• Beekeeper's Naturals

  Participated · Equity · Jun 2023

  Beekeeper’s Naturals is a Los Angeles, CA-based health and wellness company that creates products powered by propolis and backed by science. Led by founder Carly Stein Kremer and founded in 2017, the team applies scientific rigor and third-party pesticide testing to develop natural remedies addressing chronic stress, poor sleep, digestive issues and scratchy throats. Its flagship Propolis Throat Spray secured the #1 rank in Amazon’s Cold & Flu category and the brand became the fastest-growing in the Immune Support category at mass retail. The company reported triple-digit year-over-year growth and expanded retail distribution from 5,000 to over 18,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada in 2022. Beekeeper’s raised $14M in funding and intends to use the proceeds to accelerate retail and online growth and expand its innovation pipeline. The company emphasizes product efficacy and natural sourcing as central to its growth strategy. Beekeeper’s Naturals offers a product line of plant-based adaptogens and health-boosting complexes that incorporate superfoods straight from the hive. Its products target immune support, brain health, increased energy and sleep issues. The company plans to use new funding to further R&D to develop natural alternatives for the medicine cabinet and to expand retail distribution. The business was founded by Carly Stein (age 28) and is based in Toronto, ON. The article reports a $3.5M Series A raise led by Sonoma Brands to support these initiatives. No operating metrics or prior rounds are mentioned in the article.

• Pulp Culture

  Led · Series A · Sep 2022

  Pulp Culture crafts Full Spectrum(TM) fermented beverages that combine spontaneous fermentation with superfoods and adaptogens, delivering billions of live probiotics, zero sugar and ~4.9% ABV per can. Launched in June 2020 by Brendan Brazier and Mark McTavish, the brand targets high‑performance consumers seeking a functional alcoholic beverage. Products are shelf stable, licensed as wine for DTC shipment, and sold via national partnerships with Whole Foods Market and Thrive Market. The company operates R&D and production out of a newly completed 13,000 sq ft facility in downtown Los Angeles and opened a day club + juice bar called “Siesta” to provide an immersive brick‑and‑mortar experience. Pulp Culture is preparing to launch new products, expand omni‑channel retail and accelerate e‑commerce growth. A joint venture with The EVERY Company was announced to hit the market in October 2022.

• Sunscoop

  Led · Seed · Apr 2022

  Sunscoop produces allergen-friendly, refined-sugar-free plant-based ice cream free of the top nine allergens. Flavours incorporate superfoods such as moringa and maca. The brand retails at over 700 U.S. stores, including Whole Foods and Erewhon, and has seen 142% year-on-year sales growth in the Natural & Specialty Grocery sector. Sunscoop plans to launch two new flavours this month alongside a relaunch of its online store, and will introduce five additional products later this year, including two shelf-stable SKUs. The company intends to use new funding to hire team members and expand through both retail and direct-to-consumer channels.

• AKUA

  Led · Seed · Nov 2021

  AKUA develops plant-based foods built around ocean-farmed kelp, with products including Kelp Jerky, Kelp Pasta and The Kelp Burger as its current hero product. The company was co-founded by Courtney Boyd Myers and Matthew Lebo and launched its first product in 2019. AKUA began direct-to-consumer sales in May and ships to all U.S. states except Alaska and Hawaii; it ran a food club that signed up 1,000 customers and has preorders from over 100 New York stores. The firm has soft-launched a kelp ground meat product and plans a kelp crab cake in Q2 2022. New funding will be used for R&D into additional alternative meat and plant-based seafood products, hiring, and ramping sales and marketing. AKUA positions its ingredient approach around whole-food, clean recipes (15 food or food-derived ingredients in the kelp burger) rather than heavily processed substitutes.

No current team members are available.