Maazah Secures $2M, TRUFF Unveils New Look 🌶️

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CPG WIRE
February 24, 2026

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

  • Watt explores BrewDog deal 🍺

  • Great Circle announces Fund I 🪙

  • DIBS Beauty teases new line 💄

  • Topo Chico halts production 😱

  • BARIS launches at Sprouts 🔥

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

  • BrewDog co-founder James Watt is putting together a bid to acquire the ailing Scottish brewer and pub operator. Watt is reportedly willing to invest £10M of his own capital and has also secured private equity backing for the distressed buyout. The Drinks Business

  • Colorado-based Bootstrap Brewing is joining craft beverage platform Left Hand Collective. The owners of Bootstrap will receive equity in Left Hand’s parent company as part of the transaction. Left Hand Collective was formed last year via the merger of Dry Dock Brewing and Left Hand Brewing. Brewbound

Fundraising

  • Maazah, a Minnesota-based purveyor of globally-inspired dips and sauces, raised $2M in seed financing from several in-state family offices. Maazah was founded by sisters Yasmeen & Sheilla Sajady and the brand retails at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and recently launched in multiple Costco regions. It’s an excellent time to be operating in the dips & sauces space. More on that at the link. Instagram

  • Second Sight Ventures secured $75M for its inaugural fund. Founded by Patrick Finnegan, Chris Hollod, and Jackson Eisenpresser, Second Sight Ventures has backed Poppi, Lemme, Orion, Loyalist, and Willie’s Remedy. Instagram

  • Great Circle Ventures is raising a $20M fund to continue backing early stage consumer brands. Their prior investments include Alec’s Ice Cream, Algae Cooking Club, Ayoh, Habiza, Mosh, and many other brands. Forbes

  • UFC star Colby Covington has joined Real American Beer as an investor and long-term brand partner. Hulk Hogan co-founded Real American Beer roughly a year before he died. The company is led by Terri Francis, former Global VP & General Counsel at AB InBev until 2022. Business Wire

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What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

  • Fast-growing cosmetics brand DIBS Beauty is gearing up to launch its Cool Blush Cheek Stain line on February 25th. Four shades of the liquid cheek blush will be available exclusively via their website and at Ulta Beauty. DIBS Beauty

  • DTC oral care brand Flaus now has some clinical data to back up its electric flossing technology. According to a recent study, Flaus is capable of removing 7x more plaque between teeth when compared to ADA approved, traditional string floss. Business Wire

  • e.l.f. Beauty is releasing a dill pickle-flavored melting lip balm later today. The limited-edition flavor retails for $9 and will be available exclusively via their website at 9am PST. Instagram

  • French luxury fragrance brand Matiere Premiere opened its first flagship store in the UK. The 708-square-foot store is situated on King Street in Covent Garden. Kering took a minority interest in Matiere in Summer 2024 but it’s unclear if they sold the stake to L’Oreal. The Industry

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

  • TRUFF just refreshed its packaging as the hot sauce company prioritizes growth in retail channels. TRUFF retained its novel bottle and cap while making their labels a little more digestible for retail consumers. They also added some flavor cues and a helpful spice scale. PR Newswire

  • Coca-Cola says that Topo Chico will be temporarily unavailable in the United States due to various production problems at its water source. Coca-Cola is currently in the midst of installing upgrades in Monterrey so production may resume. Food Dive

  • LASSO is bringing a line of protein gelatin cups to market. It’s basically a functional Jello-O with 10g of grass-fed protein and 5g of prebiotic fiber. LASSO is a smart play — it’s the perfect lunchbox snack for children and possibly even parents. Twitter

  • Pricklee Natural Hydration unveiled an excellent brand refresh. They ditched the southwestern aesthetic in a favor of a bolder, brighter, and more modern look. It’s a big improvement and ought to move the needle in retail. LinkedIn 

  • Lasso, a new food tech company co-founded by former Oatly exec Mike Messersmith, launched its first two consumer brands: CronchClub and Froobies. Froobies is a fruit snack that delivers 4g of protein and 5g of fiber per pouch, while CronchClub is a protein-forward baked crisp. Business Wire

  • Caliwater teamed up with Demi Lovato to launch a new Blood Orange flavor. The cactus water brand, co-founded by Oliver Trevena and Vanessa Hudgens, also used the new flavor to unveil an updated logo. BevNET

  • Bish Bar is a new protein bar designed for hormonal and menstrual health. The product is formulated with nutrient-dense superfoods for mood support and hormonal balance. Three flavors are available and each bar delivers 12g of protein, 8g of fiber, and 23 different vitamins & minerals. Bish Bar

Data 🖥️

  • The A2 Milk Company delivered double-digit growth as sales jumped 18% to over $993M in the six months ending on December 31st, 2025. The dairy company also said it expects to hit its $2B annual sales target this year. The larger A2 milk category is expected to grow 8% annually. Substack

Distribution News 🚚