Cornerstone Investors
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Abbott Nutrition
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. We understand that proper nutrition is the foundation for living the best life possible. That’s why we develop science-based nutrition products to nourish your body at every stage of life. Our products help babies and children grow, keep bodies strong and active, and support the unique nutrition needs of people with chronic illnesses — to make every stage of life a healthy one.
Abrams & Company
Ivan is a highly successful banker and entrepreneur, with a passion for helping early stage businesses. With more than two decades of management and leadership experience, he has built his private debt fund, Abrams & Company, Inc., into one of the leading sources of non-dilutive working capital financing, and advisory support, to emerging food and beverage brands, and to the broader CPG community. Since 2015, Abrams & Company has grown, on average, by more than 25% annually. While Abrams & Company’s funding engagements range in size from $100,000 to $15,000,000, it focuses primarily on brands with annual sales from $1MM to $15MM as an initial entry point for funding. Beyond being a significant source of capital, Ivan’s primary expertise is working closely with private equity firms, boards, and management teams, to help emerging brands scale, and increase their valuations in preparation for exit. In addition to the above, Ivan has advised several brands in the cannabis industry, having completed in depth research into the DEA’s, FDA’s, DOJ’s and congressional guidelines relating to the hemp marketplace. The results of his work are now considered industry standard by many of the nation’s leading law firms and consultants in the sector.
Ajinomoto Group
The Ajinomoto Group is a global leading company in food and amino acids products. Our businesses are mainly derived from our proprietary amino acid technology, which include consumer foods, specialty food ingredients, human nutrition products, animal and plant nutrition products, specialty chemicals for pharmaceuticals, cosmetic ingredients, regenerative cell culture medium and others. Our history began in 1909 with discovery of “Umami”, one of amino acid and entered into market with Ajinomoto®, the world's first umami seasoning. Since then, we have expanded our business by leveraging bioscience and specialty chemical technology through innovative food products and solutions. Our group vision is “Eat Well, Live Well”, to contribute to the world’s food and wellness, and to better lives for the future. For more information, visit ajinomoto.com
Amway
Founded in 1959 by Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel, Amway is a privately held company based in Ada, Mi. Amway vision is to Help People Live Better Lives. A world leader in direct selling that offers consumer products and business opportunities with a global footprint that stretches across six continents with a presence in more than 100+ countries and territories. Amway has more than one million Amway Business Owners (ABOs) who are supported by more than 16,000 employees who work in hundreds of locations around the world. Amway supports ABO’s with innovative and unique products on Nutrition, Beauty, Home and Energy/Sports categories. Our family of global brands include Nutrilite, Artistry, Espring, Legacy of Clean and XS Energy.
Assembler Growth Capital
Assembler Growth Capital is a private equity firm seeking to partner with founders and management teams driven by the opportunity to build remarkable organizations. Our team is focused on businesses within the Specialty Food & Beverage and Health & Wellness manufacturing and consumer-driven high velocity brands. We are headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Applied Food Sciences
Innovative, Functional Ingredients. For over 20 years, Applied Food Sciences (AFS) has brought inspiration and innovation to functional ingredients for the natural products industry. Quality is transparent through organic farming, ethical sourcing, and sustainability. AFS cares about every stakeholder from rural farmers to the largest companies in the world. Notable ingredient launches include: PurCaf® Organic Caffeine, V-70™ Hemp Heart Protein, AFS.Hemp™ Broad-Spectrum Hemp Extract, and AMATEA® Organic Guayusa Extract
Balchem Human Nutrition and Health
Balchem products positively impact the lives of countless consumers daily, from coffee creamers, muffins and cereals that inspire the morning to nutritional supplements that help provide the focus and vitality you need to get through the day. These aren’t just words – we’ve been leading in food and nutrition for decades. We pioneered and built the markets for choline and chelated minerals, verified by hundreds of human studies on our products. We lead in technology that reduces food waste through encapsulated preservation. We perfected the caramel swirls in ice cream that changed the game in frozen desserts. We improve the taste, nutrition profile, and mouthfeel of sports drinks and snacks to make them taste better to help you perform. Come grow with us — our dedication to excellence will be your advantage as you solve today and shape tomorrow.
Bimbo Bakeries USA
Bimbo Bakeries USA is a leader in the baking industry, known for its category leading brands, innovative products, freshness and quality. BBU’s portfolio includes a number of well-known and well-loved brands, including: Thomas’, Sara Lee, Entenmann’s, Little Bites, and Oroweat. As part of Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baking company, BBU is proud to share the company philosophy – to be Highly Productive and Deeply Humane. The venture team is looking to collaborate with growing food companies, with whom we can leverage the company’s extensive global resources to add value and build scale.
BeyondBrands
Led by veteran NCN Selection Committee Member Eric Schnell, BeyondBrands is a strategic consulting agency for conscious CPG businesses that disrupt category norms. From Food and Beverage to Nutraceuticals and Plant Medicine, we aim to guide our clients to be the standout brands that win Share of Heart, through their innate Passion and Purpose while creating as much Prosperity that benefits both the People and our Planet. The agency is made up of current and former entrepreneurs, VP’s & C-Suite Executives who have started, grown and sold businesses in the Natural Products Industry.
BeyondBrands is a full-service Sales and Marketing agency, with a fractional management model across all key departments that partners with brands to level up their businesses from idea through to acceleration. The agency has a BeyondBrands Ventures model for early stage investment and equity partnership opportunities.
Black Bear Partners
Black Bear Partners is an investment firm focused on providing financial and intellectual capital to entrepreneurs of consumer-oriented businesses. Based in Dallas, Texas, we focus on businesses between $3 million and $20 million in top-line revenue that are gaining market share in established categories through a compelling consumer proposition or format. We are our partner companies with the tools, leadership and capital required to achieve shared goals of lasting consumer relevancy and outstanding profitability.
Bush Brothers Bean Company
Bush’s® is That Beautiful Bean Co.—a quality-obsessed, family-owned business since 1908. We believe in the goodness of the humble bean, a food that’s equally good for humans and the earth. When you enjoy our beans, you can trust that they’re the very best. Because we wouldn’t serve your family anything less. Since we got our start more than 110 years ago in Chestnut Hill, Tenn., Bush’s has always maintained that quality is the best policy. We pursue excellence and exceptional taste in our beans, sauces and everything we do. That’s why, from mouthwatering Baked Beans to Chili Beans to our newest Sidekicks, you’re cooking up the best with Bush’s. For more information, visit www.bushbeans.com
Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) is a multi-national food company headquartered in Camden, N.J., with annual sales of approximately $8.1 billion. We make a range of high-quality soups and simple meals, beverages and snacks. Our company is driven and inspired by our purpose: Real food that matters for life’s moments. For generations, people have trusted us to provide authentic, flavorful and readily available foods and beverages that connect them to each other, to warm memories, and to what’s important today. Our portfolio is focused on two distinct businesses in our core North American market: Snacks and Meals & Beverages. This focus enables us to leverage iconic brands and strong positions in the market where we have the greatest presence. Led by our iconic Campbell’s brand, our portfolio extends beyond soup to foods such as Pepperidge Farm cookies including Milano and Farmhouse, Goldfish crackers, Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, Lance sandwich crackers, Kettle Brand and Cape Cod potato chips, Late July snacks, Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps, Pop Secret popcorn, Emerald nuts, V8 beverages, Plum baby food, Swanson broths, Prego pasta sauces, Pace Mexican sauce, and Pacific Foods broths, soups and non-dairy beverages. For more information, visit our website or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo.
Clorox Company
The Clorox Company is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of products used every day in millions of homes, healthcare settings and other businesses around the world. Nearly 90 percent of Clorox Company brands hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories. The company’s products include its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Clorox Healthcare™, HealthLink®, Aplicare® and Dispatch® products, Green Works® naturally derived home care products, Pine-Sol® cleaners, Nevex®, Ayudín®, Mistolín® and Poett® home care products, Fresh Step® cat litter, Glad® bags, wraps and containers, Bon Bril® cleaning utensils, Kingsford® charcoal, Hidden Valley® and KC Masterpiece® dressings and sauces, Brita® water-filtration products, and Burt’s Bees® and gud® natural personal care products. Clorox is headquartered in Oakland, Calif., and employs about 8,400 people worldwide and manufactures products in more than two dozen countries and markets them in more than 100 countries.
Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. Our portfolio of brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and other sparkling soft drinks. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide.
DSM Nutritional Products
Royal DSM is a global purpose-led, science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living. DSM’s purpose is to create brighter lives for all. With its products and solutions DSM addresses some of the world’s biggest challenges whilst creating simultaneously economic, environmental and societal value for all its stakeholders; customers, employees, shareholders, and society-at-large. DSM Nutritional Products, a division of Royal DSM, is a world leading supplier of vitamins, carotenoids and other nutritional solutions in the areas of Animal Nutrition & Health, Human Nutrition & Health and Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients.
Duas Rodas International
One of the five most innovative Brazilian companies in its segment, Duas Rodas is reference in ingredients for the Food, Beverage & Nutraceutical industry. Pioneer in the extraction of essential oils, it is the largest flavor house in Brazil, with more than 90 years of experience. Duas Rodas has presence in over 30 countries with six manufacturing units in Latin America, three in Brazil and units in Chile, Colombia and Mexico.
Its broad portfolio include flavors, extracts, fruit and vegetable powders and flakes, all produced with internationally certified quality and safety, including products with international certifications such as Kosher, Halal, Organic Products and Fair for Life, FSSC22000 and SMETA.
Factory LLC
Factory is a team of experienced operators who acquire meaningful equity stakes in high potential food, beverage and pet health companies, and partner with them to rapidly build value. Our 31 team members have expertise in sales, marketing, product development, food science, manufacturing, distribution, supply chain, logistics, package engineering, food safety, consumer insights, social media, finance, and legal. We are based in a one-of-a kind, custom-built, 40,000 sq. ft. innovation and scale-up facility, where we provide partner companies with support and resources so invested capital can be used for growth, not SG&A.
Flagship Pioneering
Flagship Pioneering conceives, creates, resources, and develops first-in-category life sciences companies to transform human health and sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, the firm has applied a unique hypothesis-driven innovation process to originate and foster more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in over $30 billion in aggregate value. To date, Flagship is backed by >$3 billion of aggregate capital commitments, of which over $1.4 billion has been deployed toward the founding and growth of its pioneering companies alongside >$10 billion of follow-on investments from other institutions. The current Flagship ecosystem includes Denali Therapeutics (NASDAQ: DNLI), Evelo Biosciences (NASDAQ: EVLO), Moderna Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MRNA), Rubius Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RUBY), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB), and Syros Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SYRS).
Fuji Oil Holdings Inc.
Established in 1950, Fuji Oil Group develops and manufactures specialty vegetable oils and fats, oils and fats processed foods such as chocolate, margarine, and whipping cream, and soy related products. The Fuji Oil Group aim to develop delicious and healthy food ingredients which could contribute to the happiness and well-being of the people. The company seeks to contribute to the society by creating the future of delicious and healthy foods using core technologies in oils and fats and soy. Fuji Oil Group markets to industrial food manufacturers in the field of confectionery, processed food, beverage and specialty stores of pastry and bakery, and retailers globally, conducting business in Japan, China and other Asian countries, Americas, Europe, and Africa.
Healthy Lifestyle Brands
Healthy Lifestyle Brands is a health and wellness company which helps visionaries (health and wellness experts, doctors, fitness icons, athletes, celebrities and artists) positively impact the world by building health and wellness businesses around their personalities, brands and expertise. The company is committed to helping people live healthier lives and believes that making healthy choices should be easy. To make this a reality, Healthy Lifestyle Brands works with visionaries and companies to expand their impact and connect with more consumers through their tools, products and services. Consumers want brands they can trust, so the company partners with sustainable, healthy and transparent brands that will deliver on their promises.
Herbalife Nutrition
Herbalife Nutrition is a global nutrition company with a purpose to make the world healthier and happier. Since 1980, the Company has been on a mission to improve nutritional habits around the world with great-tasting, science-backed nutrition products that help people get the right balance of healthy nutrition. Our products are available exclusively through educated and trained Herbalife Nutrition independent distributors and cater to a variety of daily nutritional needs, offering choice to consumers in over 90 countries. Herbalife Nutrition’s research and development organization combines the experience of its product development specialists with a team of highly accomplished scientists and doctors, and is committed to supply-chain management and quality manufacturing from “seed to feed.”
Ingredion
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With annual net sales of nearly $6 billion, the company turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant materials into value-added ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage, paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. With Ingredion Idea Labs® around the world and more than 11,000 employees, the Company develops ingredient solutions to meet consumers' evolving needs by making crackers crunchy, yogurt creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger, and adding fiber to nutrition bars. For more information, visit Ingredion.com
International Flavors and Frangrances
At IFF (NYSE: IFF), an industry leader in food, beverage, health, biosciences and sensorial experiences, science and creativity meet to create essential solutions for a better world – from global icons to unexpected innovations and experiences. With the beauty of art and the precision of science, we are an international collective of thinkers who partners with customers to bring scents, tastes, experiences, ingredients and solutions for products the world craves. Together, we will do more good for people and planet.
Kerry Group
Kerry Group is a world leader in food taste and nutrition serving the food and beverage industry, and a leading supplier of added value brands and branded foods to the Irish and UK markets. The Group has achieved sustained profitable growth with current annualized sales of approximately €6.6 billion. Headquartered in Tralee, Ireland, the Group employs over 23,000 people throughout its manufacturing, sales, technology and application centers across Europe, North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Asian Markets. We supply over 15,000 food, food ingredients and flavor products to customers in more than 140 countries worldwide. We have established manufacturing facilities in 24 different countries and international sales offices in 20 other countries across the globe. Kerry Group plc is listed on the Dublin and London Stock Markets since 1986 and has grown to become one of the largest and most technologically advanced manufacturers of ingredients and flavors in the world. Spanning all major food categories, Kerry's core technologies and global resources in culinary, dairy, lipid, meat, cereal, sweet and beverage systems and flavors provide innovative, practical product solutions to food manufacturers and food service companies. By utilizing our core strengths, gaining synergy from combining technologies and taking a systems approach to opportunities, Kerry excels in value creation for our customers through integrated customer-focused development programs.
Laurel Heights Equity Partners
Laurel Heights Equity Partners invests in early stage consumer companies. The firm seeks to partner with entrepreneurs primarily in the food and beverage sectors, including brands, services, ingredients, and technology. Laurel Heights Equity Partners is based in San Francisco and has been supporting emerging companies since 2012.
Life Extension
At Life Extension, you can count on the highest quality products backed by science, formulated using only the finest ingredients. But, we’re more than a supplement maker — we’re your partner on a journey to better health. And that means providing meaningful guidance every step of the way. When you put something in your body, you should have complete confidence you’re getting the nutritional benefits your body deserves. At Life Extension, The Science of a Healthier Life means we deliver exceptional products and real results.
Lonza
Lonza is an integrated solutions provider that creates value along the Healthcare Continuum®. Through our Lonza Pharma Biotech & Nutrition segment and our Lonza Specialty Ingredients segment businesses, we harness science and technology to serve markets along this continuum. We focus on creating a healthy environment, promoting a healthier lifestyle and preventing illness through consumers' preventive healthcare, as well as improving patient healthcare by supporting our customers to deliver innovative medicines that help treat or even cure severe diseases. Patients and consumers benefit from our ability to transfer our pharma know-how to the healthcare, hygiene and fast-moving consumer goods environment and to the preservation and protection of the world where we live. Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza today is a well-respected global company with more than 100 sites and offices and approximately 15,500 full-time employees worldwide at the end of 2018. The company generated sales of CHF 5.5 billion in 2018 with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.5 billion. Further information can be found on our website: www.lonza.com
Lyra Growth Partners
For emerging consumer brands with strong vision and potential broad appeal, Lyra brings together agile, brand savvy coaching and unfettered smart capital to help accelerate growth and maximize value. We are not a traditional private equity fund—we are founders and operators investing our own money under our own terms. We are looking to partner with inspired entrepreneurs and make a difference together. Our leader Charles Chang was President & Founder of Vega, which he started from scratch in his basement and ten years later sold to White Wave Foods for $550 million.
Manna Tree
Manna Tree is a Vail, Colorado-based investment firm committed to improving human health through nutrition. The firm invests in and actively partners with growth-stage companies. We believe the future of health, well-being, and longevity is attainable through innovation in food. Manna Tree has made six investments to date: Vital Farm, Verde Farms, MycoTechnology, Nutriati, Gotham Greens, and Evolve BioSystems.
Mitsubishi International Food Ingredients
Mitsubishi International Food Ingredients (MIFI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation. Mitsubishi Corporation is a global business enterprise with multiple Billions USD annual revenue in food-related subsidiaries in food production, retail and distribution, agribusiness, aquaculture, restaurants, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical science investments. MIFI was founded in 2004 through the acquisition of Ashland's food and beverage ingredients distribution to combine our unique functional ingredients manufactured at our group’s state of the art facilities together with our global supply chain partner excellence in the sourcing and distribution of food, nutritional and pharmaceutical ingredients in North America. Our world-renowned reputation and a premier level of service in the food supply chain industry comprises of extensive technical expertise, innovative product solutions, and unending commitment to customer care combined with thriving vendor relationships both close to home and around the globe. Our commitment to excellence reflects our approach to creating value for our customers and delivering exceptional products and services. We focus on the unique needs of every customer refining our products and services to elevate each business. As an example of our services and investment strategy, MIFI acquired a custom seasoning blender - Carolina Ingredients in Rockhill, SC. This acquisition united Mitsubishi's leading position in natural flavor enhancement, sodium, and fat reduction with Carolina's advanced blending facility and flavor development capabilities to bring the innovation and value-added ingredients to our customers. Shop for ingredients at mifiusa.com
Natural Products Canada
Natural Products Canada (NPC) supports the commercialization of naturally-derived products and technologies in health and life sciences, agriculture and agri-food, natural resources, and sustainable bioproducts. We have made five investments since launching our investment program in March 2017, and experienced one exit: FireRein has developed a powerful fire-fighting compound made entirely of natural materials, leaving no environmental impact on the natural surroundings. Mazza Innovation has an advanced process for extracting valuable components from plant material. Its 2018 acquisition by Sensient, a global leader in natural flavours and fragrances, created NPC’s first exit. Island Water Technologies is taking the wastewater management sector by storm with its high-tech tools that harness the power of microbes. Chinova Bioworks has created a mushroom-based natural preservative that has captured the interest of major players in the food and beverage industry, as well as investors like DSM Ventures, AgFunder and Rhapsody Ventures. BioTEPP is solving a major problem for fruit growers with its natural pesticide that protects apple, pear and other trees from damaging insects like the codling moth. We see enormous potential in Canadian natural products. If you are interested in pursuing opportunities in the natural products sector, please talk to us.
Nature’s Way, Inc.
Our journey began 50 years, when our founder was on a personal quest to find products that could help support his wife’s health. This quest led to an herbal renaissance in America and the creation of Nature’s Way. We are proud to celebrate our 50th Anniversary in 2019 and look forward to building upon our history of innovation. At Nature’s Way, we believe that Nature has given us the foundation to be our healthiest selves. It’s why it is our mission to provide products that harness the best nature has to offer, embrace the wisdom of traditional health practices, and evolve to support modern health needs. Through this commitment consumers feel confidence in the quality and care that we put in every Nature’s Way product. It’s not just our Way — It’s Nature’s Way.
Naturex
Naturex, now part of Givaudan, sources, extracts and markets natural ingredients for the food, beverage and supplement industries. It has 15 manufacturing sites, 8 sourcing offices and 25 sales offices worldwide. A truly global organization. A leader in fostering the global shift from synthetic to natural, Naturex is committed to helping its customers create tasty, healthy and authentic products. It’s portfolio ranges from colors and antioxidants, to specialty fruits & vegetables, phytoactives, and numerous other plant-based natural ingredients. The company’s transversal positioning across key industries helps leverage synergies between categories, markets and countries. Naturex has experienced steadily-increasing growth throughout the last 20 years and poised for acceleration through synergies with Givaudan. Key areas of investment include new ingredients targeting the company’s key categories and disruptive technologies to enhance its botanical portfolio.
Next Gen Nutrition Investment Partners
NGN is an emerging investment manager focused on high-growth, disruptive early stage F&B companies that offer superior nutrition with a reduced or positive impact to the planet. The Fund is led by experienced executives with over 60+ years of managerial and operational experience in the food and beverage industry at firms such as Kraft/Mondelez, Kellogg’s, P&G, Heinz, and Cadbury’s. James Cali and Andrew Towle are widely regarded as knowledgeable operating partners that understand the fundamentals of operating food & beverage companies both in the US and internationally, and the requirements needed to help young companies bring their products to the next level in the market. This expertise leads to i) better deal flow as our experience is very attractive to Founders/CEOs giving NGN access to most compelling companies; ii) we work closely with our CEOs as advisors, leveraging our operational experience to maximize growth and ensure outstanding in-market execution, thereby delivering stronger portfolio company performance; and iii) we manage exits with an insider’s POV given our experience on the corporate acquisition side as we know what “good looks like” and our networks give us direct access to industry corporate venture groups and C-suite for most major food companies. We are at www.ngn-ip.com
N*GEN Partners
N*GEN Partners is an active growth equity investor committed to backing world class entrepreneurs and investing in innovative B2B and B2C companies offering differentiated, healthier, and more efficient solutions. N*GEN invests in innovation-driven, growth stage companies that capitalize on next generation consumer behavior and challenges in three target sectors: Better-For-You Consumer, Smart Cities, and Sustainable Food Systems. N*GEN has $250 million currently under management and has been making investments for the past seventeen years.
Nutraceutical Resource Group, LLC
Nutraceutical Resource Group (“NRG”)is an international consulting, advisory and investment firm in the nutrition and wellness industry with an emphasis on functional foods & ingredients and nutritional supplements. NRG is uniquely positioned to provide small to mid-sized companies with essential guidance across the entire spectrum of the business from sourcing, production, distribution, investment and growth, brand development and sales, and import/export regulatory compliance both domestically and throughout Asia Pacific. NRG’s process is to first evaluate foundational requirements in the nutritional industry and seek out ways to improve upon established practices and procedures. In this respect, we aim to connect key raw material producers with corresponding key contract manufactures in a manner that creates increased market share for both parties. Next, we evaluate client needs by seeking to fill voids that have gone unfulfilled either because they have yet to be developed or are operating but under performing. Based on NRG’s background and experience, we can provide a comprehensive business development strategy to improve upon existing practices or introduce entirely new products to the nutraceutical space at large by way of capital infusion and/or strategic guidance and partnerships.
ONCE Ventures, Inc.
ONCE Ventures, the venture capital arm of Otsuka’s Nutraceuticals division, seeks to deliver a healthier and more sustainable future by empowering visionaries and innovators. We invest in entrepreneurs across North America who are at the forefront of innovation and share our passion for delivering better health outcomes in the Active Nutrition, Healthy Beverages, Plant-Based Foods, and Supplements categories. Our approach is simple: Partner with early-stage companies that are working to improve the lives of their consumers and leverage our knowledge and capabilities to propel them forward. For 100 years, Otsuka has executed its mission of building a healthier world through groundbreaking creativity and innovation. The Otsuka group is a global organization of 180 companies with nearly 45,000 employees and annual revenues of approximately $13 billion. Otsuka operates in 28 countries and regions, conducting business across Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals. Otsuka’s global Nutraceuticals platform is spearheaded by brands and companies including POCARI SWEAT® in Japan, Nature Made®, MegaFood®, and Daiya® in the U.S., and Nutrition & Santé in Europe. Despite the increase in scale, size, and influence over the years, Otsuka has remained true to its core identity and family roots: A big venture company that thinks unconventionally and challenges the status quo.
Organic X Labs
Our mission as a strategic investment growth fund is to assist early stage companies in the USDA Organic Industry. We look at small to mid-sized companies seeking a strategic partner and capital to grow larger. With access to critical industry connections and experience with growing small companies, we can help guide and evolve a company from a “start-up” to a sustainable performer — all the while ensuring that companies stay true to their values. Our fund is supported by industry veterans with a diverse range of experiences. We also have plugins to the USDA Organic industry at different levels of supply chain and product development, helping ensure success.
Partnership Capital Growth
Partnership Capital Growth is a regional private equity and investment banking firm focused on healthy lifestyles services and products. PCG partners bring over 100 years of experience advising, investing in, and operating the most popular consumer brands in the nutrition industry over the past two decades. We work with companies whose mission is to make the world better and are committed to creating value through practicing strong values (‘value and values’). Since 2006, PCG has syndicated and invested nearly $500 million with the combined (realized / unrealized) portfolio valued at approximately 2x invested capital. As an investor, PCG focuses on growth businesses with proven success where additional capital and experience can substantially accelerate growth. As an investment banker we assist owners in realizing their goals, either raising capital, restructuring and recapitalizing or selling their business. PCG has participated in the purchase or sale of over 40 different healthy lifestyle companies. Key portfolio companies include DryBar, Anytime Fitness, Sambazon, Gaia Herbs, Numi Tea, Designer Protein, Cytosport, and The Alaska Club — among others. We understand growing businesses, know how to partner with focused managers, and provide an approach that delivers alignment at all levels.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo generated more than $67 billion in net revenue in 2019, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose: a goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to reduce our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate.
Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing
Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing is committed to sharing health and hope for a better life. Sanitarium started making healthy, nutritious foods 115 years ago, and today its market-leading products include Weet-Bix, Up&Go and the So Good range of dairy-free milk alternatives. Sanitarium continues to research and innovate new products and improve current products to meet consumer needs and deliver great taste. Providing programs and resources for people to experience happy, healthy lives is also fundamental to Sanitarium’s mission. Whether it's the 'Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon' series, (the world’s largest kids triathlon series under 16); the school breakfast club’s run in association with the various partners in Australia and New Zealand for children in need; or the free health and nutrition advice and resources offered by Sanitarium’s Lifestyle Medicine Services team, Sanitarium is passionate about making a difference.
Sanofi
At Sanofi, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives. From our beginning as a local French enterprise to our position as a leading global healthcare company, reinvention is in our DNA and reflects our quest to make life better for patients, partners, communities, and our own people.
Today, we are one company, driven by a unifying purpose and a common ambition. We believe our cutting-edge science and manufacturing, fueled by data and digital technologies, have the potential to transform the practice of medicine, turning the impossible into possible for millions of people around the world. Progress brings us together and drives us to grow, to learn, and to collectively push our limits. By chasing the miracles of science to improve people’s live, we surprise ourselves with what we can achieve. And when we discover the extraordinary, we’re already planning where to go next.
SDA Ventures LLC
SDA Ventures LLC is focused on assisting emerging growth companies through large multinational companies, primarily in the health & wellness, functional ingredient, and nutritional products markets, on matters including corporate development, business acquisition, customer relations, growth strategies and corporate finance. SDA uses the knowledge our team has acquired over our many years of operating and finance experience in the health & wellness, nutrition and biotech spaces as well as our extensive network built over those years to help our clients evaluate new and existing markets, develop financing and business strategies for their growth and accelerate the commercialization of their products.
Suan Farma, Inc.
At SUANFARMA we supply and distribute raw materials for the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and veterinary industries on a worldwide basis. We provide assistance for each country’s regulatory environment. Our core competencies are the quality assurance and international regulatory support that complements our sourcing capabilities. We value fundamentals like the importance of customer service, on target delivery times, and we acknowledge that these tools along with a clear understanding of the local regulatory environment afford greater speed to market. Products include: Botanicals, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, and specialty items. Our offerings include proprietary, clinically tested, and patented ingredients.
Suntory Holdings
Suntory was established in 1899, starting from the production and sales of wine. Since then, Suntory has continuously expanded its business and become a global company, covering alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and health foods, and delivering a wide selection of products to consumers internationally. Currently, Suntory has global market share of 4th position in the soft drinks category and 3rd position in the premium sprits category after the acquisition of Beam Inc. Inheriting the DNA as the first Japanese whisky-creating company, Suntory is famous for its innovative product development capability. Suntory has been offering new value in soft drinks to consumers with the aim to bring happiness and wellness into everyday life. Suntory has also been conducting business in health foods, seeking out ingredients that contribute to health and verify ways of maximizing their benefits scientifically.
Uriach
Uriach is a company that believes in leveraging scientific research to harness the power of nature as the best (and most sustainable) way of looking after human health and wellbeing. This is why we are 100% focused on Natural Consumer Healthcare. Our mission is to generate a positive impact on the health and life of people as well as seeking to benefit the planet as a whole. We offer the consumer the very best natural products, based on solid science and innovation.
With over 182 years of history, Uriach’s brands are positioned in several consumer categories and segments with different brand architectures. Some of our iconic brands include Aquilea, Fisiocrem, Laborest, Aerored, Fave de Fuca, Utabon, Biodramina and Halibut, with a presence in the main European markets. Today, Uriach has over 800 collaborators. Uriach has subsidiaries in central Europe’s largest Markets (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Switzerland), exclusive partnerships in Eastern Europe (Greece, Romania), and exports to more than 20 additional countries in the world.
In addition, Uriach has an e-commerce multi-brand retailing division, specialized in food suplements and natural solutions (www.naturitas.com).
Uriach has been registering double-digit growth for the past ten years, thanks to its adaptability and development of cutting-edge products that highlight its commitment to society.
Uriach is committed to innovation, long-term growth and International expansion, and is looking mostly for opportunities in the Consumer Health area, especially in natural products and food supplements.
USANA
Powered by their vision of the healthiest family on earth, since 1992, USANA has developed and manufactured high-quality, award-winning nutritional supplements, healthy foods and personal care products that are sold in 24 markets around the world including the United States, China, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Mexico, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Thailand, France, Belgium, Colombia, Indonesia, Germany, Spain, Romania, and Italy. Since 2012, the USANA Foundation, a charitable arm established to ensure impoverished children and families reach their fullest potential by providing food and nutrition, has donated more than $10 million in 26 countries around the world to provide more than 40 million meals.
WM Partners LP
WM Partners LP (“WMP”) is an asset management firm specializing in Private Equity investments. The firm was founded in 2015 by a team of prominent veterans of the Pharmaceutical and Nutrition industries. WMP's experienced management team provides a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and support it its investments. WMP focuses on the management of small to mid-sized companies specifically in, but not limited to, the Nutrition and Natural Personal Care industries. The firm seeks out companies that aim to benefit from WMP's operational expertise, strong management, and access to resources. The firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
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Abbott Nutrition
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. We understand that proper nutrition is the foundation for living the best life possible. That’s why we develop science-based nutrition products to nourish your body at every stage of life. Our products help babies and children grow, keep bodies strong and active, and support the unique nutrition needs of people with chronic illnesses — to make every stage of life a healthy one.
Abrams & Company
Ivan is a highly successful banker and entrepreneur, with a passion for helping early stage businesses. With more than two decades of management and leadership experience, he has built his private debt fund, Abrams & Company, Inc., into one of the leading sources of non-dilutive working capital financing, and advisory support, to emerging food and beverage brands, and to the broader CPG community. Since 2015, Abrams & Company has grown, on average, by more than 25% annually. While Abrams & Company’s funding engagements range in size from $100,000 to $15,000,000, it focuses primarily on brands with annual sales from $1MM to $15MM as an initial entry point for funding. Beyond being a significant source of capital, Ivan’s primary expertise is working closely with private equity firms, boards, and management teams, to help emerging brands scale, and increase their valuations in preparation for exit. In addition to the above, Ivan has advised several brands in the cannabis industry, having completed in depth research into the DEA’s, FDA’s, DOJ’s and congressional guidelines relating to the hemp marketplace. The results of his work are now considered industry standard by many of the nation’s leading law firms and consultants in the sector.
Ajinomoto Group
The Ajinomoto Group is a global leading company in food and amino acids products. Our businesses are mainly derived from our proprietary amino acid technology, which include consumer foods, specialty food ingredients, human nutrition products, animal and plant nutrition products, specialty chemicals for pharmaceuticals, cosmetic ingredients, regenerative cell culture medium and others. Our history began in 1909 with discovery of “Umami”, one of amino acid and entered into market with Ajinomoto®, the world's first umami seasoning. Since then, we have expanded our business by leveraging bioscience and specialty chemical technology through innovative food products and solutions. Our group vision is “Eat Well, Live Well”, to contribute to the world’s food and wellness, and to better lives for the future. For more information, visit ajinomoto.com
Allergy Research Group
With iconic brands Allergy Research Group and Country Life, KI NutriCare has a tradition of innovation across the US natural health market. Since the 1970s, KI NutriCare companies have been leaders in product quality and innovation as among the first to offer hypoallergenic supplements, become GMP and gluten-free certified, and incorporate the use of renewable energy in their facilities. First-to-market products in the US have included Nattokinase NSK-SD®, Melatonin, Acetyl-Glutathione, and Buffered Vitamin C. In addition to Country Life and leading healthcare practitioner brand Allergy Research Group, KI NutriCare is also home to retail brand NutriCology, sports nutrition brands BioChem and Iron-Tek, natural personal care brand Dessert Essence, and Optimox (Iodoral), the market’s leading iodine product. KI NutriCare has a strong European presence through UK-based Nutri-Link and Nutrigold brands. KI NutriCare is committed to further growth in natural health, both organically as well through acquisitions. KI NutriCare, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Kikkoman Corp.
Amway
Founded in 1959 by Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel, Amway is a privately held company based in Ada, Mi. Amway vision is to Help People Live Better Lives. A world leader in direct selling that offers consumer products and business opportunities with a global footprint that stretches across six continents with a presence in more than 100+ countries and territories. Amway has more than one million Amway Business Owners (ABOs) who are supported by more than 16,000 employees who work in hundreds of locations around the world. Amway supports ABO’s with innovative and unique products on Nutrition, Beauty, Home and Energy/Sports categories. Our family of global brands include Nutrilite, Artistry, Espring, Legacy of Clean and XS Energy.
Applied Food Sciences
Innovative, Functional Ingredients. For over 20 years, Applied Food Sciences (AFS) has brought inspiration and innovation to functional ingredients for the natural products industry. Quality is transparent through organic farming, ethical sourcing, and sustainability. AFS cares about every stakeholder from rural farmers to the largest companies in the world. Notable ingredient launches include: PurCaf® Organic Caffeine, V-70™ Hemp Heart Protein, AFS.Hemp™ Broad-Spectrum Hemp Extract, and AMATEA® Organic Guayusa Extract
Balchem Human Nutrition and Health
Balchem products positively impact the lives of countless consumers daily, from coffee creamers, muffins and cereals that inspire the morning to nutritional supplements that help provide the focus and vitality you need to get through the day. These aren’t just words – we’ve been leading in food and nutrition for decades. We pioneered and built the markets for choline and chelated minerals, verified by hundreds of human studies on our products. We lead in technology that reduces food waste through encapsulated preservation. We perfected the caramel swirls in ice cream that changed the game in frozen desserts. We improve the taste, nutrition profile, and mouthfeel of sports drinks and snacks to make them taste better to help you perform. Come grow with us — our dedication to excellence will be your advantage as you solve today and shape tomorrow.
Bimbo Bakeries USA
Bimbo Bakeries USA is a leader in the baking industry, known for its category leading brands, innovative products, freshness and quality. BBU’s portfolio includes a number of well-known and well-loved brands, including: Thomas’, Sara Lee, Entenmann’s, Little Bites, and Oroweat. As part of Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baking company, BBU is proud to share the company philosophy – to be Highly Productive and Deeply Humane. The venture team is looking to collaborate with growing food companies, with whom we can leverage the company’s extensive global resources to add value and build scale.
Black Bear Partners
Black Bear Partners is an investment firm focused on providing financial and intellectual capital to entrepreneurs of consumer-oriented businesses. Based in Dallas, Texas, we focus on businesses between $3 million and $20 million in top-line revenue that are gaining market share in established categories through a compelling consumer proposition or format. We are our partner companies with the tools, leadership and capital required to achieve shared goals of lasting consumer relevancy and outstanding profitability.
Bluestein Ventures
Bluestein Ventures is a family-backed venture capital fund that invests in the future of food. Bluestein looks for game-changing, early-stage ventures across the food industry that redefine how consumers achieve their health and wellness. Our investments span the entire value chain – both B2C and B2B – with a focus on four areas: high-growth consumer brands, proprietary foodtech, next-gen commerce, and value-add digital technology. At Bluestein, we’re active investors, going beyond capital to help our portfolio companies develop, iterate, and implement their go-to-market strategy to achieve product-market fit and set the foundation for scale.
Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) is a multi-national food company headquartered in Camden, N.J., with annual sales of approximately $8.1 billion. We make a range of high-quality soups and simple meals, beverages and snacks. Our company is driven and inspired by our purpose: Real food that matters for life’s moments. For generations, people have trusted us to provide authentic, flavorful and readily available foods and beverages that connect them to each other, to warm memories, and to what’s important today. Our portfolio is focused on two distinct businesses in our core North American market: Snacks and Meals & Beverages. This focus enables us to leverage iconic brands and strong positions in the market where we have the greatest presence. Led by our iconic Campbell’s brand, our portfolio extends beyond soup to foods such as Pepperidge Farm cookies including Milano and Farmhouse, Goldfish crackers, Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, Lance sandwich crackers, Kettle Brand and Cape Cod potato chips, Late July snacks, Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps, Pop Secret popcorn, Emerald nuts, V8 beverages, Plum baby food, Swanson broths, Prego pasta sauces, Pace Mexican sauce, and Pacific Foods broths, soups and non-dairy beverages. For more information, visit our website or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo.
Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Cargill has 149,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving communities. Cargill food ingredients offerings span the spectrum – from core ingredients to specialty food ingredients to ingredient systems. Not only do we have the food ingredients you need, but also the resources and expertise for creating food and beverage products that appeal to consumer tastes and address their nutritional needs.
Clorox Company
The Clorox Company is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of products used every day in millions of homes, healthcare settings and other businesses around the world. Nearly 90 percent of Clorox Company brands hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories. The company’s products include its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Clorox Healthcare™, HealthLink®, Aplicare® and Dispatch® products, Green Works® naturally derived home care products, Pine-Sol® cleaners, Nevex®, Ayudín®, Mistolín® and Poett® home care products, Fresh Step® cat litter, Glad® bags, wraps and containers, Bon Bril® cleaning utensils, Kingsford® charcoal, Hidden Valley® and KC Masterpiece® dressings and sauces, Brita® water-filtration products, and Burt’s Bees® and gud® natural personal care products. Clorox is headquartered in Oakland, Calif., and employs about 8,400 people worldwide and manufactures products in more than two dozen countries and markets them in more than 100 countries.
Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. Our portfolio of brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta and other sparkling soft drinks. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide.
Decathlon Capital
As the country’s largest revenue-based funding investor, Decathlon Capital provides revenue-financing solutions to help growth stage companies reach their full potential without any dilution or loss of control. By offering companies a dramatically better solution to their funding needs, Decathlon’s flexible, revenue-based investments provide long-term, company-friendly capital to support business growth and expansion. With offices in, Park City, Palo Alto and Atlanta, Decathlon works with companies across a wide range of industry segments and in all North American geographies to help business owners accelerate their success and keep the value they create.
DSM Nutritional Products
Royal DSM is a global purpose-led, science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living. DSM’s purpose is to create brighter lives for all. With its products and solutions DSM addresses some of the world’s biggest challenges whilst creating simultaneously economic, environmental and societal value for all its stakeholders; customers, employees, shareholders, and society-at-large. DSM Nutritional Products, a division of Royal DSM, is a world leading supplier of vitamins, carotenoids and other nutritional solutions in the areas of Animal Nutrition & Health, Human Nutrition & Health and Personal Care & Aroma Ingredients.
Emil Capital
Emil Capital is an entrepreneurial private investment company based in Greenwich, CT. We focus on partnering with companies that connect with the “New American Consumer” and whose goods and services consistently deliver superior experiences to consumers. Companies in our portfolio have taken on mandates to make the world better in several ways – healthier food, a focus on sustainability, local manufacturing, etc. We are fully committed to supporting our entrepreneurs and enabling them to unlock the full potential of their businesses through capital infusions, operational support, and full access to our network of resources. We look for businesses that have strong fundamentals, a clear value proposition, and are looking for additional resources to grow. Emil is unique in that we take a flexible approach to financing and are not constrained by the investment timelines of traditional private equity financing models. We target meaningful minority positions and work closely with entrepreneurs to carve a path for long term growth while providing funding in the medium term. Our current portfolio spans several consumer verticals including Consumer Internet, Food & Beverage, Apparel & Beauty, Retail & Restaurants, and Digital Media.
Factory LLC
Factory is a team of experienced operators who acquire meaningful equity stakes in high potential food, beverage and pet health companies, and partner with them to rapidly build value. Our 31 team members have expertise in sales, marketing, product development, food science, manufacturing, distribution, supply chain, logistics, package engineering, food safety, consumer insights, social media, finance, and legal. We are based in a one-of-a kind, custom-built, 40,000 sq. ft. innovation and scale-up facility, where we provide partner companies with support and resources so invested capital can be used for growth, not SG&A.
Flagship Pioneering
Flagship Pioneering conceives, creates, resources, and develops first-in-category life sciences companies to transform human health and sustainability. Since its launch in 2000, the firm has applied a unique hypothesis-driven innovation process to originate and foster more than 100 scientific ventures, resulting in over $30 billion in aggregate value. To date, Flagship is backed by >$3 billion of aggregate capital commitments, of which over $1.4 billion has been deployed toward the founding and growth of its pioneering companies alongside >$10 billion of follow-on investments from other institutions. The current Flagship ecosystem includes Denali Therapeutics (NASDAQ: DNLI), Evelo Biosciences (NASDAQ: EVLO), Moderna Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MRNA), Rubius Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RUBY), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB), and Syros Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SYRS).
Fuji Oil Holdings Inc.
Established in 1950, Fuji Oil Group develops and manufactures specialty vegetable oils and fats, oils and fats processed foods such as chocolate, margarine, and whipping cream, and soy related products. The Fuji Oil Group aim to develop delicious and healthy food ingredients which could contribute to the happiness and well-being of the people. The company seeks to contribute to the society by creating the future of delicious and healthy foods using core technologies in oils and fats and soy. Fuji Oil Group markets to industrial food manufacturers in the field of confectionery, processed food, beverage and specialty stores of pastry and bakery, and retailers globally, conducting business in Japan, China and other Asian countries, Americas, Europe, and Africa.
Healthy Directions
Healthy Directions LLC, a subsidiary of Adaptive Health LLC, is a leading health publisher and direct-to-consumer retailer of doctor-formulated nutritional supplements and skincare products, dedicated to providing people with a better path to better health. Healthy Directions provides expert guidance and advanced nutritional supplements from some of America’s most knowledgeable and highly respected integrative- and alternative-health doctors including Julian Whitaker, MD; Dr. David Williams; Stephen Sinatra, MD; Aaron Tabor, MD; Drew Sinatra, ND; Richard Wurtman, MD; and Joseph Pergolizzi, Jr., MD.
For more information, please visit HealthyDirections.com/About-Us
Healthy Lifestyle Brands
Healthy Lifestyle Brands is a health and wellness company which helps visionaries (health and wellness experts, doctors, fitness icons, athletes, celebrities and artists) positively impact the world by building health and wellness businesses around their personalities, brands and expertise. The company is committed to helping people live healthier lives and believes that making healthy choices should be easy. To make this a reality, Healthy Lifestyle Brands works with visionaries and companies to expand their impact and connect with more consumers through their tools, products and services. Consumers want brands they can trust, so the company partners with sustainable, healthy and transparent brands that will deliver on their promises.
Herbalife Nutrition
Herbalife Nutrition is a global nutrition company with a purpose to make the world healthier and happier. Since 1980, the Company has been on a mission to improve nutritional habits around the world with great-tasting, science-backed nutrition products that help people get the right balance of healthy nutrition. Our products are available exclusively through educated and trained Herbalife Nutrition independent distributors and cater to a variety of daily nutritional needs, offering choice to consumers in over 90 countries. Herbalife Nutrition’s research and development organization combines the experience of its product development specialists with a team of highly accomplished scientists and doctors, and is committed to supply-chain management and quality manufacturing from “seed to feed.”
Ingredion
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With annual net sales of nearly $6 billion, the company turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant materials into value-added ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage, paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. With Ingredion Idea Labs® around the world and more than 11,000 employees, the Company develops ingredient solutions to meet consumers' evolving needs by making crackers crunchy, yogurt creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger, and adding fiber to nutrition bars. For more information, visit Ingredion.com
International Vitamin Corporation
International Vitamin Corporation has been producing high-quality dietary supplements, prescription and OTC products for retailers and contract customers throughout the world for more more than 55 years. IVC’s ability to deliver on innovation, quality and supply chain efficiency makes IVC one of the fastest growing companies in the nutritional market. IVC’s mission is to: Offer the most efficient supply chain to our customers; Utilize the experience and passion of our people; and Produce products that enrich health and provide value to consumers.
Kerry Group
Kerry Group is a world leader in food taste and nutrition serving the food and beverage industry, and a leading supplier of added value brands and branded foods to the Irish and UK markets. The Group has achieved sustained profitable growth with current annualized sales of approximately €6.6 billion. Headquartered in Tralee, Ireland, the Group employs over 23,000 people throughout its manufacturing, sales, technology and application centers across Europe, North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Asian Markets. We supply over 15,000 food, food ingredients and flavor products to customers in more than 140 countries worldwide. We have established manufacturing facilities in 24 different countries and international sales offices in 20 other countries across the globe. Kerry Group plc is listed on the Dublin and London Stock Markets since 1986 and has grown to become one of the largest and most technologically advanced manufacturers of ingredients and flavors in the world. Spanning all major food categories, Kerry's core technologies and global resources in culinary, dairy, lipid, meat, cereal, sweet and beverage systems and flavors provide innovative, practical product solutions to food manufacturers and food service companies. By utilizing our core strengths, gaining synergy from combining technologies and taking a systems approach to opportunities, Kerry excels in value creation for our customers through integrated customer-focused development programs.
Laurel Heights Equity Partners
Laurel Heights Equity Partners invests in early stage consumer companies. The firm seeks to partner with entrepreneurs primarily in the food and beverage sectors, including brands, services, ingredients, and technology. Laurel Heights Equity Partners is based in San Francisco and has been supporting emerging companies since 2012.
Life Extension
At Life Extension, you can count on the highest quality products backed by science, formulated using only the finest ingredients. But, we’re more than a supplement maker — we’re your partner on a journey to better health. And that means providing meaningful guidance every step of the way. When you put something in your body, you should have complete confidence you’re getting the nutritional benefits your body deserves. At Life Extension, The Science of a Healthier Life means we deliver exceptional products and real results.
Lonza
Lonza is an integrated solutions provider that creates value along the Healthcare Continuum®. Through our Lonza Pharma Biotech & Nutrition segment and our Lonza Specialty Ingredients segment businesses, we harness science and technology to serve markets along this continuum. We focus on creating a healthy environment, promoting a healthier lifestyle and preventing illness through consumers' preventive healthcare, as well as improving patient healthcare by supporting our customers to deliver innovative medicines that help treat or even cure severe diseases. Patients and consumers benefit from our ability to transfer our pharma know-how to the healthcare, hygiene and fast-moving consumer goods environment and to the preservation and protection of the world where we live. Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza today is a well-respected global company with more than 100 sites and offices and approximately 15,500 full-time employees worldwide at the end of 2018. The company generated sales of CHF 5.5 billion in 2018 with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.5 billion. Further information can be found on our website: www.lonza.com
Lyra Growth Partners
For emerging consumer brands with strong vision and potential broad appeal, Lyra brings together agile, brand savvy coaching and unfettered smart capital to help accelerate growth and maximize value. We are not a traditional private equity fund—we are founders and operators investing our own money under our own terms. We are looking to partner with inspired entrepreneurs and make a difference together. Our leader Charles Chang was President & Founder of Vega, which he started from scratch in his basement and ten years later sold to White Wave Foods for $550 million.
Manna Tree
Manna Tree is a Vail, Colorado-based investment firm committed to improving human health through nutrition. The firm invests in and actively partners with growth-stage companies. We believe the future of health, well-being, and longevity is attainable through innovation in food. Manna Tree has made six investments to date: Vital Farm, Verde Farms, MycoTechnology, Nutriati, Gotham Greens, and Evolve BioSystems.
Mitsubishi International Food Ingredients
Mitsubishi International Food Ingredients (MIFI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation. Mitsubishi Corporation is a global business enterprise with multiple Billions USD annual revenue in food-related subsidiaries in food production, retail and distribution, agribusiness, aquaculture, restaurants, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical science investments. MIFI was founded in 2004 through the acquisition of Ashland's food and beverage ingredients distribution to combine our unique functional ingredients manufactured at our group’s state of the art facilities together with our global supply chain partner excellence in the sourcing and distribution of food, nutritional and pharmaceutical ingredients in North America. Our world-renowned reputation and a premier level of service in the food supply chain industry comprises of extensive technical expertise, innovative product solutions, and unending commitment to customer care combined with thriving vendor relationships both close to home and around the globe. Our commitment to excellence reflects our approach to creating value for our customers and delivering exceptional products and services. We focus on the unique needs of every customer refining our products and services to elevate each business. As an example of our services and investment strategy, MIFI acquired a custom seasoning blender - Carolina Ingredients in Rockhill, SC. This acquisition united Mitsubishi's leading position in natural flavor enhancement, sodium, and fat reduction with Carolina's advanced blending facility and flavor development capabilities to bring the innovation and value-added ingredients to our customers. Shop for ingredients at mifiusa.com
Natural Products Canada
Natural Products Canada (NPC) supports the commercialization of naturally-derived products and technologies in health and life sciences, agriculture and agri-food, natural resources, and sustainable bioproducts. We have made five investments since launching our investment program in March 2017, and experienced one exit: FireRein has developed a powerful fire-fighting compound made entirely of natural materials, leaving no environmental impact on the natural surroundings. Mazza Innovation has an advanced process for extracting valuable components from plant material. Its 2018 acquisition by Sensient, a global leader in natural flavours and fragrances, created NPC’s first exit. Island Water Technologies is taking the wastewater management sector by storm with its high-tech tools that harness the power of microbes. Chinova Bioworks has created a mushroom-based natural preservative that has captured the interest of major players in the food and beverage industry, as well as investors like DSM Ventures, AgFunder and Rhapsody Ventures. BioTEPP is solving a major problem for fruit growers with its natural pesticide that protects apple, pear and other trees from damaging insects like the codling moth. We see enormous potential in Canadian natural products. If you are interested in pursuing opportunities in the natural products sector, please talk to us.
Nature’s Way, Inc.
Our journey began 50 years, when our founder was on a personal quest to find products that could help support his wife’s health. This quest led to an herbal renaissance in America and the creation of Nature’s Way. We are proud to celebrate our 50th Anniversary in 2019 and look forward to building upon our history of innovation. At Nature’s Way, we believe that Nature has given us the foundation to be our healthiest selves. It’s why it is our mission to provide products that harness the best nature has to offer, embrace the wisdom of traditional health practices, and evolve to support modern health needs. Through this commitment consumers feel confidence in the quality and care that we put in every Nature’s Way product. It’s not just our Way — It’s Nature’s Way.
Naturex
Naturex, now part of Givaudan, sources, extracts and markets natural ingredients for the food, beverage and supplement industries. It has 15 manufacturing sites, 8 sourcing offices and 25 sales offices worldwide. A truly global organization. A leader in fostering the global shift from synthetic to natural, Naturex is committed to helping its customers create tasty, healthy and authentic products. It’s portfolio ranges from colors and antioxidants, to specialty fruits & vegetables, phytoactives, and numerous other plant-based natural ingredients. The company’s transversal positioning across key industries helps leverage synergies between categories, markets and countries. Naturex has experienced steadily-increasing growth throughout the last 20 years and poised for acceleration through synergies with Givaudan. Key areas of investment include new ingredients targeting the company’s key categories and disruptive technologies to enhance its botanical portfolio.
Next Gen Nutrition Investment Partners
NGN is an emerging investment manager focused on high-growth, disruptive early stage F&B companies that offer superior nutrition with a reduced or positive impact to the planet. The Fund is led by experienced executives with over 60+ years of managerial and operational experience in the food and beverage industry at firms such as Kraft/Mondelez, Kellogg’s, P&G, Heinz, and Cadbury’s. James Cali and Andrew Towle are widely regarded as knowledgeable operating partners that understand the fundamentals of operating food & beverage companies both in the US and internationally, and the requirements needed to help young companies bring their products to the next level in the market. This expertise leads to i) better deal flow as our experience is very attractive to Founders/CEOs giving NGN access to most compelling companies; ii) we work closely with our CEOs as advisors, leveraging our operational experience to maximize growth and ensure outstanding in-market execution, thereby delivering stronger portfolio company performance; and iii) we manage exits with an insider’s POV given our experience on the corporate acquisition side as we know what “good looks like” and our networks give us direct access to industry corporate venture groups and C-suite for most major food companies. We are at www.ngn-ip.com
N*GEN Partners
N*GEN Partners is an active growth equity investor committed to backing world class entrepreneurs and investing in innovative B2B and B2C companies offering differentiated, healthier, and more efficient solutions. N*GEN invests in innovation-driven, growth stage companies that capitalize on next generation consumer behavior and challenges in three target sectors: Better-For-You Consumer, Smart Cities, and Sustainable Food Systems. N*GEN has $250 million currently under management and has been making investments for the past seventeen years.
Nu Skin Enterprises
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. demonstrates its tradition of innovation through its comprehensive anti-aging product portfolio, independent business opportunity and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The company’s scientific leadership in both skin care and nutrition has established Nu Skin as a premier anti-aging company. The company’s anti-aging products feature the new ageLOC line of products including the ageLOC® TR90™ weight management and body shaping system, ageLOC® R2 nutritional supplement, and ageLOC® Transformation daily skin care system. A global direct selling company with revenues of over $3 billion, Nu Skin operates in 53 markets worldwide and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NUS.
Nutraceutical Resource Group, LLC
Nutraceutical Resource Group (“NRG”)is an international consulting, advisory and investment firm in the nutrition and wellness industry with an emphasis on functional foods & ingredients and nutritional supplements. NRG is uniquely positioned to provide small to mid-sized companies with essential guidance across the entire spectrum of the business from sourcing, production, distribution, investment and growth, brand development and sales, and import/export regulatory compliance both domestically and throughout Asia Pacific. NRG’s process is to first evaluate foundational requirements in the nutritional industry and seek out ways to improve upon established practices and procedures. In this respect, we aim to connect key raw material producers with corresponding key contract manufactures in a manner that creates increased market share for both parties. Next, we evaluate client needs by seeking to fill voids that have gone unfulfilled either because they have yet to be developed or are operating but under performing. Based on NRG’s background and experience, we can provide a comprehensive business development strategy to improve upon existing practices or introduce entirely new products to the nutraceutical space at large by way of capital infusion and/or strategic guidance and partnerships.
ONCE Ventures, Inc.
ONCE Ventures, the venture capital arm of Otsuka’s Nutraceuticals division, seeks to deliver a healthier and more sustainable future by empowering visionaries and innovators. We invest in entrepreneurs across North America who are at the forefront of innovation and share our passion for delivering better health outcomes in the Active Nutrition, Healthy Beverages, Plant-Based Foods, and Supplements categories. Our approach is simple: Partner with early-stage companies that are working to improve the lives of their consumers and leverage our knowledge and capabilities to propel them forward. For 100 years, Otsuka has executed its mission of building a healthier world through groundbreaking creativity and innovation. The Otsuka group is a global organization of 180 companies with nearly 45,000 employees and annual revenues of approximately $13 billion. Otsuka operates in 28 countries and regions, conducting business across Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals. Otsuka’s global Nutraceuticals platform is spearheaded by brands and companies including POCARI SWEAT® in Japan, Nature Made®, MegaFood®, and Daiya® in the U.S., and Nutrition & Santé in Europe. Despite the increase in scale, size, and influence over the years, Otsuka has remained true to its core identity and family roots: A big venture company that thinks unconventionally and challenges the status quo.
Organic X Labs
Our mission as a strategic investment growth fund is to assist early stage companies in the USDA Organic Industry. We look at small to mid-sized companies seeking a strategic partner and capital to grow larger. With access to critical industry connections and experience with growing small companies, we can help guide and evolve a company from a “start-up” to a sustainable performer — all the while ensuring that companies stay true to their values. Our fund is supported by industry veterans with a diverse range of experiences. We also have plugins to the USDA Organic industry at different levels of supply chain and product development, helping ensure success.
Partnership Capital Growth
Partnership Capital Growth is a regional private equity and investment banking firm focused on healthy lifestyles services and products. PCG partners bring over 100 years of experience advising, investing in, and operating the most popular consumer brands in the nutrition industry over the past two decades. We work with companies whose mission is to make the world better and are committed to creating value through practicing strong values (‘value and values’). Since 2006, PCG has syndicated and invested nearly $500 million with the combined (realized / unrealized) portfolio valued at approximately 2x invested capital. As an investor, PCG focuses on growth businesses with proven success where additional capital and experience can substantially accelerate growth. As an investment banker we assist owners in realizing their goals, either raising capital, restructuring and recapitalizing or selling their business. PCG has participated in the purchase or sale of over 40 different healthy lifestyle companies. Key portfolio companies include DryBar, Anytime Fitness, Sambazon, Gaia Herbs, Numi Tea, Designer Protein, Cytosport, and The Alaska Club — among others. We understand growing businesses, know how to partner with focused managers, and provide an approach that delivers alignment at all levels.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo generated more than $67 billion in net revenue in 2019, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose: a goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to reduce our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate.
Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing
Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing is committed to sharing health and hope for a better life. Sanitarium started making healthy, nutritious foods 115 years ago, and today its market-leading products include Weet-Bix, Up&Go and the So Good range of dairy-free milk alternatives. Sanitarium continues to research and innovate new products and improve current products to meet consumer needs and deliver great taste. Providing programs and resources for people to experience happy, healthy lives is also fundamental to Sanitarium’s mission. Whether it's the 'Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon' series, (the world’s largest kids triathlon series under 16); the school breakfast club’s run in association with the various partners in Australia and New Zealand for children in need; or the free health and nutrition advice and resources offered by Sanitarium’s Lifestyle Medicine Services team, Sanitarium is passionate about making a difference.
SDA Ventures LLC
SDA Ventures LLC is focused on assisting emerging growth companies through large multinational companies, primarily in the health & wellness, functional ingredient, and nutritional products markets, on matters including corporate development, business acquisition, customer relations, growth strategies and corporate finance. SDA uses the knowledge our team has acquired over our many years of operating and finance experience in the health & wellness, nutrition and biotech spaces as well as our extensive network built over those years to help our clients evaluate new and existing markets, develop financing and business strategies for their growth and accelerate the commercialization of their products.
Suan Farma, Inc.
At SUANFARMA we supply and distribute raw materials for the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and veterinary industries on a worldwide basis. We provide assistance for each country’s regulatory environment. Our core competencies are the quality assurance and international regulatory support that complements our sourcing capabilities. We value fundamentals like the importance of customer service, on target delivery times, and we acknowledge that these tools along with a clear understanding of the local regulatory environment afford greater speed to market. Products include: Botanicals, vitamins, amino acids, proteins, and specialty items. Our offerings include proprietary, clinically tested, and patented ingredients.
Suntory Holdings
Suntory was established in 1899, starting from the production and sales of wine. Since then, Suntory has continuously expanded its business and become a global company, covering alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and health foods, and delivering a wide selection of products to consumers internationally. Currently, Suntory has global market share of 4th position in the soft drinks category and 3rd position in the premium sprits category after the acquisition of Beam Inc. Inheriting the DNA as the first Japanese whisky-creating company, Suntory is famous for its innovative product development capability. Suntory has been offering new value in soft drinks to consumers with the aim to bring happiness and wellness into everyday life. Suntory has also been conducting business in health foods, seeking out ingredients that contribute to health and verify ways of maximizing their benefits scientifically.
The Garner Group
The Garner Group is the Consumer Health & Nutrition division of Sanford Rose Associates®, a top-ten executive search network serving North America. The Garner Group focuses exclusively on recruiting senior management and C-Suite talent for dietary supplement & nutraceutical, functional food, beverage and ingredient, and the emerging mind-body health technology sectors. We provide direct executive recruitment services for pre-commercial, early-stage, and mid-sized privately owned, public, and PE or VC-backed organizations up to $300M in revenue. Our functional expertise includes sales, marketing, general management, operations, product development, quality, and regulatory leadership.
Uriach
Uriach is a family-owned health and wellness company, based in Barcelona (Spain). Established in 1838, Uriach is the second oldest pharmaceutical company in Europe. Uriach’s core business is Consumer healthcare, predominantly in the 3 largest Southern European markets (Spain, Italy and Portugal), with a strong, well established position amongst pharmacists and doctors. In Spain, Uriach has a Business-to-Consumer business model, with several iconic consumer brands. In Italy, Uriach is the leading company in the OTx food supplement segment, that is, medical detailing for food supplements in the areas of ginecology, traumatology and neurology. Additionally, Uriach also has a Business-to-Business division, which sells prescription drugs, generics and APIs in more than 70 countries. Uriach currently has an employee bae of over 1,000 professionals, and two production centres located near Barcelona. In 2019, its turnover was 228 million euros. Uriach is committed to long-term growth and international expansion, and is looking mostly for opportunities in the Consumer Health area, especially in natural products and food supplements.
USANA
Powered by their vision of the healthiest family on earth, since 1992, USANA has developed and manufactured high-quality, award-winning nutritional supplements, healthy foods and personal care products that are sold in 24 markets around the world including the United States, China, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Mexico, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Thailand, France, Belgium, Colombia, Indonesia, Germany, Spain, Romania, and Italy. Since 2012, the USANA Foundation, a charitable arm established to ensure impoverished children and families reach their fullest potential by providing food and nutrition, has donated more than $10 million in 26 countries around the world to provide more than 40 million meals.
WM Partners LP
WM Partners LP (“WMP”) is an asset management firm specializing in Private Equity investments. The firm was founded in 2015 by a team of prominent veterans of the Pharmaceutical and Nutrition industries. WMP's experienced management team provides a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and support it its investments. WMP focuses on the management of small to mid-sized companies specifically in, but not limited to, the Nutrition and Natural Personal Care industries. The firm seeks out companies that aim to benefit from WMP's operational expertise, strong management, and access to resources. The firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
