Danone Stops Chasing Lifeway, Ketone-IQ Raises ⚡️

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CPG WIRE
September 23, 2025

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

  • Habitat backs Elm Biosciences 🧪

  • FirstLook expands portfolio 📂

  • Arrae launches something new 👀

  • Charlie Sheen bets on non-alc beer 🍻

  • SALUD lands at Target 🎯

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

  • French dairy giant Danone is no longer pursuing an acquisition of Lifeway Foods, the Chicago-based kefir maker. Lifeway’s share price recently hit an all-time high and the company has rebuffed numerous proposals from Danone. Danone is reviewing options for its 23% stake in Lifeway Foods. Here’s a great thread on the Danone vs. Lifeway drama. Food Dive

  • Louisville Vegan Jerky Company has been acquired by Louisville Brands, a consumer holding company focused on the spirits industry and plant-based snacking. Stanley Chase launched the vegan jerky brand in 2012. PR Newswire

Fundraising

  • Habitat Partners announced its investment in Elm Biosciences, the new skincare brand co-founded by Martha Stewart and Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali. Why Elm Biosciences? The global anti-aging market is expected to hit $110B by 2033, up from $60B today. LinkedIn

  • The Protein Brewery, a Dutch producer of fungi-based food ingredients, secured €30M in Series B funding ahead of its commercial launch in Singapore and the U.S. Existing investors Novo Holdings, Unovis Asset Management, and Madeli participated in the round. Wim de Laat founded The Protein Brewery in 2019. AgFunderNews

  • FirstLook VC announced two new investments. The group invested $440K into The Absorption Company and $460K into Slate Milk. Congrats to FirstLook founder Brian Folmer on the ever-expanding portfolio. LinkedIn

  • True Beauty Ventures and Unilever Ventures announced a seed investment in Hung Vanngo Beauty. Founded earlier this year by celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo, the eponymous beauty brand recently rolled out at over 220 Sephora stores across the U.S. The founder has an incredible story. LinkedIn

  • Ketone-IQ, a purveyor of ketone-powered energy shots, recently closed a 7-figure funding round. Investors include Flight Fund, Seaside Ventures, Soma Capital, and a number of strategic angel investors like Jake Paul and Eric Gylman. Instagram

On October 8th, Shine a Light on the Year’s Best Innovation in CPG 🗓️

Highlight’s second annual virtual summit, Showcase, is back and better than ever. Join from anywhere in the world to hear:

  • Consumer insights professionals discuss the power of protein

  • How to crack the code on baby products parents love and trust

  • Year-over-year research predicting consumer spending this holiday season

…and much more! Tune in on Wednesday, October 8 at 1pm ET / 10am PT for an afternoon of in-depth learning sessions for Consumer Insights, R&D, and Brand Marketing professionals across the CPG and retail spaces.

Visit the registration page to learn more and secure your spot.

What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

  • Fast-growing wellness brand Arrae partnered with Pamela Anderson to launch MB-1 45+, a new science-backed supplement designed for women in perimenopause and menopause. MB-1 45+ targets the root causes of metabolic and hormonal shifts to combat weight gain, cravings, and energy dips. Arrae expects to hit $100M in revenue this year. Instagram

  • Consumer-focused venture studio Squared Circles launched its fourth incubated brand with SwimClub. SwimClub debuted yesterday and is the first-ever clinically-formulated sperm performance supplement. In addition to Squared Circles, SwimClub was created by Dr. Michael Eisenberg, a Stanford professor and an expert in male fertility, as well as co-founder & CEO Steve Z. SwimClub

  • DTC luggage brand July opened another stunning retail store. The new store is located at Canberra Centre, a luxury shopping mall in Canberra. In Addition designed the space. LinkedIn

  • Oshun officially launched its new Magnesium Concentrate. The product is formulated with high-absorption ionic magnesium and retails for $35. Their hydration product is out of this world and I’m eager to try Oshun Magnesium when it arrives. Instagram

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

  • Konsoom is a new Los Angeles-based beverage brand that delivers 3g of creatine and 300mg of BCAAs in a 8.4 oz can. The beverage also contains coconut water and real organic fruit juice. One flavor, Crisp Blueberry, is currently available. Creatine is notoriously difficult to work with in beverage form but Konsoon founder Jordan Wheeler appears to have figured it out. Konsoom

  • Molson Coors just promoted its Chief Strategy Officer, Rahul Goyal, to the CEO role. Goyal has spent 24 years at Molson Coors and is responsible for pushing the brewer into non-alcoholic categories like energy drinks (ZOA) and premium mixers (Fever-Tree). He will officially succeed Gavin Hattersley as CEO on October 1st. Business Wire

  • Charlie Sheen is teaming up with Harpoon Brewery to launch a non-alc beer brand called Wild AF Brewing. The brand’s debut product is a golden craft lager with a clever name: Cold Gold. The Silent Group, an operator-led brand builder, is also involved with Wild AF Brewing. Wild AF

  • Never thought I’d be typing these words but Saint James Iced Tea released a pretty badass collab with Juicy Couture. The branding is phenomenal and the new flavor, Peach, is available nationwide at Target. Instagram

  • Daily Crunch just brought back its seasonal Chai Spiced Sprouted Almonds SKU. It’s a great-looking stand-up pouch. Instagram

  • Koia expanded its Elite Protein Shake line with two new flavors: Coffee and Cookies ‘N Creme. The new flavors are available now at Whole Foods Market and will hit shelves at Target later this month. Instagram

  • Chara is a new purveyor of all-natural Greek frozen yogurt. Their unofficial tagline is “Greek Froyo with Benefits.” The branding is nostaligic, charming, and very strong. Four flavors are available and each pint is packed with protein and probiotics. Chara

Data 🖥️

  • Michelob Ultra is now the top-selling beer in America after the brand eclipsed its chief rival, Modelo Especial. AB InBev attributed Michelob Ultra’s impressive growth to successful partnerships with professional sports teams and organizations like FIFA. Fox Business

  • Carbone Fine Food will hit $100M in sales this year with 18 SKUs and 27,000 doors across the U.S. Eric Skae, the CEO of Carbone Fine Food, previously built Rao’s into a pasta sauce juggernaut. Twitter

Distribution News 🚚