Unilever Backs Luna Daily, MOSH Lands at Sprouts 🧠

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CPG WIRE
July 02, 2024

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

  • Forum Brands buys EVER 🧴

  • Evergreen scores $5.4M 🧇

  • R&R Skincare brand refresh 💯

  • Liquid Death x Ozzy Osbourne 💀

  • New from NICE 🍷

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

  • Forum Brands has acquired EVER Skincare, a Burlingame-based clean skincare brand that launched in 2017. The seller is Stella & Dot Brands. Forum Brands is a consumer brand holding company that owns LOLA, Nuvadermis, Simka Rose, Upward Baby, and a handful of others. PR Newswire

  • Danish brewing giant Carlsberg acquired a minority stake in Brasserie du Pays Flamand, a world-renowned craft brewer that’s based in Blaringhem, France. Just Drinks

Fundraising

  • Luna Daily, a microbiome-balancing body care brand, secured an undisclosed amount of seed funding. The round was led by Unilever Ventures. The London-based company was founded in 2019 by Katy Cottam. Luna Daily recently launched a new Motherhood collection which was formulated specifically for the needs of mothers and moms-to-be. Beauty Independent

  • Evergreen, a Chicago-based purveyor of better-for-you waffles, raised $5.48M in equity funding from undisclosed investors. Evergreen was founded by Emily Cole Groden in 2020. SEC

  • Las Vegas-based WET Hydration landed $1.5M in new financing as it looks to expand its retail footprint. BevNET

  • Mark Wahlberg has joined Free Rein Coffee Company as an investor and brand ambassador. Yellowstone actor Cole Hauser launched Free Rein Coffee in 2023. PR Newswire

  • Novo Holdings invested in MATR Foods, a Danish food tech startup that produces alternative protein products using locally sourced ingredients like oats, split peas, lupins, beetroots, and potatoes. MATR is based in Copenhagen and was founded in 2021. PR Newswire

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What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

  • Fitness mogul Tracy Anderson has launched her first fragrance products with a candle and eau de parfum. The launch is a joint venture between Anderson and Slate Brands, a beauty brand incubator that partners with creators and influencers. Business of Fashion

  • African skincare brand R&R Skincare unveiled a sleek brand refresh 14 years after its launch. They did a terrific job with the refresh. Beauty Independent

  • Method (owned by S.C. Johnson) unveiled bottles made from 100% recycled and recovered coastal plastic. Happi

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

  • Juvee, the energy drink brand that Sprecher Brewing Co. acquired earlier this year, launched their newest flavor — Orange Dream. Good-looking can. Twitter

  • RYSE is getting in on the clear protein powder craze with their latest product line, RYSE Clear Protein. The fast-growing supplements brand partnered with Jell-O on two flavors: Black Cherry and Berry Blue. Stack3d

  • Liquid Death released an incredible ad featuring Ozzy Osbourne to promote its Death Dust line. Liquid Death

  • UK-based canned wine brand NICE launched three great-looking bottles. The branded bottle sealer is a very nice touch. Instagram

  • Non-alcoholic aperitif brand Botivo released a limited-edition collaboration with Maison François, a London-based brasserie. Beautiful bottle and label 👇 Instagram

  • 22 fancy packaging designs from Summer Fancy Food Show 2024. Personal favorites include: Baris, Candid, Tari, FoodNerd, Fancypants, and Peepal People. The Dieline

Data 🖥️

  • According to Forbes, Bay Area-based Bachan’s is now valued at $350M. The company launched five years ago and managed to carve out a niche in a crowded category. Very impressive. Forbes 

  • Edrington — the Scottish spirits firm that owns Macallan, Highland Park, Wyoming Whiskey, and a handful of other brands — reported $1.47B in FY revenue, up 11% YoY. The Spirits Business

Distribution News 🚚

  • Patagonia Provisions launched their regenerative pasta range nationwide at Whole Foods Market.

  • MOSH launched nationwide at Sprouts Farmers Market.

  • Stellar Snacks is now available on Southwest Airlines.

  • Luxury gin brand Renais launched in the United States.