The Consumer VC Roundup #72
The Consumer VC Roundup #72
Consumer News & Community Events Update
Hey friends,
Hope you had a great weekend. This month we will be producing FIVE consumer coffee events around the country and working to expanding these into other markets. We launched Chicago’s edition last week and I heard it was a good time! Please note on the events, we’re prioritizing consumer operators/founders, investors, retailers and distributors. If you’d like to get involved and set one up in your town, feel free to shoot me an email and I’ll see what I can do!
This issue is brought to you by Propeller Industries.
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To learn more about The Consumer VC sponsor opportunities, you can email me.
Morning Series
🏔️☕️ Peak Roast Morning Meetup - Salt Lake City, UT
📆 Tuesday, June 18th
🕗 8:00am-10:00am MTN - SIGN UP HERE
Partners: Founders N’ Funders, Forecastr
☕️ Consumer Chi Coffee Club - Chicago, IL
📆 Thursday, June 20th
🕗 9:00am-11:00am CST - SIGN UP HERE
Led by Nikki Gryll
☕️ Consumer Sunrise - Los Angeles, CA
📆 Thursday, June 20th
🕗 8:00am-10:00am PST - SIGN UP HERE
Led by Mike Gelb
🍿☕️ Consumer Brews: Fancy Edition - New York, NY
📆 Monday, June 24th
🕗 8:00am-10:00am EST - SIGN UP HERE
Partners: VHS Ventures, J.P. Morgan, ForceBrands, Secure CPG, Propeller Industries, Manufactured
☕️ Wake Up! CPG - Austin, TX
📆 Thursday, June 27th
🕗 8:30am-10:30am CST - SIGN UP HERE
On to the latest consumer update –
📚Weekly Reads📚
🛒 Recent data shows a decrease in consumer spending, reflecting worries about the economy and leading to more careful spending plans, as noted by Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and a KPMG survey, revealing a disparity between consumer optimism about personal finances and doubts about the impact of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. CNN Business
🥤 Poppi, the prebiotic soda brand, is facing a class-action lawsuit for alleged false advertising claims regarding its "prebiotic" benefits, with the complaint filed in a California district court seeking aggregate claims exceeding $5 million, despite the brand's defense of its use of agave inulin as a natural, soluble fiber. Food Dive
💻Consumer Software💻
🥦 YoLa Fresh, a Moroccan-based startup that directly connects smallholder farmers with traditional retailers of fruits and vegetables, has had a significant growth and $7 million in pre-Series A funding for the company. Tech Crunch
🛍️Consumer Brands🛍️
🥛Israeli biotech companies Miletus and Yotvata Dairy are collaborating to develop Miletus's Imilac as an antibiotic alternative in dairy products, with Yotvata investing in improving dairy farm management systems. Food Dive
💸M&A💸
🥤 Suja Life, the leading functional wellness platform and parent company of Suja Organic and Vive Organic, announced its acquisition of Slice, the soda brand, as they aim to offer beverages that provide incremental health benefits with low sugar and clean ingredients. Business Wire
💄 Estée Lauder, the beauty brand whose portfolio includes La Mer, Clinique and Tom Ford Beauty, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Canadian group Deciem Beauty Group, which includes the cosmetics brand The Ordinary. Fashion Network
🥹Debuts🥹
👨👩👧👦 Kinnect, a new startup aims to help people privately save generational memories, traditions, recipes and more. The company’s app lets people create invite-only spaces where they can share images, videos, audio, text and more with their entire family. Tech Crunch
🥜 Jif, the peanut butter and snack brand, is introducing a peanut butter and chocolate flavored spread, its biggest flavor innovation in nearly a decade, featuring 50% less sugar than the leading hazelnut spread and a smooth texture ideal for desserts, snacks, and meals. Food Dive
👗 Shein, the Chinese online fast fashion giant, is launching "Shein Exchange," a second-hand clothing resale platform in France, followed by the UK and Germany, allowing users to resell only Shein-purchased clothing, unlike other platforms like Vinted. Fashion Network
🛍️ Alexandra Gucci Zarini, an Italian-born, Los Angeles-based entrepreneur and granddaughter of Aldo Gucci, has opened her first Beverly Hills boutique at 479 North Rodeo Drive, pledging a percentage of sales and 20% of profits to grassroots charities supporting children and women. Fashion Network
💰Funds Raising Funds💰
📈 Squared Circles, a consumer-focused venture studio developing science-based brands, has closed a $40 million Series A funding round led by L Catterton, with plans to launch and scale at least five more health and wellness brands over the next three years. PR Newswire
🏪Distribution Expansion🏪
✨ Fara Homidi, the Indie beauty brand popular among niche circles and models like Paloma Elsesser and Hailey Bieber, is now launching in Sephora to reach a wider audience. Business of Fashion
🪞 Glossier, formerly the direct-to-consumer favorite, will now be available in 70 Mecca stores starting July 16, as Australia becomes the next step in its global ambitions. Business of Fashion
💄 Revolution Beauty, the UK-based cosmetics brand, has broadened its range of products available on Amazon, now offering over 300 new items. Beauty Packaging