VMG Backs Stars + Honey, AG1 Bets on Creatine 💪

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

• SNB acquires Tillamook 🥩

• Bawi secures $6M 🍍

• Barebells launches candy line 🍑

• Tom Brady collabs with Gopuff 🥥

• J.M. Smucker gets back on track 📈

Deals 💰

Mergers & Acquisitions 

• Second Nature Brands (SNB) has acquired meat snacks maker Tillamook Country Smoker for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1975 and based in Oregon, Tillamook operates two manufacturing facilities and its sales are north of $175M. The sellers are Insignia Capital Group and family shareholders. SNB has acquired a wide variety of snack brands since 2022 including Voortman ($305M), Sahale Snacks ($34M), and Brownie Brittle (price not disclosed). PR Newswire

• According to a report from CNBC, Mammoth Brands is eager for more acquisitions in the personal care and wellness categories. In late 2025, Mammoth Brands shelled out more than $1B in cash and stock for Coterie, a baby care brand with $200M+ in net revenue. CNBC

• Tilray Brands is selling Atwater Brewery back to its founder, Mark Rieth. The Detroit-based brewery originally exited to Molson Coors in 2020 then Tilray acquired it as part of a bulk transaction in 2023. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Just Drinks

Fundraising

• Stars + Honey secured a $24M minority growth investment led by VMG Partners. Launched in 2023 by Daniel Rainey, Stars + Honey is best known for its flavor-forward protein bars that deliver 15g of protein + collagen. The company grew 300% in 2025 and is on pace to hit $50M in revenue by the end of 2026. Stars + Honey will use the capital to finance a 60,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and support its expansion into national retail. Business Wire

• Sparkling agua fresca brand Bawi closed a $6M funding round led by Brand Foundry Ventures. Founded by Victor Guardiola in 2020, Bawi has become a nationally recognized beverage brand with a strong presence in TX, CA, and the Midwest. The company recently made two key hires with Erik Perkins joining as CCO and Zackary Taylor spearheading foodservice sales. Instagram

Walmart Suppliers Are Leaving Cash on the Table 🛒

Walmart said yes. Now you need to produce and ship without draining your operating cash.

Bridge is the direct lender behind Walmart's Purchase Order Financing Program, funding up to 100% of COGS so suppliers can pay their vendors, fulfill on time, and keep their cash working elsewhere.

$500M+ funded to retail suppliers in 2025.

Here's how Bridge works:

The order is the opportunity. You already won the placement. Bridge funds the production costs so you don't have to pull from operating cash or tie up growth capital in inventory.

Built around the retail cash cycle. Walmart pays on net terms. Bridge structures repayment around that timeline, not around arbitrary fixed schedules.

Loan terms in 48 hours. Share your upcoming production costs. Receive loan terms and get funded the same day, no long application process, no agency retainers.

The best part? This is a real lending product, not an MCA. Walmart supplier performance data is used directly in underwriting, so approvals move fast and the structure reflects your actual business.

Learn more about Bridge's Walmart PO Financing Program here.

What’s New 🤩

Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness

• After launching two fish oil SKUs last week, AG1 just announced AG1 Pro, a creatine-infused version of its foundational greens powder. In addition to 5g of creatine monohydrate, each serving also features HMB and zinc carnosine. AG1 Pro is designed to support muscle strength, recovery, and metabolic resilience. Fitt Insider

• Salt & Stone is bringing back its Lily & Yuzu scent as a permanent item in the UK, US, and Canada. The company originally launched its Lily & Yuzu personal care collection as a collab with Aritzia. Instagram

• Fragrance brand Skylar launched its third scent under the guidance of influencer and Chief Creative Officer Leah Kateb. The new scent, True Love’s Cake, follows the success of Pomegranate Princess and Double Date. True Love’s Cake will be available exclusively via Sephora’s app on June 15th. PR Newswire

• Pleasing, the beauty & lifestyle brand created by Harry Styles, is opening a London pop-up from June 12th until July 5th. The pop-up is heading to London following a successful three week run in Amsterdam. Cosmetics Business

• Nécessaire released a hydrating and refreshing skin spray called Eucalyptus Water. The company also launched a portable body wipe for an effective and on-the-go full-body cleanse. Nécessaire

Food, Beverage, and Alcohol

• Barebells just launched a low-sugar gummy line with three SKUs: Sour Cola, Water Melon, and Peach Rings. The branding is excellent and if the product is any good, this will thrive in the convenience channel where Barebells already has wide distribution. Instagram

• Formula 1 racer Pierre Gasly launched a functional beverage brand called Minded. In addition to 800mg of electrolytes, each can also contains vitamins D, C, A, and B12 along with magnesium and zinc. The branding is solid and three flavors are currently available. Instagram

• Takeaways is launching today with a line of savory cheese bars. Three flavors are available and the macros are impressive for a 1.1 oz snack: 12g of protein, 3g of fiber, and 120 calories. Imagine if Chomps had a cheesy sibling and that’s Takeaways. Bullish on the brand / form factor. LinkedIn

• Tom Brady and Gopuff teamed up again to launch Good Nut, a canned organic coconut water line. Good Nut is made with organic coconuts from Vietnam and contains no added sugar. Three varieties are available exclusively on Gopuff: Original Coconut Water, Chocolate Coconut Water, and Sparkling Coconut Water. Business Wire

• Fast-growing THC beverage brand Willie’s Remedy+ tapped Interact Brands to refresh its packaging. The upgraded packaging puts Willie Nelson front and center while also cleaning up the messaging and information hierarchy. LinkedIn

• Interact Brands also helped Mezcla refresh its packaging and it’s a considerable upgrade. Mezcla also dropped four new flavors: Frosted Strawberry, Mint Chocolate, Chocolate Pretzel, and Salted Caramel Chocolate. LinkedIn

• Smash Kitchen moved into another new category with its pasta sauce line. Classic Marinara and Roasted Garlic are available nationwide at Walmart. Instagram

Data 🖥️

• J.M. Smucker reported Q4 results and net sales increased 6% to $2.3B. The company also beat Wall Street estimates with Adjusted EPS of $2.77, an increase of 20%. Smucker shares jumped over 12%. PR Newswire

• According to Nielsen, organic non-alc wine sales grew 41% year-over-year. The early winner in the category is Good Twin with 35% dollar share. LinkedIn

Distribution News 🚚

• Cotto is now available at Fairway Market across NYC.

• Cure Hydration launched at 1,200+ Target stores.

• Natalie’s Juice launched storewide at Hy-Vee.

• Vacation is launching at Sephora on June 20th.