BelliWelli Grabs Funding, Rianta Bets on Prestige Skincare 💰

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

• JAB buys out Mondelez ☕️

• Meili Vodka grabs $4M 🍸

• Pa’lante Rum refresh 🌴

• Brunello defies the odds 📈

• Monte’s x Target 🍝

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

• German investment firm JAB Holdings has acquired Mondelez’s stake in JDE Peet’s for $2.4B. JDE Peet’s is a pure-play coffee & tea company and the owner of Peet’s Coffee, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Intelligentsia, and Mighty Leaf Tea. Mondelez owned a 17.6% stake in JDE Peet’s. Reuters

• Total Beverage Group has acquired three premium wine labels — Layer Cake, Cartlidge & Browne, and Tamarack Cellars — from Vintage Wine Estates (VWE) which recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Wine Industry Advisor

• Rusty’s Chips, an Orange County-based manufacturer of potato chips, has been acquired by Cooper Brands for an undisclosed sum. Rusty’s Chips has been producing branded and private label potato chips for almost 40 years. Shop-Eat-Surf

Fundraising

• Gut-focused wellness brand BelliWelli raised $10M in Series B funding from Invus, an existing investor. Founded in 2020, BelliWelli is best known for its fiber drink mixes and probiotic nutrition bars. The brand retails at GNC, Sprouts, Target, and Walmart. WWD

• Rianta Capital has invested in REOME, a biotech-powered prestige skincare brand from the UK. REOME was founded by Joanna Ellner, a beauty editor and brand consultant, in 2023. The brand retails at Formula Fig, Space NK, Liberty, and other stores. Business of Fashion

• Meili Vodka, a Bozeman-based vodka brand co-founded by Jason Momoa and Blaine Halvorsen, raised just over $4M in equity funding from undisclosed investors. Their bottle design is top notch. SEC

• Splash Beverage Group, a diversified beverage firm and the owner of SALT Tequila and Pulpoloco Sangria, raised an undisclosed amount of capital in order to make a complementary acquisition. Just Drinks

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What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

• Hims & Hers has named Dr. Jessica Shepherd as the Chief Medical Officer of Hers. A board-certified OB/GYN, Dr. Shepherd has spent her career focused on areas of women’s health including endometriosis, fibroids, sexual health, menopausal health, and healthcare disparities for women. Business Wire

• Wellness brand Moon Juice is releasing a new magnesium sleep aid called Cherry Sleepy Magnesi-Om. Dig the product name and packaging. Happi

• Japan’s Hender Scheme collaborated with Pendleton on a pretty neat footwear collection. The house slippers are killer. Hypebeast

• L.L. Bean collaborated with singer-songwriter Noah Kahan on a limited edition collection of footwear, apparel, and accessories. PR Newswire

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

• Design studio Young Jerks put together some beautiful labels for Pa’lante Rum, an artisanal rum brand that’s produced in Mexico. The Reposado Rum is the best-looking product IMO. The Dieline

• Rockaway Soda, a better-for-you soda brand that hails from New York City, just unveiled a packaging refresh. Bridget Firtle, the entrepreneur who previously sold Owney’s Rum, is behind Rockaway Soda. Instagram

• Mix Me Co. is trying to disrupt the mixers category with single-serve stick pack cocktail mixers. Unlike traditional mixers, which can dilute drinks and often account for up to 75% of the beverage, Mix Me Co. packs bold, balanced flavors into less than 1 oz. BevNET

Data 🖥️

• Despite the global luxury slowdown that has humbled Kering and LVMH, Brunello Cucinelli continues to grow. In Q3, revenues at Brunello Cucinelli rose 9.2% to $325M, largely driven by sales in China. The Italian luxury firm expects 10% YoY growth in 2025 and 2026, too. Reuters

Distribution News 🚚

• Italian pantry staples brand Monte’s launched at 230 Target stores.

• MìLà launched their dumplings at select Kroger stores.

• BFY iced tea brand Halfday is now available at Sprouts.

• Local Hive launched their Hot Honey line at Walmart.