Resource Directory

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Amberstone supports entrepreneurs building breakthrough food and consumer product companies. We partner with brands at their earliest stages, providing the capital and insights necessary to scale efficiently into category leaders. Learn More

Parameters

• Genuine brand authenticity and consumer resonance.
• Category leading revenue growth, margins, and velocity.
• Less than $15M in trailing revenue.
• Seeking $1-10M in growth capital.

Contact Info

• Nicolas Mindel, Partner
  (415) 706-4064
  nick@amberstonelp.com

Bam Ventures invests capital and time, experience, relationships, and resources to support growing businesses. We’re entrepreneurs first. Learn More

Contact Info

• Shamin Walsh, Managing Director
  (213) 988-8812
  shamin@bam.vc

Blueberry Ventures is a venture capital fund investing in emerging and innovative brands and companies across the Food & Beverage space. We partner with inspiring and passionate entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of nutrition. In our role, we provide early and growth stage capital and operational support.

Select current and past Blueberry Ventures investments include Flying Embers, Foxtrot Market, High Brew Coffee, REBBL, Ripple Foods, Barnana, Revive Kombucha (acquired by Peet’s Coffee), Rhythm Superfoods, Fishpeople Seafood, Biena Snacks, Sufferfest Beer Company (acquired by Sierra Nevada), Bonafide Provisions, 4th & Heart, Nutriati, Austin Eastciders, Pique Tea, TruBrain, RightRice, and Vive Organic. Learn More

Parameters

• Early stage and  growth stage.

Contact Info

• Arif Fazal, Founder & Managing Director
  (415)-519-5432
  arif@blueberryventures.vc

Bradmer Foods is a consulting and investment firm that operates in the natural and specialty products industry. Bradmer Foods provides a comprehensive menu of services that can add value by providing strategic expertise, guidance, and in some cases, funding to emerging natural and specialty producers who concentrate on developing their unique products for the US market. Learn More

Contact Info

• Dan Krause, Managing Director
  (443) 827-4114
  dan.krause@bradmer.com

BrandProject invests early and works with founders to build high-growth businesses with solid foundations and metrics. We are usually the first venture money, often in the pre-seed stage, and are typically the sole investor in this stage. We also make follow-on seed, series A&B investments in high-growth businesses. Our unique model helps founders grow smarter. When Founders partner with BrandProject, they access our collective experience and that of our ecosystem that spans all core business-building foundations.

We’ve helped build some of the world’s leading consumer product and technology companies. Our Acceleration Team works with founding teams and support them through their critical stages of growth. BrandProject targets large consumer categories where modern consumers are looking for more. We look for companies that aspire to create world-class experiences and leverage personalization, convenience, and data. We also look for digitally native consumer brands with multi-channel ambitions. In addition to the Food & Beverage sector, we focus on Health & Wellness, Pets, Fashion & Beauty, Home & Family, and Sports and Lifestyle segments. Learn More

Contact Info

• Andrew Bridge, Co-Founder & Partner
  andrew.bridge@brandproject.com
• Hayden Williams, Partner
  hayden.williams@brandproject.com
• (416) 556-5555 (HQ)

Named for the goddess of agriculture in Greek mythology, Demeter Group provides investment banking advisory services and growth capital to Wine & Spirits companies building strong brand equity. Like the goddess Demeter, we are devoted to our crops (clients’ brands) from seeding through harvest by providing the insights of a principal in our advisory relationships and of an advisor in our principal relationships.

Established in 2003 as buy-side advisor to Fortune 500 companies and family offices in Consumer, Demeter Group is recognized for both the IQ and EQ to successfully partner with founders as they build enterprise value, typically from >$10 million to $200 million. Learn More

Parameters

• Alcoholic beverages only.

Contact Info

• Marc Levit, Vice President
  (818) 825-1263
  Levit@demetergroup.net

Distill Ventures was born out of a realization that there were many visionary drink entrepreneurs with barriers holding them back and little access to resources to help them build global brands. We wanted to change that, so we brought together a passion for drinks and a range of experts to fill the void. We approached Diageo as a partner, and in 2013, the world’s first accelerator for the spirits industry was born. The way our relationship is set up with Diageo provides a great pathway for entrepreneurs to grow independently and remain fully in control of their business, all while providing Diageo with a way to invest and support the most exciting up-and-coming brands.

Our business is independent, but Diageo is our sole investor; so as well as providing money, we can provide assistance to portfolio companies in many forms, like technical know-how, production support, and marketing expertise. We’re lucky to work with a group of great entrepreneurs with incredibly diverse drinks brands. We invest in companies of all sizes, from pre-launch or early-stage drink start-ups to well-established brands looking to tap into new markets, scale rapidly, or build distilleries and production facilities. Learn More

Parameters

Alcoholic drinks of all ABVs and types (Except beer and wine)

• A great idea or brand: we want well-thought propositions that bring something new to the market and are created by a founding team with big ambitions and plenty of determination.
• Rapidly growing businesses: brands with a clear plan for the future, looking for funding to take their company to the next level and realize their ambitions both in their home market and later on a global scale.
• Pre-launch and early-stage businesses: founders looking for help getting started or growing businesses with a clear plan that needs funding to realize their founding vision.
• Ambitious founding team: entrepreneurs who want to continue to drive their businesses, get to a significant size and sell in a number of years at an agreed future date.

Non-alcoholic drinks

• Non-alcoholic, zero-proof, or low-ABV spirits replacements that could easily find a home in premium bars and restaurants for a cocktail occasion.
• Pre-launch and early-stage businesses: entrepreneurs who are looking for help developing their brand and liquid while figuring out their place in this rapidly growing market segment.
• The bones of a great brand: a drink that’s new to the market, created by people with big ambitions, plenty of determination, and a genuine desire to provide customers with choice when out socializing.
• Ambition and growth: teams who want to build their business and sell in a number of years at an agreed future date.

Contact Info

• Josh Wortman, Director, Commercial (North America)
  (646) 467-4515
  josh@distillventures.com

First Bev can make all the difference. Our unique network and unrivaled beverage industry expertise are what you need to take your brand to the next level. Our sole focus on beverage and our deep industry ties make us the ideal partner for passionate entrepreneurs.

We are interested in developing relationships with owners who are intent on growing their companies. We believe investing in a brand requires so much more than capital, so we dedicate the time and energy required to learn all we can about our portfolio brands in order to become a true value-added partner. Learn More

Parameters

People, product, and brand

• Quality team with the highest level of integrity, desire, and commitment.
• Founders who embrace active strategic and financial guidance.
• A brand that is positioned for rapid growth in its category.

Company profile

• Revenues of $1 million to $15 million.
• Strong and sustainable gross margins.
• All categories related to beverages: brands, suppliers, retailers, and technology.
• Clear and reasonable capital requirements to achieve positive cash flow.

Transaction

• Investment size of $2 million to $15 million.
• Growth capital investments for 20%+ of company.

Contact Info

• Jack Belsito, Managing Partner
  (914) 216-3728
  jack@firstbeveragegroup.com

Forefront Venture Partners is one of the largest and most successful AngelList syndicates. Our robust deal flow, combined with intense due diligence and selective vetting, has enabled us to build a portfolio that includes many notable, high-growth start-ups.

When we make an investment in a company, we do everything we can to stack the deck in their favor. We offer advice and guidance, make strategic introductions, connect portfolio companies with prospective partners and preferred vendors, assist with future fundraising, and drive significant evangelism through our extensive network of syndicate investors. Learn More

Parameters

We only invest in companies:

• That are already generating revenue and are demonstrating consistent revenue growth.
• With great teams, bringing deep domain expertise, an innate understanding of the problem they are trying to solve, and the potential to credibly scale the business.
• With products or services that solve a real pain point.
• That have a proprietary or highly differentiated product with a path towards sustainable differentiation.
• With enormous potential for growth and that are addressing large target markets.
• With reasonable valuations reflecting a realistic assessment of the company’s progress to date and prospects for success.
• That are demonstrating early evidence of having identified efficient, scalable, paid customer acquisition channels, a low ratio of Customer Acquisition Cost to Lifetime Value and a quick time to recoup Customer Acquisition Cost.
• That will have a minimum available cash runway of 12 months post-close.
• That are capital efficient and can scale quickly without a lot of additional capital. We gravitate towards entrepreneurs who treat every dollar as if it’s their own and who think carefully about raising capital – both the timing and the amount – to optimize for success.

We prefer to invest in companies:

• Where the Forefront community can add significant value beyond capital. This includes introductions, strategic advice, referrals, and more.

Contact Info

• Phil Nadel, Managing Director
  (561)-945-8797
  phil@forefrontvp.com

The Loft Growth Partners team has more than 400 collective years of building and leading consumer brands. We invest in brands and categories where we can put our experience, knowledge, and relationships to work to help our brands grow. We lean into our strengths as investors and operators in making investment decisions, and we are honest when we don’t think we are a good fit.

We typically invest $5-$10 million over time in the companies we partner with. We’ll add real value whether we’re minority investors (most common) or otherwise. We are seasoned industry pros who serve as trusted advisors bringing the insights and capital to help realize our shared goals. Learn More

Parameters

Growth Characteristics

• Natural/Organic.
• Functional/Performance.
• Ethnic.
• Specialty/Premium.

Size/Revenue

• Generally with revenue between $2 million and $25 million.
• Growing rapidly.
• No pre-revenue businesses.

Flexible Structure

• Minority ownership stake as part of a partnership most common.
• Majority interest or complete buyout possible.

Investment Criteria

• Founders or management seeking a partner, not just an investor.
• Powerful consumer positioning and product fulfillment.
• Sustainable point of difference built on trends, not fads.
• Unparalleled product efficacy and/or taste.
• Strong sense of in-market “proven-ness” based on consumer takeaway.
• Exponential growth history and future potential.
• Categories that immediately leverage our expertise.
• Attractive go-to-market approach and financial proposition.

Contact Info

• Andy Whitman, Managing Partner
  (312) 629-5248
  awhitman@2xpartners.com
• (312) 357-1800 (Main)

Partners Resolute manages a series of investment partnerships including Resolute Partners, Resolute Alternative Partners, Resolute Venture Partners, and Seed-Resolute. Learn More

Parameters

• Aligning Values – First and foremost, we invest in and with people who share our values. Integrity, Motivation, Intelligence, and Experience are on the top of our list, closely followed by Collaboration and Kaizen.
• Creating Value – We look for products and services that leverage a technological breakthrough or superior user experience and brand to radically change the status quo and create a new value paradigm.
• Capturing Value – We look for innovative business models that are structurally sound, strategically defensible, and show the potential to create and capture new markets.
• Adding Value – We invest in partners, not just portfolio companies, so focus on opportunities where our expertise, insight, or introductions can add value beyond our capital investment.

Contact Info

• Judd Morgenstern, Managing Partner
  (847)-226-3316
  judd@partnersresolute.com

Shore Capital Food & Beverage Partners is a Chicago-based private equity fund managed by Shore Capital Partners and focused exclusively on microcap investments in food, beverage, and related companies. Shore supports partner companies with capital, business development expertise, and industry knowledge to accelerate growth, fund acquisitions, and generate value to shareholders.

Shore targets investments in proven, successful private companies with superior management teams, stable cash flow, and significant growth potential. Since its founding, Shore has raised more than $1 billion of equity capital from blue-chip institutional investors to focus on microcap private equity investments. Learn More

Parameters

Investment Criteria Platform Investment Size

• $10-$100M of Revenue.
• $1-$10M of EBITDA.

Transaction Types

• Family Successions.
• Leveraged Buyouts.
• Recapitalizations.
• Management Buyouts.
• Industry Consolidations.
• Corporate Divestitures.

Sectors of Interest

• Co-Manufacturing & Private Label.
• Branded Food & Beverage Products.
• Related Consumer Goods Food & Beverage.

Select Active Thesis:

• Specialty Ingredients, Flavors & Spices.

Shore Value Creation:

• Shore establishes a board of directors comprised of industry leaders who can assist in strategic decision making, industry relationship development, company growth, and risk management initiatives.
• Shore works with management to implement tried-and-tested analytical and operational tools and systems to better track company data and enable more informed and accurate decision making.
• Shore acts as a facilitator of growth at its partner companies through capital investments, business development expertise, key new team additions, and robust add-on acquisition search processes.

Contact Info

• Jeff Smart, VP
  (312) 273-5044
  jsmart@shorecp.com

Sonoma Brands is a private equity firm focused on the growth sectors of the consumer economy. We aim to partner with bold, innovative founders on their way to building the world’s next enduring brands across the physical and digital landscape.

Sonoma Brands is a specialist growth equity firm exclusively dedicated to disruptive, high-growth consumer brands. We seek to partner with passionate entrepreneurs and founders ushering in the new wave of bold, innovative products. As experienced entrepreneurs and brand builders with in-house, value-added resources and deep industry relationships, we believe we can guide emerging brands towards breakout growth.

We are omnichannel investors and look for brands that will benefit from our abilities to expand retail distribution and accelerate digital engagement. Learn More

Parameters

• Alcohol and Non-Alcohol
• Growth-stage consumer business with $5M in sales
• Generally, $5-$30M lead investments.
• Board-level participation.

Contact Info

• hello@sonomabrands.com

We partner with outstanding entrepreneurs and invest in category-defining businesses. Learn More

Parameters

• Early stage and growth stage.

Contact Info

• Avi Rosenbaum, General Partner
  (646) 522-0121
  avi@tectonic.vc

Coca-Cola Venture (VEB) identifies high-potential growth brands in the North American beverage space for investment or ownership by The Coca-Cola Company. Since its inception, VEB has managed investments and acquisitions in such brands as Honest Tea and Fuze, and the commercialization of illy issimo ready-to-drink coffee.

Bringing a new product to consumers is challenging, risky, and requires significant time and investment. Product breakthroughs often come from entrepreneurs – small, nimble teams with a different way of thinking and quick ways of adapting. In the mid-2000s, The Coca-Cola Company realized that most of the disruptive growth in non-alcoholic beverages was coming from small-to-mid-sized companies. That helped lead to the idea to create a new unit in Coca-Cola North America (CCNA), solely focused on identifying and nurturing innovative new brands. They would have the ability to move quickly, failing fast when necessary.

In 2007, the Venturing & Emerging Brands (VEB) team was born. “A third of industry growth every five years was being generated from the creation of things like energy drinks, enhanced waters, protein drinks—we were in many of these emerging categories, but we wanted to focus on ways to get in even earlier,” said Matthew Mitchell, vice president of investments and ventures for VEB. This required a new approach to innovation. “CCNA was coming up with some really good and exciting ideas and we had a lot of great innovations in our pipeline between 2001 and 2007,” said Matthew, who has spent 10 out of his 22 years at Coca-Cola with the VEB team. “The challenge was that the company didn’t always have the right models to win in a fast-changing marketplace.” Learn More

Parameters

• Must have pre-revenue to proof on concept meaning client has the product on the shelves.
• $10M in retail sales.
• Funding history including “Friends & Family” as part of 1st round. The client must be able to show their own skin in the game.
• $5 million established in the brand.

VEB looks to see the product in the following establishments:

• Whole Foods.
• SPECS (alcohol Texas retailer).
• NYC retailers (following trends).
• LA, CA retailers (following trends).
• Quality distribution.

Contact Info

• Matt Hughes, Vice President, Incubation and Commercial Strategy
  (404) 538-4217
  matthughes@coca-cola.com

WeFunder is an equity crowdfunding and investment platform for start-ups, founders, and investors. Wefunder helps start-ups and small businesses to get the funding they need to thrive, as well as investors to own a small stake in the company. Make your most loyal customers and first-degree connections into owners. They are often your most passionate evangelists. (Discount available for persons mentioning Flavorman). Learn More

Parameters

• No companies working with THC.

Contact Info

• Mark Rodli
  (800) 392-2313
  mark@wefunder.com

ForecastEasy is a strategic and financial forecasting software tool built for high-growth Consumer brands and the entrepreneurs behind them. No finance experience is necessary to create forecasts that are easy to build, easy to understand, and expose actionable insights. Inspired by forecast models that supported $10-$200M acquisitions, ForecastEasy empowers founders and their management teams to produce investment-bank-caliber forecasts on their own.

ForecastEasy was developed by veteran Consumer investment banker Marc Levit to advise founders and their management teams on how to quantify their growth and to provide a powerful and efficient tool for raising capital. Marc’s transaction experience exceeds $1.3 billion in Enterprise Value and includes the acquisitions of High West Distillery (Constellation Brands), Woodinville Whiskey Company (Moët Hennessy), J Vineyards (Gallo), St. Supéry Estate (Chanel), and Ole Henriksen Skincare (LVMH). Learn More

Contact Info

• Marc Levit, Founder
  (818) 825-1263
  marc@forecasteasy.com