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Whiskey Row Acquired, Mela Heads to Target 🎯
CPG WIRE
September 23, 2023
GM and Happy Saturday, folks. There’s no Big Story this morning — no particular story warranted a deep dive — but we still have lots of exciting things to cover. Here’s a preview:
Avalon acquires Whiskey Row 🥃
Unilever plans to sell select assets 💰
Pierre Fabre backs MiYé 💊
New from GOODLES 🧀
Madhappy x Katz’s 🆕
Mela heads to Target 🎯
Deals 💰
Mergers & Acquisitions
Avalon Spirits, a newly formed spirits firm, purchased Whiskey Row Bourbon, a super-premium whiskey brand. Avalon Spirits was founded by John Glover who previously served as the COO of Castle Brands which was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2019. Avalon plans to build a portfolio of super-premium spirits brands via acquisition. PR Newswire
Consumer goods giant Unilever is looking to sell a handful of non-core personal care brands. Brands included in a possible transaction are Q-Tips, St. Ives, Brut, and others. These brands combined for an estimated $760M in revenue in 2022. Reuters
Lovekins, an Australian premium skincare brand for mothers and babies, was acquired by Chinese brand management firm Access. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Lovekins has sold more than 20 million units since launching in 2015. Smart Company
Fundraising
French cosmetics firm Pierre Fabre Laboratories invested in MiYé, a skincare and supplements brand that’s focused on women’s hormonal balance. MiYé is based in Provence and was founded in 2020. Cosmetics Business
What’s New 🤩
Apparel, Cosmetics, and Wellness
Luxury fragrance brand Régime des Fleurs launched a gorgeous new fragrance called Tóor-Tóor. The New York-based brand developed the scent with French master perfumer Dominique Ropion. Scent notes: grapefruit rind, violet leaves, vetiver oil ⬇️ Régime des Fleurs
Lifestyle brand Madhappy launched a capsule collection with New York’s iconic Katz’s Delicatessen. Very fun. In a sea of mundane brand collaborations, this one definitely stands out. Instagram
Vegan skincare brand Summer Fridays unveiled their latest product line — Lip Butter Balm. Seven shades are available. Summer Fridays
Food, Beverage, and Alcohol
Better-for-you mac and cheese brand GOODLES launched a new limited edition flavor — Smokey Dokey. The product features gouda and a hint of natural hickory smoke. Great packaging. Twitter
Honey Mama’s introduced a new line of Truffle Treats which is a convenient, on-the-go version of their flagship product. Their products are unbelievably tasty. You can find Truffle Treats nationwide at Target. New Hope Network
Per an Instagram story from Indie CPG, frozen coffee pod brand Cometeer unveiled refreshed packaging at Expo East. Love it. A lot warmer than the first iteration of their packaging ⬇️
MOSH, the nutrition bar brand that’s focused on brain health, launched a line of plant-based bars for vegan consumers. Food Business News
Chicago-based Revolution Brewing introduced a new line of sparkling hop waters called Super Zero. The product contains zero alcohol, zero carbs, and zero calories. Good-looking product ⬇️ Revolution Brewing
New York-based Alldae Cascara reformulated their products and rebranded as Alldae Superfruit Soda. Daily Coffee News
Data 🖥️
Gin and whisky exports from the UK are down considerably. Whisky exports decreased by 19.7% and gin dropped 12.4%. I guess consumers aren’t too keen on single malts during times of economic uncertainty. The Spirits Business