J.M. Smucker Sells Voortman, KDP Buys GHOST👻

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

• Ronaldo backs Bioniq 💪

• MeliBio secures funding 🐝

• Habiza refreshes packaging 😍

• Dana Hasson launches brand 🍪

There will be no newsletter on Saturday, October 26th. We’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday, though.

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

• J.M. Smucker is selling cookie brand Voortman Bakery for approximately $305M in cash. The buyer is Second Nature Brands who also owns Brownie Brittle, Kar’s Nuts, and Sanders Candy. J.M. Smucker acquired Voortman as part of its $5.6B deal for Hostess last year. Second Nature Brands recently acquired Sahale Snacks from J.M. Smucker for $34M. PR Newswire

• Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) acquired a 60% stake in energy drink brand GHOST for $990M. The beverage giant will purchase the remaining 40% in 2028. GHOST was founded by Dan Lourenco and Ryan Hughes in 2016. KDP also owns a 30% stake in C4 Energy so they now have a formidable energy drink portfolio. Reuters

• Vesper has acquired a majority stake in Astier de Villatte, a Paris-based producer of artisan ceramics, candles, and fragrances. Astier de Villatte was founded in 1996. Business of Fashion

Fundraising

• Legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo invested in Bioniq, a UK-based purveyor of personalized supplements. Bioniq was founded in 2019 and is now valued at $82M. WWD

• MeliBio, an Oakland-based producer of bee-free honey, scored a strategic investment from Future Food Fund, the venture arm of Japanese food distributor Oisix. Vegconomist

• DJ and entrepreneur Steve Aoki invested in Neuro, a purveyor of functional gum and mint products. Neuro retails at Erewhon, Fresh Thyme, Sprouts, and Whole Foods Market. GlobeNewswire

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What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

• Skincare brand SpoiledChild is releasing a limited-edition wellness collection with legendary designer Jeremy Scott. The chrome spaceship that doubles as a receptacle is kinda badass. Hypebae

• Skincare brand Origins unveiled a new look along with more eco-friendly packaging. The new look is a considerable improvement. Instagram

• Copenhagen-based Tekla released a limited-edition collection with Japan’s AURALEE. Exploring the intersection of Japanese and Scandinavian practices, the collab aims to celebrate the bathing rituals that connect us, through a selection of towels, sleepwear, outerwear and knitted accessories. Hypebae

• Vacation is releasing a new scented candle later today. Instagram

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

• LA-based Habiza Hummus unveiled a fantastic packaging refresh. They added a ton of color and focused on communicating their key differentiators: clean label ingredients and unique flavors. Prior to the refresh, Habiza became the top selling hummus at Erewhon. Bravo. Twitter

• Popular baking influencer Dana Hasson launched Homemade ish, a brand dedicated to making baking accessible and fun. Hasson’s debut product line is a cookie starter kit. The packaging is terrific. Hasson has 3 million followers on TikTok and over 130K on Instagram. NOSH

• Bobbie expanded its infant formula lineup with a new product — Grass-Fed Whole Milk Infant Formula. They nailed the packaging. Instagram

• A-Sha Foods USA released three more co-branded ramen noodle soups with Hot Ones. The co-branded ramen collection is available at Target and Walmart. PR Newswire

• STōK Cold Brew, a subsidiary of Danone, has launched a new range of energy drinks that combines coffee with B vitamins, ginseng, and guarana. PR Newswire

Data 🖥️

• Coca-Cola reported Q3 results and revenue dipped 1% to $11.9B. Twitter

Distribution News 🚚

• Bowlcut launched their plant-based sauces at select Target stores.

• Another sauce brand, Yo Mama’s, launched nationwide at Albertsons.

• K Beauty brand I Dew Care launched at Walgreens.