Beckham Launches BFY Candy Brand, Phlur Seeks Buyer 👀

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CPG WIRE
June 17, 2025

Welcome back to This Week in CPG, folks. Here’s what we’re covering this morning:

  • Lavazza weighs merger ☕️

  • Paine Schwartz buys distributor 🚚

  • Wilde Irish Gin grabs funding 🍸

  • Hormel invests in Corn Nuts 📈

  • Churn refreshes packaging 🧈

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

  • Italian coffee giant Lavazza is exploring a merger with Dallmayr, a German family-owned coffee company. In 2024, Lavazza generated revenue of €3.35B which was a year-over-year increase of 9.1%. Dallmayr did €1.2B in 2024. A deal would create a coffee giant with nearly €5B of revenue and would allow the company to better cope with rising coffee prices. Bloomberg

  • Paine Schwartz Partners made a strategic investment in Chex Finer Foods, a Massachusetts-based distributor of clean label and better-for-you food products. Last November, Paine Schwartz acquired VMS brand Promix for an undislosed sum. PR Newswire

  • According to a report from Axios, fragrance brand Phlur is looking for a buyer. The brand is owned by The Center, the Los Angeles-based beauty brand incubator that sold Naturium to e.l.f. Beauty for $355M in 2023. Axios

Fundraising

  • Wilde Irish Gin raised just under $400K in fresh equity funding. The Malibu-based spirits brand was co-founded by longtime friends Stuart Hall and Conor Quinn in 2021. SEC

What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

  • Banu is a new acne-safe skincare brand founded by Roz Samimi. The brand is launching with a three-product lineup that will be available online at Sephora and via their website. The packaging is pretty terrific. Beauty Independent

  • Fragrance brand Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle opened a flagship store in New York City. The 550-square-foot store is located in a luxury residential building called The Bellemont. Frederic Malle launched in 2000 and was acquired by Estee Lauder in 2015. The brand closed its previous flagship store on Madison Ave six months ago. Glossy

  • Fast-growing skincare brand Bubble released a new product called Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner. The new SKU is available via their website and at Ulta Beauty. Instagram

  • O Positiv Health launched a whole-body cleanser called URO pH-Balanced Probiotic Wash. The new SKU will make its retail debut in the fall. PR Newswire

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

  • Soccer star David Beckham and serial entrepreneur Shaun Neff launched a better-for-you candy brand called BEEUP. Mike Keown, the former CEO of Quinn Snacks and Honey Stinger, is leading the company as CEO. BEEUP makes honey-based fruit snacks that are non-GMO and free of synthetic colors, flavors, and preservatives. You can find the brand exclusively at Target. PR Newswire

  • Hormel Foods is beginning to invest in Corn Nuts, the popular snack brand it acquired from Kraft Heinz in 2021. Hormel has introduced a variety of new flavors and recently launched a new line called Corn Nuts Partially Popped. Hormel is also focused on winning outside of the convenience channel where Corn Nuts has long done well. Food Dive

  • Frozen One is yet another newish player in the protein ice cream category. The brand is based in Austin and each pint contains 40g of protein and around 400 calories. Stack3d

  • Churn Butters worked with Boredom Kills Creative to refresh their packaging for a second time. They toned down the illustrations and really homed in on their key differentiator — flavors. Instagram

  • Nature’s Path launched a new line of oat-based snacks for toddlers called Oaty Bites. Three flavors are available: Strawberry + Kale, Blueberry + Carrot, and Chocolate + Banana. Food Business News

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After landing 800 retail doors in just one year, Kekoa needed flexible financing to keep pace with demand. With a 6–8 week lead time from packaging to finished product, and retailers expecting fast PO turnarounds, the brand couldn’t afford to wait for purchase orders to arrive before starting production.

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Data 🖥️

  • According to IWSR, global gin volumes grew by 2% in 2024. The growth was largely attributable to markets like China, India, Italy, and the Philippines. The Spirits Business

Distribution News 🚚