D'Amelio Fam Launches Snack Brand 🍿

Author

CPG WIRE
October 12, 2023

GM and Happy Thursday, folks. Here’s what we’re covering this morning:

  • Post Holdings bets on pets (again) 🐶

  • Uncle Nearest buys Cognac estate 🥃

  • Pair Eyewear lands $75M 😎

  • Flaus closes $2M seed round 🦷

  • Chubby Snacks x Target 🎯

Shout-out to AdQuick for making it so easy to find and book out-of-home advertising.

The Big Story 📰

Be Happy Snacks, the new snack brand from social media superstars Charli & Dixie D’Amelio, officially made its retail debut at Walmart. Though their website isn’t live yet, we now know a lot more about the brand.

First, and most obviously, it’s a popcorn brand that differentiates from the competition via exciting flavors and bright, whimsical packaging.

Though Be Happy Snacks doesn’t meaningfully differentiate from the competition on better-for-you grounds — their products are free of artificial flavors and, like all popcorn products, are gluten-free — they offer some very novel flavors like Cotton Candy, Maple Bacon, Parmesan Garlic, and Nice Spice.

One difficulty that Be Happy Snacks might encounter is their rather high pricing. One 5 oz. pouch of Be Happy retails for $3.98, while a 7 oz. pouch of Angie’s Boomchickapop retails for $3.44. You can even find a 14 oz. pouch of SkinnyPop for less than $7 at Sam’s Club. With consumer confidence at a nadir, Be Happy might have to revise its pricing. There is the possibility, of course, that D’Amelio superfans eat the premium without batting an eye.

Celebrity popcorn is having a moment. The Jonas Brothers launched Rob’s Backstage Popcorn in late 2021, and secured $7M in Series A funding earlier this year. Be Happy Snacks has deep pockets to compete, too. The organization behind the brand, D’Amelio Brands, raised $6M late last year and added another $5M in August.

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

  • Cereal giant Post Holdings purchased private label pet food manufacturer Perfection Pet Foods for $235M. Post is clearly eager to stake its claim in the enormous pet food category. In February, Post Holdings acquired a number of pet food brands from J.M. Smucker for $1.2B. Food Dive

  • Uncle Nearest, a fast-growing, black-owned whiskey brand, purchased Domaine Saint Martin in the Cognac region of France. Uncle Nearest will use the esteemed estate to launch a new line of cognacs next year. Very exciting development. The Spirits Business

  • Global e-commerce group Trafilea acquired skincare brand The Spa Dr. for an undisclosed sum. The Spa Dr. was founded in Park City, Utah by Dr. Trevor Cates. Trafilea sells a variety of products including shapewear, intimates, and cosmetics. They expect to post revenue of $230M this year. PR Newswire

  • VFC, a UK-based vegan fried chicken brand, purchased Clive’s Purely Plants, a seller of plant-based pot pies, quiches, and tarts. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Green Queen

Fundraising

  • Pair Eyewear, a New York-based producer of customizable eye and sunglasses, raised $75M in Series C funding. Prysm Capital led the round, while NEA, Javelin Venture Partners, and Christian McCaffrey also participated. Pair expects to double revenue this year. Thus far they’ve raised a total of $145M. TechCrunch

  • Oral beauty brand Flaus closed a $2M seed round. YETI Capital led the round. Additional participants include Greenlight Ventures and Halo Top co-founder Doug Bouton. Flaus sells a patent electric flosser that makes daily flossing easier. Forbes

  • London-based skincare brand and “wellness club” You’re Looking Well secured backing from Nick Jones and Charlie Bradshaw. The subscription-based brand offers four SKUs. Gorgeous packaging ⬇️ WWD

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What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

  • Australian luggage brand July opened their first-ever store in the United States. The store is located at 127 Greene St. in New York’s Soho neighborhood. Instagram

  • Scalp care brand Act + Acre introduced their new stem cell haircare system which is clinically proven to combat hair loss and support follicle growth. Three products are available: Stem Cell Shampoo, Stem Cell Conditioner, and 3% Stem Cell Peptide Treatment. Their packaging is always understated but stunning ⬇️ Happi

  • Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross has named Christiane Pendarvis as its new Co-CEO. Pendarvis joins Pattern Beauty from Savage X Fenty where she served as Co-President. Huge hire for Pattern which launched in 2018. The Industry

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

  • Spirits giant Diageo launched a new program called Fusion by Diageo which aims to partner with tech startups that are capable of “elevating consumer experiences.” Diageo hopes to partner with AI or VR companies that can meaningfully improve consumer experiences for their brands. Beverage Daily

  • Meati Foods, the Boulder-based animal-free meat startup, pushed into snacking with the launch of its new jerky line. Three flavors are available: Original, Peppered, and Sweet Chile ⬇️ Food Business News

  • Australian low-sugar candy brand Funday Sweets launched a new Strawberry & Cream gummies product ⬇️ Funday

Data 🖥️

  • Shares of luxury giant LVMH fell to their lowest level since December 2022 due to slowing revenue growth and fears of a consumer spending pullback in the U.S. and China. Q3 revenue still grew 9% year-over-year but that was considerably lower than the 17% growth they posted in Q2. CNBC

Distribution News 🚚

  • Chubby Snacks launched at Target in AZ, CA, and UT.

  • Better-for-you iced tea brand Halfday launched nationwide at Sprouts Farmers Market.

  • Voyage Foods launched their sustainable alternatives to peanut butter and hazelnut spread at 1,200 Walmart stores.

  • Premium mochi brand Mochidoki is now available at Wegmans.