The Consumer VC Roundup #92

The Latest News For the Emerging Consumer Ecosystem

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Hey friends,

I hope you had a great Halloween and ate a lot candy (if you enjoy candy)! If you’re in LA, we’re hosting a happy hour this Wednesday (11/6) where I’ll be chatting with retail strategist Vanessa Ting at MFD’s HQ. RSVP Here for Pumpkin Spice & Retail Advice.

Also, if you are enjoying the podcast (which, if you’re a subscriber here, I really hope you are) if you could leave a review on Apple Podcast, give a rating on Spotify (hopefully 5 stars), or subscribe on YouTube, that would really mean a lot. Also, I’m always looking for feedback on how to make the show better – so feel free to reach out.

Here’s the latest news in consumer from the week–

This Week In Consumer

🧃Consumer Brands👚

💰Fundraises💰

• 🌿 Macro Oceans, a seaweed extract supplier focused on providing sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals in the beauty industry, has raised $7.5 million in seed funding. To enhance its capacity and expertise, the company has also acquired Everything Seaweed, a seaweed processing and biomaterial supplier. BeautyIndependent

• 💰 Hydrosome Labs has secured $3.7 million in seed funding to scale its operations, expand sales efforts and continue to innovate. The company's patented process creates Hydrosome H2O ultrafine bubbles to deliver active ingredients to cells more efficiently and completely. GCIMagazine

• 🧴 Caldera + Lab, a men’s skincare brand known for high-performance, clean, and sustainable products, has raised $6 million in Series A funding led by HIPstr. The funds will be used to accelerate growth, enhance marketing efforts, expand retail presence, and drive research and development. BeautyPackaging

💸M&A💸

• 🍺 Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have acquired a majority stake in Wrexham Lager, a UK-based brewery, becoming co-owners alongside the Roberts family, who have held ownership since 2011. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. JustDrinks

• 🌸 SV Labs, a beauty contract manufacturing platform backed by San Francisco Equity Partners, has acquired Sigan Industries Group. This acquisition aims to diversify SV Labs’ capabilities and extend its geographic reach. Financial terms were not disclosed. BeautyIndependent

• 🥗 Hormel Foods has sold its Heath Labs business to Lyons Magnus, a global foodservice and ingredient manufacturer, although the sale price has not been disclosed. This sale is part of Hormel's strategy, along with other food manufacturers, to streamline their portfolios and concentrate on core brands for enhanced growth opportunities. FoodDive

🚀Debuts, Distribution & Expansion🚀

• ✨ Alaffia founder Olowo-n’djo Tchala has launched Ayéya, a new beauty and lifestyle brand available at Whole Foods. Focused on sustainability and empowering women, Ayéya features ethically crafted goods such as foaming hand soaps, bath bombs, body butters, shampoo and conditioner bars, and eco-friendly cleaning tablets. BeautyIndependent

• 🍬 Final Boss Sour, a gaming-themed healthier sour snack brand, has secured $3 million in seed funding. Created in-studio by Science Inc.—the VC firm known for brands like Liquid Death and Dollar Shave Club—the funding round was led by Science Inc. and included Aoki Labs (Steve Aoki's venture fund), F4 Fund, GFR Fund, Uncommon Denominator, as well as contributions from Jason Calacanis' LAUNCH Fund and The Syndicate. The brand leverages a social media-driven approach to engage its audience. PressRelease

• 🌶️ Daily Crunch, known for its sprouted trail mix and nut snacks, has announced the launch of its new Sweet & Spicy Sichuan Sprouted Cashews & Edamame. This bold "swicy" flavor is made in collaboration with Fly By Jing, famous for its premium Chinese condiments like the Sichuan Chili Crisp. The new snack will be available exclusively at Whole Foods Market nationwide starting in November and online at DailyCrunchSnacks.com and FlyByJing.com. PressRelease

• 🍫 Meiji Co. Ltd. has announced plans to invest $28 million in its North American subsidiary, Meiji America Inc., to enhance production capacity for the Hello Panda biscuit brand. This investment, aimed at fiscal 2025, will be directed toward Meiji America’s plant in Santa Ana, California. FoodBusinessNews

• 🧴 Garcoa Inc. has introduced a new private label brand, Daily Results, at PLMA 2024. This collection of personal care items aims to provide budget-conscious shoppers with affordable options that do not compromise on quality. GCIMagazine

🪇Collabs🪇

• 🤝 John Lewis has partnered with Dunnhumby to introduce an enhanced insights platform aimed at helping partner brands connect more effectively with shoppers. The John Lewis Partnership Insights Platform leverages AI and business intelligence to provide comprehensive insights into brand performance and category trends, supporting brands in refining their marketing strategies. RetailGazette

• 🛍️ Asos has enhanced its partnership with Hirestreet to introduce a new subscription rental service, claiming it to be “the biggest retailer-rental collaboration the UK market has seen to date.” Subscribers to Hirestreet can rent five garments each month for £75, selecting from over 20,000 Asos products. RetailGazette

• 🥚 PoLoPo, a molecular farming startup specializing in protein production using potatoes, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CSM Ingredients, a global ingredient-tech company, to develop egg protein powder for baking applications. This initiative addresses the widespread use of ovalbumin, the primary protein in egg whites, in commercial baking—essential for products like croissants and donuts. Vegconomist

• 🤝 Neutrogena is collaborating with TikTok-famous dermatologists Dhaval Bhanusali and Muneeb Shah to enhance brand engagement, drive R&D, and connect with consumers and influencers. Shah, who has his own Remedy skincare line, and Bhanusali, known for his celebrity clientele and social media presence, will help Neutrogena leverage the growing dermatological beauty trend focused on efficacy. GCIMagazine

• 🧼 Evolvetogether has teamed up with Goop to launch a plant-powered exfoliating bar soap that's 100% dissolvable and designed for low-to-zero waste. This collaboration aims to address the excessive waste generated by hotel amenities, particularly soap, which is the most-used personal care product in hotels. GCIMagazine

↪️Rebrands & Relaunches↩️

• 🤠 Coca-Cola is relaunching the Mexican soft drink brand Barrilitos in the U.S., initially targeting California and Texas, with plans for potential expansion into Nevada and Oklahoma. Originally launched in 1938, Barrilitos aims to cater to consumers seeking nostalgia, heritage, and authenticity in their beverage choices. FoodDive

• 🛍️ Harrods has relaunched its ecommerce platform as part of a comprehensive update to its digital operations. The luxury department store has teamed up with ecommerce specialist Scayle to enhance the online shopping experience, providing customers with a seamless journey. RetailGazette

🔻Closures🔻

• 🍾 Campari is planning to divest some of its brands due to ongoing challenges in the U.S. spirits market, where muted demand has led retailers to tighten their inventory. The company intends to simplify its portfolio by offloading certain brands while retaining priority ones like Aperol and Skyy Vodka. FoodDive

💻Consumer Software💻

💰Fundraises💰

• 🤖 Buddy.ai, a conversational AI tutor for kids, has raised €10.2 million in a seed funding round, bringing its total funding to €12 million. Led by BITKRAFT Ventures, the round also included participation from Educapital, One Way Ventures, J Ventures, Point72 Ventures, and Goodwater Capital, along with other angel investors. EUStartups

• 💡 Modash, a creator partnerships platform, has raised €11 million in a Series A funding round led by henQ VC, with returning investors from previous rounds. The funding will support advancements in Modash's platform, focusing on engineering improvements, their global influencer payment solution, and AI-enhanced creator search. EUStartups

• 🌐 Portugal-based Infraspeak has secured an €18 million Series B funding round to drive expansion of its facilities management platform. Led by Endeit Capital, with continued backing from Indico Capital Partners, Bright Pixel Capital, Caixa Capital, and Innovation Nest, the funding will support Infraspeak’s growth in Europe, Latin America, and Africa. TechEU

• 💰 Zinc, an edu-wealth startup, announced that it has raised $25.5 million in seed funding, led by Nexus Venture Partners, with participation from Quona Capital, EDBI, Global Ventures, and Saison Capital. BS

• 🛴 Infinite Machine, the New York-based electric scooter startup known for its eye-catching cyberpunk-inspired design, has secured $9 million in seed funding. Led by Andreessen Horowitz’s American Dynamism team, the round also saw participation from Adjacent, Necessary Ventures, and founders of Reformation, Replit, and Hugging Face. TechCrunch

• 🚗 Waymo, the autonomous vehicle venture from Alphabet, has completed a $5.6 billion Series C funding round to expand its robotaxi services beyond its current markets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. The round was led by Alphabet and included major investors such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Fidelity, Perry Creek, Silver Lake, Tiger Global, and T. Rowe Price. CNBC

• 🤖 Nir Zicherman and Michael Mignano, co-founders of Anchor (acquired by Spotify), have launched a new AI-powered educational startup called Oboe. Backed by a $4 million seed investment, Oboe aims to democratize learning through an intuitive platform combining AI, audio, and video to help users expand their knowledge. TechCrunch

• 🛍️ Lithuanian second-hand fashion marketplace Vinted has achieved a €5 billion ($5.4 billion) valuation following a €340 million ($367 million) secondary share sale. The transaction was led by private equity firm TPG, with participation from new investors including Baillie Gifford, FJ Labs, Hedosophia, Invus Opportunities, Manhattan Venture Partners, and Moore Strategic Ventures. TechCrunch

• ☁️ Decentralized social app Bluesky has raised a $15 million Series A funding round, building on its previous $8 million seed raise. This surge in investment aligns with recent growth as many users from X (formerly Twitter) join due to changes in the block feature and concerns over third-party AI training on public posts. Bluesky’s user base has grown by about 3 million in the past month, reaching a total of around 13 million. TechCrunch

• 🎮 Party Icons, a mobile-first gaming platform featuring three fully playable modes, has raised $9 million in its latest funding round, bringing its total funding to $20 million. Bitkraft Ventures led the investment, with participation from IDG Capital, Gam3Girl Ventures, Leap Capital, Mantle Network, King River Capital, Mask Network, Yield Guild Games, Zentry, 32-Bit Ventures, Ed3n Ventures, and Palm Drive Capital. VentureBeat

💸M&A💸

• 🐾 Rover, the dog care marketplace, has acquired Cat in a Flat, a cat-sitting community platform, expanding Rover's services into new European markets, including Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, and Ireland. TechEU

🛒eCommerce & Retail Tech🛒

• 🔥 Wildfire Systems Inc., an innovative financial technology platform that powers loyalty and reward programs, shopping companions, and content monetization, announced that it has secured $16 million in Series B funding. The round is co-led by Intuit Ventures and  Mucker Capital. In addition, new investors Cohen Circle, Samsung Next, Evolution VC, and Gaingels, plus existing investors participated in the round. PRNewswire

• ♚ Checkmate, a New York-based digital ordering provider for restaurants, has raised $10 million in a Series B funding round led by Tiger Global. The company plans to use the money to help grow one of its newest products: AI-powered phone and drive-thru ordering. RB

• 🛒 Cafeteria, a startup aimed at connecting teens with brands for feedback on strategy and product development, is launching its iOS app. The app allows young users to share insights directly with brands they’re interested in, providing an alternative to traditional methods like social media monitoring. TechCrunch

💰Funds Raising Funds💰

• 🫱🏻‍🫲🏾 BBG Ventures has raised a new $60 million fund and broadened its investment strategy to include diverse founders beyond just female entrepreneurs. With this latest fund, the firm aims to back a broader range of diverse founders, supporting startups led by individuals across various dimensions, including race, age, and income. Fortune