all hair types. BND
Ami Paris has opened its first Canadian store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, marking a key step in its North American expansion. The 970-square-foot flagship will carry menswear, womenswear, and accessories, signaling the brand’s aim to grow North America to 20% of its business. WWD
Polite Society has entered skincare with the launch of French Rose Milk Moisturizing Glaze Mist, a 3-in-1 serum-infused spray for hydration, prep, and makeup finishing. Formulated in Korea, the vegan, alcohol-free mist features French rose extract, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide for a dewy, glass-skin effect. BND
L.L. Bean plans to open eight new stores in 2026, including its first locations in Alabama and Tennessee, following strong performance from stores opened this year. The outdoor retailer also expects to add eight to 10 more stores in 2027 as it continues its retail expansion. RD
Kroger has rolled out digital screens in the wine and spirits sections of nearly 600 stores, using Looma’s in-store media network to boost sales and shopper engagement, following a successful pilot and Looma’s broader expansion across 1,100 retail locations. RTP
UK coffee brand Grind has opened its first railway station café at London’s Waterloo, expanding its travel retail presence. Developed with One Retail, the site adds to Grind’s partnerships with British Airways and Dubai International Airport and brings its total UK locations to 15. RM
Walmart has launched drone delivery from six stores across metro Atlanta, expanding its partnership with delivery tech company Wing. The service covers groceries, household essentials and over-the-counter medicine, signaling Walmart’s push to make drone delivery a practical, everyday option for shoppers. RD
Wine Enthusiast has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Manhattan’s SoHo, offering wine lifestyle products like refrigerators, furniture, and glassware, marking a strategic step to complement its long-standing DTC and editorial presence. RTP
Von Maur will open its first New Jersey store next fall at Freehold Raceway Mall, taking over a former Nordstrom space. The 164,000-square-foot, three-level location will be the chain’s 40th store, continuing its steady expansion while many department store rivals downsize. WWD
Clarks has opened its first U.S. Cloudsteppers store in Corpus Christi, Texas, marking the brand’s shift from flip-flops into a broader lifestyle concept. Cloudsteppers is adding apparel, accessories and a new mens line, with more than 10 additional stores planned across the U.S. and Asia in 2026. RD
Universal Music Group has expanded its UMusic Shops with new locations in New York and London, offering fans exclusive merchandise, artist-inspired collections, immersive experiences, and pop-ups, joining existing shops in Madrid and Tokyo. RTP
🪇Collabs🪇
Ruggable has partnered with Anthropologie to launch a new rug and doormat collection available online and in Anthropologie Home Design Centers. The collaboration includes seven tufted rugs and three doormats at accessible-to-premium price points and reflects Ruggable’s broader distribution expansion strategy. RD
Uber Direct has partnered with Shopify to offer U.S., Canadian, and French merchants on-demand delivery options—like one-hour, same-day, and scheduled deliveries—directly at checkout, helping retailers boost sales during peak moments while keeping costs and complexity low. RTP
🔻Closures, Bankruptcies & Downsizes🔻
iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will be acquired by its main Chinese manufacturer, Picea, through a restructuring deal. The agreement wipes out most of iRobot’s debt, but shareholders will receive nothing, and the company will go private and delist from Nasdaq. RD
U.S. vertical farming company AeroFarms will cease operations and close its Virginia facility after its largest investor withdrew funding, resulting in the loss of 173 jobs. FBM
Rad Power Bikes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans to sell the business within 45–60 days, while continuing operations to preserve relationships with riders, suppliers, and partners. TC
💻Consumer Software💻
Coursera will acquire Udemy in a $2.5 billion all-stock merger, combining two major online learning platforms to strengthen growth and shareholder value, with the deal expected to close next year pending approvals. TC
Google has launched Gemini 3 Flash, a fast and affordable version of Gemini 3, making it the default in the Gemini app and AI search, with strong benchmark performance rivaling top models like Gemini 3 Pro and GPT-5.2. TC
MoEngage raised an additional $180 million in its Series F round, bringing total funding to $280 million, to expand its Merlin AI platform, grow teams across North America and EMEA, and pursue strategic acquisitions, while also completing a $15 million employee and investor liquidity event. PRN
Radiant Nuclear has raised over $300 million for its semi-sized 1 MW reactor, valuing the company at more than $1.8 billion, in a funding round led by Draper Associates and Boost VC, amid a surge of investment in nuclear startups driven by growing tech and data center power demands. TC
Australian medtech Ferronova raised $6 million to advance its nanoparticle image-guided surgery technology, designed to improve cancer cell detection and reduce recurrence risk; the Series A round brings total funding to $17.5 million, supporting ongoing trials in stomach and esophageal cancers with plans to expand research to the U.S. PRN
Google’s vibe-coding tool Opal is now integrated into the Gemini web app, letting users create custom AI-powered mini apps, called Gems, through a visual editor that converts natural language prompts into app workflows without coding. TC
🛒eCommerce & Retail Tech🛒
Temu has launched a Shopify app allowing nearly 3 million U.S. merchants to list and sell products directly on its marketplace, aiming to expand its U.S.-based assortment amid rising import costs and regulatory scrutiny. RTP
Target is launching a new shopping app within ChatGPT, letting users get product ideas, build baskets, shop for groceries, and choose fulfillment options like curbside or in-store pickup, with future features including same-day delivery and Target Circle integration. MR
Bookkeeper360 launched a mobile and web app featuring BOLT, its AI-powered virtual CFO, providing small businesses with real-time financial insights, personalized guidance, and seamless integration with QuickBooks, Xero, and Gusto. BW
Urban Outfitters’ parent company URBN is adopting Inspectorio’s AI-powered supply chain platform to navigate complex global regulations, including France’s Anti-Waste Law, the EU Deforestation Regulation, and upcoming Digital Product Passport rules. RTP
Thanks for reading!