The Consumer VC Roundup #74
News & Events for the Emerging Consumer Community
Hi friends,
Hope you’re having a great week. Just got back from New York City and will be heading back their next week for Fancy Food. Hit me up if you plan on being in New York. If you’re in Chicago or Los Angeles – tomorrow morning (Thursday) we have our consumer morning meetups. Also, when I was in New York, I learned about a new sport called Padel Haus. As someone who loves playing tennis, I’m curious to try it. If you’ve been to their club in Brooklyn, let me know what you think about the game. Anyways, now for the latest news in emerging consumer + events that are coming up.
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Morning Consumer Series
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💻Consumer Technology💻
💰Fundraises💰
🤳 Stanly, the innovative platform for fans to connect, engage, and celebrate their favorite fandoms, has raised $8 million in pre-Series A funding. The round was led by Adrian Cheng's C Capital, with participation from AppWorks, Goodwater, Palm Drive Capital, and others. PRNewswire
🎮 D-Drops, a WEB3 gaming startup based in Utrecht, recently announced it has secured €500K in pre-seed funding led by ROM Utrecht, becoming the first Dutch government-backed crypto startup. SiliconCanals
🧃Consumer Brands👚
💰Fundraises💰
🥗 Tender Food Inc., a foodtech company based in the Greater Boston Area, has closed over $11 million in Series A funding. Additionally, Mike Messersmith, former North American President of Oatly, has joined its board of directors to accelerate commercialization. Vegconomist
🥦 THIS, a fast-growing brand known for its "hyper-realistic" plant-based meats, has closed a £20 million Series C funding round through primary and secondary equity financing from Planet First Partners. Vegconomist
💸M&A💸
🍜 DayDayCook acquired Omsom
DayDayCook, which began as a recipe content company and expanded to selling Chinese cuisine CPG product lines. They’ve been on a tear with acquisitions – buying Nona Lim and Yai’s Thai last year. Omsom is famous for selling instant noodle kits. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. DayDayCook stated that this acquisition, along with its expanding portfolio, moves it closer to becoming a leading force in the Asian food industry. JustFood
🏡 Havenly acquired St. Frank.
Havenly, the Denver-based design company, has expanded its fast-growing portfolio again. Just two months after acquiring The Citizenry, it has now acquired whole-home brand St. Frank. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. BusinessOfHome
💰 Phoenix Retail bought Express and Bonobos out of bankruptcy for $174 million
Phoenix Retail is a joint venture including WHP Global and mall owners Simon Property Group, Brookfield Properties, and Centennial. The deal, approved by the court, includes $136 million in cash and $38 million in assumed liabilities, ensuring 450 stores remain open and preserving 7,000 jobs. RetailDive
🍺 Athletic Brewing acquired a second San Diego facility
The nonalcoholic beer category leader expands its manufacturing and capitalize on the growing demand for its brews. FoodDive
🏷️ Groupe Rocher has entered exclusive negotiations to sell its Ploërmel factory to Arcade Beauty.
Since September, Groupe Rocher has been in discussions with various potential buyers before deciding on Arcade Beauty for the sale of its Ploërmel perfume production site.
↪️Rebrands↩️
🩸 Stix, the reproductive and vaginal health company, rebrands as Winx Health, with Kerry Washington joining as an investor and adviser. The company is introducing a new name, look, and fresh products. WWD
🚀Debuts, Distribution & Expansion🚀
💄 Olive Tree People Inc. has unveiled Olive Rose, a pioneering 'no-makeup' makeup brand centered around hydroxytyrosol. Launching in October 2024, Olive Rose promises a completely fresh skin experience. BeautyPackaging
🍹 Cali Cocktails, a new ready-to-drink (RTD) brand created by American rapper Snoop Dogg, was launched after partnering with wine producer 19 Crimes. Inspired by his laidback Cali lifestyle, the 9% ABV cocktails come in two flavors: Smokin’ Strawberry Margarita and Long Beach Lemonade. SpiritsBusiness
🪞 CoverGirl, the cosmetics brand under Coty, has introduced six new skincare-infused primers and luminizers to the TruBlend family. These new products are designed for mixing and matching to treat and prepare the skin. BeautyPackaging
🩱 Skims, the Kim Kardashian-founded athleisure brand, will open an additional four stores in 2024 and flagship locations in New York and Los Angeles at a future date. RetailDive
🧴 e.l.f. Skin has launched its Skin Bronzing Drops on its ecommerce site as well as at Target and Walmart. Key ingredients include vitamin E and sunflower seed oil, known for their skin-friendly benefits. GCIMagazine
💆🏻 Jake Paul, influencer and boxer, has launched W, a vitamin-infused men's personal care brand, at Walmart. The brand name "W" nods to "the win" and joins other celebrity-backed men's care brands at Walmart, such as The Shop by LeBron James and Maverick Carter's The SpringHill Company. GCIMagazine
👩🏽🦱 Niles + Chaz, a vegan, organic, cruelty-free hair care line for children of mixed heritage, is led by actor Mike Colter and former entertainment executive Iva Colter. Launched direct-to-consumer, the range boasts 90% naturally derived ingredients, according to the brand. GCIMagazine
💄 Polite Society, the new brand by Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson, creators of Too Faced Cosmetics, is expanding its product lineup with a new setting powder and eyeshadow palette. The More Than A Pretty Powder and V.I.P Very Important Palette will debut on June 20 on their website and on June 23 at Ulta. BeautyPackaging
🪮 Function of Beauty, the hair care brand, has partnered with Amazon Beauty to reach more customers, offering its Target product line, bundles, and kits. The brand also launched its new Function of Beauty Pro lines, now available on its website and at Sephora. BeautyPackaging
🧀 Miyoko’s Creamery, the vegan plant milk butter and cheese brand, has introduced two new flavors of its Oat Milk Butter: Garlic Parm and Cinnamon Brown Sugar. These additions cater to both dairy and non-dairy consumers, continuing the brand’s commitment to simple ingredients and traditional creamery methods. Vegconomist
🌿 Made With Plants, an Australian company producing meat and dairy alternatives, has announced it is expanding into over 500 Coles stores across the country. Vegconomist
🍫 Mummy Meegz, a UK-based vegan chocolate brand, has launched 'M'z Gems', fully vegan alternatives to M&M's in Chocolate and Peanut flavors, mimicking a confectionery classic. Vegconomist
🍺 Garage Beer, one of the fastest-growing beer brands in the country, has partnered with Jason and Travis Kelce as significant owners and operators. Founded in their home state of Ohio, Garage Beer is celebrated for its small-batch brewed classic light beer and has seen rapid growth across the nation. PRNewswire
🪇Collabs🪇
🐟 Steakholder Foods, Alt proteins and 3D printing innovator has announced a partnership with gourmet fish delicacies brand Sherry Herring to commercialize a new line of vegan fish salads in Israel. Vegconomist
🍳 The EVERY Co., a US biotech company, has partnered with Canada’s Landish Foods to launch FERMY, a new line of ready-to-mix protein powders for beverages featuring precision fermentation-derived egg white protein. Vegconomist
🛒eCommerce & Retail Tech🛒
💰Fundraising💰
💰 Finaloop, the real-time e-commerce accounting platform, has announced the completion of a $35 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with additional investments from Vesey Ventures, Commerce Ventures, and existing investors Accel and Aleph. PRNewswire
💳 Clip, Mexico's top digital payments platform, has secured a $100 million investment from Morgan Stanley Tactical Value (MSTV) and a major West Coast mutual fund manager. This investment values Clip similarly to its Series D round in 2021. PRNewswire
🏗️ Constructor, the leading AI-powered product discovery and search platform for enterprise ecommerce, announced it has closed a $25 million Series B round led by Sapphire Ventures as well as participation from existing investor Silversmith Capital Partners. PRNewswire
⚙️ Whoosh, Inc., a leading club operations software solution, announced the closing of its $10.3 million Series A funding round led by AlleyCorp. Other investors include 8VC, Alaris Capital, Bienville, Craft Ventures, Eberg Capital, Operator Partners, and Raptor Group. PRNewswire
Thanks for reading!