VF Corp Agrees to Sell Dickies, Bed, Bath & Beyond Buys Kirkland Home and More
Consumer VC Roundup #135 – Latest News in Emerging Consumer Brands, Tech & Commerce Enablement From the Week of September 8th
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Hey Everyone,
Thanks for joining us at the Embark Summit last week! We had a wonderful time featuring Nick Saltarelli from Mid-Day Squares, Yanni Hufnagel from Lemon Perfect and Chaz Flexman from Starday Foods. Thank you also to the Embark Summit team for collaborating with Lindsay, Marc, and me.
On to the news.
📰 Consumer News📰
Inflation climbed to 2.9% in August, the fastest pace this year, as jobless claims hit their highest level since 2021. The data adds pressure on the Fed ahead of its decision on cutting interest rates. RD
California lawmakers have passed SB 682, a bill phasing out “forever chemicals” in food packaging and certain consumer goods, now awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature by October 12. JD
The U.S. FDA has launched the FAERS (FDA Adverse Event Reporting System) public dashboard for cosmetics, providing real-time access to adverse event data to boost transparency and product safety oversight. GCIM
🧃Consumer Brands👚
💰Fundraises💰
Indian cultivated meat startup Biokraft Foods has raised ₹2 crore (about $230,000) in pre-seed funding led by GVFL. The company will use the capital to scale its proprietary 3D bioprinting technology and expand efforts to bring ethical, high-quality cultivated chicken to Indian consumers, replicating the structure, texture, and nutrition of conventional meat. VG
Alice Mushrooms has closed an oversubscribed $8 million Series A round, exceeding its $5 million target, to support retail expansion of its functional mushroom-infused chocolate products. BI
Dubai-based beauty company Amaani has raised $3 million in seed funding to expand its first brand, Aïza, across the Middle East and prepare for international growth. BI
OSEA Malibu has secured backing from General Atlantic to support international expansion and product innovation. BI
Romanian startup Terra Wave has secured a €1.2 million EU innovation grant to advance its proprietary fermentation technology. The funding will help the company scale industrial production of next-generation fermented proteins for use in meat, plant-based, and pet food products. VG
💸M&A💸
VF Corp. is selling its Dickies workwear brand to Bluestar Alliance for $600 million, with the deal expected to close by year-end pending approvals. RD
Bansk Group has acquired a majority stake in skincare brand Byoma from Yellow Wood Partners for an undisclosed amount. Founder and CEO Marc Elrick, along with the current leadership team, will continue to lead the brand under Bansk’s ownership. RD
Bed Bath & Beyond has completed a $10M acquisition of Kirkland’s Home brand assets, with plans to expand the brand into the wholesale market. RD
🚀Debuts, Distribution & Expansions🚀
Primark is expanding its U.S. presence with 18 new leases — including its first stores in Minnesota — as it marks 10 years in the country since opening in Boston in 2015. RD
Starbucks has opened its first Spanish flagship store inside Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium, featuring a Reserve Bar, mixology bar, lounges, and a marketplace across two levels. RTP
JCPenney has launched a limited-time Mackie: Bob Mackie apparel collection, featuring bold designs priced under $300 and available in sizes 2–24. RTP
Irreverent fragrance and personal care brand Laurel Bath House, led by co-founder and CEO David Teitelbaum, is minting millions by targeting men’s bathroom products and fragrance needs. BI
🪇Collabs🪇
Asos is partnering with TrusTrace to boost supply chain visibility down to the farm level. The platform will help improve traceability, compliance, and risk management across its global operations. RD
Vroom Delivery has partnered with Instacart to integrate Carrot Ads, bringing retail media opportunities to 3,500 convenience stores and connecting them with Instacart’s 7,500 brand advertisers. RTP
TikTok star Tinx has partnered with clean beauty brand Saint Jane to launch The Sex Elixir, expanding her focus on sexual wellness. BI
David’s Bridal will assume full production and retail operations for the Vera Wang Bride portfolio starting in 2026, expanding the line to all stores, online, and Diamond & Pearls boutiques, while also introducing accessories, gifts, and invitations. RTP
Univar Solutions Brasil has partnered with Best Value Chem to expand its personal care portfolio, introducing the BVSUN line of advanced sunscreen ingredients. The deal strengthens Univar’s position in Brazil, one of the world’s largest sunscreen markets. GCIM
🔻Closures, Bankruptcies & Downsizes🔻
Hain Celestial reported a $531m annual loss and plans to aggressively cut its portfolio, with interim CEO Alison Lewis citing steep revenue declines and a $496m impairment charge. JD
Stock Spirits will close its Hamburg, Germany factory, citing rising costs — a year after shutting another site in the country. JD
🛒eCommerce & Retail Tech🛒
💰Fundraises💰
Iris Finance has raised $6.2 million in seed funding to scale its AI-powered profit-planning platform for consumer packaged goods brands. BI
🚀Product Launches🚀
Albertsons has launched Google Cloud’s AI-powered Conversational Commerce agent in its store apps, enhancing product discovery, recommendations, and shopping experiences through its Ask AI tool. RTP
Thanks for reading!