Participated · Equity · Dec 2019

Yumi sells completely plant-based, clean-label meals and snacks for infants and toddlers via a subscription model that delivers highly customizable weekly meals directly to families. The company uses algorithms to help parents choose tailored meal plans and says it developed its nutrient-dense flavors with a nutritionist. Since launching in California in 2017 and expanding nationwide in 2019, Yumi has delivered more than 10 million meals and now feeds roughly 3% of U.S. babies. The brand reports anticipating nearly $100 million in sales next year and has benefited from strong growth during and after the pandemic. Product offerings span developmental stages and include single-flavor and more elaborate recipes designed to meet clean-label standards. Yumi offers fresh, delivered baby food alternatives (including purees and pouches) positioned against shelf-stable incumbents. The company emphasizes nutrients parents want and says shelf-stable competitors like Gerber lack key nutrients. Yumi's stated goal is to change standards for childhood nutrition and upend what it means to be a food brand in America. Sales have reportedly risen tenfold in the last year, though absolute figures were not disclosed. The market is large and crowded—Zion Market Research estimates the global baby food market could reach $76 billion by 2021. Yumi has attracted strategic support from several well-known consumer founders and brands as it scales. Yumi is a baby food delivery service co-created by Evelyn Rusli and Angela Sutherland and based in Los Angeles. The company delivers chef-prepared, perfectly pureed baby meals designed without excess sugar and preservatives, with menu items such as bell pepper soup and rose water overnight oats. Parents choose a plan online and receive meals in insulated containers with ice packs to keep them fresh. Prices start at $50 per week for six meals, with discounts for subscription plans. Yumi has launched commercially and raised $4.1 million in seed funding from VC firms and angels. The service currently delivers throughout California and faces potential competition from startups like Little Spoon as well as the uncertainty of previous failed attempts at this model.

Participated · Equity · Oct 2019

Madhappy is a Los Angeles–based lifestyle apparel brand known for sweatshirts, sweatpants and T-shirts printed with optimistic messages and a community ethos. The company scales through content-rich activations, pop-up shops focused on wellness and mental-health awareness, and direct online sales. Its marketing strategy emphasizes organic social engagement rather than paid digital advertising; the brand had nearly 50,000 Instagram followers and reportedly about $1 million in sales in 2018. Four twenty-something founders—Peiman Raf, Noah Raf, Mason Spector and Joshua Sitt—combine backgrounds in fashion, finance and sports and emphasize community building via the “Local Optimist Group.” Madhappy’s future plans, as described in the articles, center on growing the community and brand relevance among Gen Z and millennials through experiential activations and partnerships. The brand’s mission-driven positioning and marketing are cited as the primary attractions for strategic investors.