Manna Tree Backs Plant People, Lifeway Crushes Q3 🥛

Author

CPG WIRE
November 13, 2025

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

  • Lucky Energy raises more capital ⚡️

  • Smash Foods grabs 7-figures 🍓

  • RIND expands snack offering 📈

  • Senada Greca launches VMS brand 💧

  • RationAle prepares to scale 🍻

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

  • Scottish non-alc spirits producer Feragaia sold a majority stake to R&B Distillers, a subsidiary of luxury goods firm Chanrossa. Feragaia was founded in 2019 by Jamie Wild and Bill Garnock. The company became Scotland’s first working non-alc distillery in 2022. Interest in non-alc spirits died down after Diageo acquired Seedlip in 2019 but the category appears to be back. Brands like The Pathfinder, Almave, Ritual Zero Proof, and Fluère have either been acquired or backed by Big Alcohol. The Spirits Business

  • UK-based vegan cheese brand Julienne Bruno has been acquired by Compleat Food Group after collapsing into administration earlier this year. Axel Katalan launched the dairy-free cheese brand in 2020. The Grocer

  • L’Oreal is selling €3B of bonds to finance its €4B acquisition of Kering’s beauty division. Business of Fashion

Fundraising

  • Manna Tree made a significant minority investment in Plant People, an Austin-based purveyor of functional gummies for sleep, stress, focus, and other common ailments. Plant People was founded in 2018 by Hudson Davis-Ross and Gabe Kennedy. Sales are up 95% year-over-year and the brand recently launched nationwide at Target. For Manna Tree, this is their first VMS deal and their earliest stage investment from a revenue perspective. PR Newswire

  • Lucky Energy raised another $25M in funding, bringing its total funding to over $60M in just two years. PE firm Paine Schwartz Partners led the round while Joyance Partners, Sequel, North Fifth Services, and a number of strategic angel investors also participated. Lucky Energy is available in 15,000 doors across the U.S. and will add Walmart, Sheetz, and Cumberland Farms in December. PR Newswire

  • Better-for-you snack brand Smash Foods closed a 7-figure growth round led by Eclair Partners. Label Capital, Family Fund, and a strategic supply chain partner also participated in the round. Smash Foods was founded in 2020 by Anna Peck and Steve Ford. The company more than tripled sales this year and now retails at Walmart, Costco, Target, and many other chains. NOSH

  • SKIMS secured $225M in new funding from Goldman Sachs and others as the company’s valuation skyrocketed to $5B. BDT and MSD Partners also joined the round. Kim Kardashian launched SKIMS six years ago and the brand is approaching $1B in annual revenue. CNBC

The Art of Seeding & Gifting 🎁

One of the most underrated growth levers in influencer marketing is seeding and gifting.

Seeding and gifting simply involves sending free product to creators with no strings attached. It’s an art form when done well, and the best brands treat it like relationship building, not free marketing.

Seeding (when done the right way) becomes a top-of-funnel flywheel that fuels both organic reach and paid social content. It’s how you discover your next wave of brand fans and your next batch of paid creators.

Josh Durham and the team over at Aligned Growth Management just dropped a free guide breaking down everything you need to know about building and scaling a seeding program.

Aligned Growth Management has worked with brands like Ghost Energy, OWYN, Bachan’s, Electrolit, Divi, and countless others.

You can access the free guide here.

What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

  • Celebrity personal trainer Senada Greca and serial entrepreneur Max Meier launched a new supplement brand called Aonic. The company launched with a daily nutrition drink mix and a sparkling electrolyte beverage. Greca works with a variety of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and has a massive following on social media. WWD

  • Champion, the ABG-owned sportswear brand, is partnering with Revlon to launch a licensed fragrance collection. ABG previously partnered with Revlon to launch its Juicy Couture fragrance line earlier this year. Fashion Network

  • California-based NAD+ supplement brand Tru Niagen is releasing its first beauty-focused product. In addition to boosting NAD+ levels, the product also promotes skin elasticity and moisture retention. Tru Niagen Beauty launches today. Glossy

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

  • Dried fruit maker RIND just expanded into a new category with RIND Granola Squares. Each square combines fruit, oats, nuts, and seeds with a touch of Greek yogurt. One flavor, Raspberry Almond, is rolling out exclusively at Sam’s Club. PR Newswire

  • Smash Kitchen, the clean condiments brand co-founded by Glen Powell, is celebrating the holidays by launching an Organic Cranberry Mayo Dip & Spread. The LTO flavor is available exclusively at Walmart. Instagram

  • Non-alc craft brewer RationAle Brewing made some key moves as the company prepares to scale. Phil Trowler, the former interim CFO of OLIPOP, joined the company alongside Dave Macon, an experienced sales exec from New Belgium Brewing and Firestone Walker. Jennifer Briggs also joined as Advisory Board Chair. RationAle Brewing also announced a dedicated partnership with Asahi-owned Octopi Brewing to increase capacity. PR Web

  • BERO is now the official non-alc beer partner of Aston Martin. BERO will appear at Aston Martin activations and events over the next three years. The two companies will also collaborate on a number of co-branded products. Food & Wine

  • BUILT Bar dropped two limited-edition holiday flavors along with a sleek shipper to raise awareness. It’s one of the best shippers I’ve seen in a minute. LinkedIn

  • PepsiCo is launching a range of Cheetos and Doritos without artificial flavors or dyes. The new line, dubbed Simply NKD, should hit stores in the coming weeks. The Dieline

  • Better-for-you chip brand ENSO dropped two new flavors: Sweet Chili and Rosemary & Garlic. Love the branding. Instagram

  • Gunpowder Irish Gin expanded its portfolio with a new expression: Italian Fig & Laurel. The new expression retails for $37.99 and is available across the country. BevNET

Data 🖥️

  • Kefir maker Lifeway Foods delivered in Q3 with net sales rising 29% to $57M and net income jumping 19%. The company’s gross margin also expanded by 3%. Lifeway’s market cap currently sits north of $345M. PR Newswire

Distribution News 🚚