Loonen Secures $6M, Coca-Cola Names New CEO 🥤

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

• NiTEO expands portfolio 🧼

• Former Loewe CEO launches Satinine 👀

• Paulie’s Cider prepares to launch 🍻

• Brother’s Bond delivers growth 🥃

• Elavi launches at H-E-B 💪

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

• Faultless Brands, a Kansas City-based owner of laundry, household cleaning, and air care brands, has been acquired by NiTEO Products, a portfolio company of Highlander Partners. Faultless Brands, which owns Niagara, Magic, Bon Ami, and Kleen King, has been an Architect Equity portfolio company since 2020. PR Newswire

• FBC Holding is entering the adaptogenic wellness space by acquiring Mushroom Madness via an all-stock transaction. FBC plans to scale the brand’s manufacturing volume and expand its retail footprint. Mushroom Madness produces vegan and cruelty-free adaptogenic supplements. Access Newswire

• AB InBev is restructuring its production network in the U.S. and will sell a brewing facility in Newark, New Jersey to Goodman Group, a real estate developer with $6.8B under management. AB InBev also plans on shuttering two facilities in California and New Hampshire. Global Drinks Intel

Fundraising

• Loonen, a clean and third-party tested bottled water brand, raised $6M in funding led by Brand Foundry Ventures. Loonen is currently available on Amazon and at select independent retailers in California. Broader distribution will follow in 2026. PR Newswire

• Two Drifters, a UK-based carbon negative rum brand, secured a £250K loan from British Business Bank to increase production and boost sales. Two Drifters was co-founded by Russ & Gemma Wakeham in 2019. Their labels are phenomenal. The Spirits Business

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What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

• Ridgely Cinquegrana, the former President & CEO of Spanish fashion house Loewe, recently revived Satinine, a heritage fragrance brand from Milan. Satinine traces its roots back to 1883 but has been dormant for around 50 years. Cinquegrana enlisted Andrea Galletti, a longtime fragrance executive and entrepreneur, to run Satinine as CEO. On Wednesday, the fragrance house opened its first flagship store in Milan. Fashion Network

• Jaimee Holmes, a former exec at Goop, Too Faced, and Perricone MD, just launched Fel Beauty. The brand launched with a line of kiss-shaped lip and cheek balms. Fel Beauty is available online and via the Sephora app. Beauty Independent

• B.Wild is a new plant-based, whole food nutrition brand. The company launched a Whole Food Multivitamin that comes in two flavors: Peach Green Tea and Fruit Punch. Key ingredients include broccoli, mushrooms, cranberry, chlorella, and pumpkin. Stack3d

• UK-based Hunter & Gather released a grass-fed beef protein powder line. Each serving delivers 20g of protein and the product is free from added sugar, gums, emulsifiers and dairy. The company also launched a Collagen Creamer SKU. LinkedIn

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

• Coca-Cola announced that COO Henrique Braun will succeed James Quincey as CEO next year. Braun originally joined Coca-Cola in 1996 and will take the helm on March 31st. CNBC

• Unwell Hydration is now Unwell Beverages and we know much more about its energy drink ambitions. The beverage company is launching four energy drink SKUs — Watermelon, Pineapple Coconut, Cherry Lime, and Passion Fruit Orange Guava — at Target on December 28th. Beverage Industry

• Celo is a new purveyor of grass-fed whey protein bars. Two flavors are available and each bar is packed with 15g of protein, raw honey, and superfoods like maca powder or blueberries. The company was co-founded by Adam Cecere and Lucas Costello, two former D1 baseball players. They nailed the branding IMO. Celo

• Paulie’s Cider Company, a hard cider brand from Los Angeles, is launching soon. The premium, understated branding ought to stand out in a category that’s overrun with craft beer aesthetics 👇 LinkedIn

• SideDish expanded its salad dressing range with a new flavor, Italian Vinaigrette. SideDish also named former Truff COO Reno Yanes as CEO about a month ago. Yanes served as VP of Sales at Primal Kitchen prior to joining Truff. Instagram

• C4 Energy entered the shot category with the launch of C4 Performance Energy Shots. Three flavors are available and each shot delivers 200mg of caffeine. BevNET

Data 🖥️

• 2025 was a rough year for American whiskey but Brother’s Bond Bourbon managed to grow revenue by 40% in the period. The company attributes its success to international expansion, winning in travel retail, and product innovation. Instagram

Distribution News 🚚

• TRIP launched storewide at Harris Teeter.

• Lexington Bakes launched at Central Market.

• Outlaw Light Beer launched at Sheetz.

• Elavi launched at 250+ H-E-B stores.

• Cayla Gray launched online at Ulta Beauty.

• Brinkley’s Foods launched at MOM’s Organic Market.