Unilever Sells Russia Division, Leilo Launches at Sprouts 📈

GM and Happy Saturday, folks. Yesterday was a fairly tame news day so today’s newsletter is a shorter one. Fortunately we still have some exciting stuff to cover so let’s dive in:

• Mackmyra saved from bankruptcy 🥃

• Gabriel Macht backs Bear Fight 💰

• Socorro Tequila refreshes packaging 💯

• Kosterina x Melissa Ben-Ishay 🥗

• Happypop launches at Central Market 🫧

Shout-out to Hummingbirds for making it so easy to partner with hyperlocal creators and influencers.

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

• Unilever has divested its Russia division for around €500M. The buyer is Arnest Group who has been acquiring assets from Ball Corp, Heineken, and Unilever at bargain basement prices. The transaction includes four manufacturing facilities as well as Unilever’s Belarus biz. The Guardian

• Mackmyra, a Swedish producer of single malt whisky, has been saved from bankruptcy after being acquired by the aptly named Lennart Hero and No. 1 Capital AB. At the time of the bankruptcy, Hero was the largest shareholder of Mackmyra and the company’s largest lender. The Spirits Business 

• Natural skincare brand Skyn Iceland has been acquired by Amerikas, a distributor of beauty products in the U.S. market. Sarah Kugelman founded Skyn Iceland in 2005. The brand has traded hands a few times, most recently in 2022 when Antoine de Larocque purchased it. WWD

Fundraising

• Actor Gabriel Macht has invested in Bear Fight Whiskey, an American whiskey brand co-owned by Seth McFarlane and Next Century Spirits. Macht will also act as a creator partner for the brand. The Spirits Business

• NuKoko, a UK-based startup that uses fermented fava beans to produce a chocolate alternative, secured an undisclosed amount of funding from Döhler, a German ingredients supplier. Just Food

• Capital City Mambo Sauce, a popular condiment brand from the D.C. metro area, secured an undisclosed amount of debt financing from Lafayette Square. PR Newswire

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What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

• Cookware brand Our Place collaborated with Radhi Devlukia-Shetty, a bestselling cookbook author and influencer, to launch a new Diwali collection. Love it. Hypebae

• Sarah Kugelman, the abovementioned founder of Skyn Iceland, has launched All Golden, a luxury beauty brand for women over 45. The pro-ageing beauty brand, available initially in the U.S., launched with a collection of hair and skincare staples. Fashion United

• One brand I recently encountered is Le Rub, a luxury suncare brand from Belgium. The fantastic packaging was designed by Paris-based Leslie David Studio. Le Rub

• ARKIVE Headcare, a London-based hair and scalp care brand, expanded into the fragrance category with four affordable scents. Celebrity hairstylist Adam Reed launched ARKIVE in 2020. Trend Hunter

• Who Gives a Crap has expanded beyond toilet paper with a new range of compostable trash bags. The packaging is very fun. Instagram

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

• Socorro Tequila partnered with Hi! Estudio to refresh their bottle. Love a dynamic label but missed opportunity to have some fun with color. Packaging of the World

• UK-based better-for-you snack brand PROPER partnered with Netflix on two products: Sweet & Salty Popcorn and Netflix & Chilli Popcorn. This is how you do a collab. Instagram

• Kosterina partnered with creator and entrepreneur Melissa Ben-Ishay to launch Green Goddess Olive Oil. The limited-edition olive oil features basil, garlic, lemon, and onion. The tin is a very nice touch and looks great. Instagram

• Lorenza unveiled their newest wine — 2023 Alcohol-Removed Blanc de Blanc. Love the understated but elegant label. Instagram

• Mountain Dew (owned by PepsiCo) refreshed its packaging. The new look will begin hitting shelves next summer. The retro logotype looks great and the refresh was facilitated in-house. Marketing Dive

• Australian non-alc brewer Heaps Normal launched their first core-range beer in over two years — Third IPA. Inside FMCG

Data 🖥️

• Per IWSR, growth in the RTD alcohol category has slowed somewhat due to the category maturing. The U.S. and Canada are expected to post CAGR volume gains of 3% in the coming years. The Spirits Business

Distribution News 🚚

• Kava brand Leilo launched their RTD range at Sprouts.

• Functional beverage brand Happypop launched at Central Market.

• Salsa brand Wild Sol launched at Sprouts.

• Skincare brand Then I Met You launched online at Sephora.

• BFY donut brand glonuts launched at H-E-B.