Peter Pokorny’s Post

Freshleaf has raised a funding of Rs. 1 Crore in seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures. Freshleaf Teas | Balkirat Singh | Muneet Arora | Inflection Point Ventures | Vikram Ramasubramanian Click on the link below to know more... #retailnews #retailtrends #retailsector #retailindustry #retailing #retailresults #retailupdates #businessnews #retailgrowth #retailsectornews #retailindia #retailtrends #retailbusiness #ir #IndiaRetailing

Poshn has raised $4 million in a new funding round, marking a significant step in their mission to revolutionize the food supply chain for MSMEs and institutions. This investment will support the expansion of their innovative full-stack solutions, including demand aggregation and embedded finance, and help them enter global markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. With a six-fold revenue increase from FY22 to FY24 and successful EBITDA profitability, Poshn is setting a new standard for efficiency in the food sector. The startup aims to leverage this capital to build the largest distribution network and tap into profitable import/export opportunities. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dt6dMf2U #FoodTech #SupplyChainInnovation #GlobalExpansion #StartupFunding

Rohlik Group Secures $170M in funding to expand European operations and sell Innovative Tech Solutions. Rohlik, a Czech grocery delivery company, has announced a new funding round of $170 million, aimed at expanding its reach across Europe and enhancing its technology offerings. The funding round, led by he European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), alongside existing investors Sofina, Index Ventures, Quadrille Capital, and TCF Capital and complemented by growth capital funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB) under its Scale-Up Initiative, signifies Rohlik's continued growth and its plans to enter 10 new cities over the next six years. Known for its focus on local producers and a vast array of products, Rohlik differentiates itself by operating smaller, strategically located warehouses and partnering closely with local butchers, fishmongers, and other vendors. This approach not only supports local economies but also provides customers with fresh, high-quality options. Additionally, Rohlik is set to launch a technology platform licensing initiative later this year. This platform will offer logistics, analytics software, and robotics solutions to other delivery companies, allowing them to utilize Rohlik’s established infrastructure to optimize their own operations. This funding announcement comes at a time when the grocery delivery market is experiencing significant shifts, making Rohlik's steady expansion and technological investment noteworthy in the sector. congratulations to Tomáš Čupr and his team for closing this round in a challenging environment. #Rohlik #GroceryDelivery #TechInvestment #EuropeanExpansion #StartupFunding #foodtech #retail #grocery #funding #Saas

“The product is fantastic,” says Phil Graves, who took the helm at Meati Foods in February. “But it was clear when I joined that the business needed to make some strategic shifts and needed to make them quickly. "We had brought in a lot of uncommonly talented individuals, but ultimately, we were overstaffed and we were very siloed. Instead of behaving like a scrappy startup, we were operating more like a big CPG.” In the early days, adds Graves, "We were myopically focused on door growth but we took our eye off the ball in terms of retail execution. What we’ve seen in bringing in John [new chief commercial officer John P. Bortells] and Dawn [new VP marketing Dawn Jacobs] is that we have to execute flawlessly. We need to hold our brokers accountable. We need to make sure that out of stocks are as low as possible.” As another part of the plan to accelerate the path to profitability, Graves is now talking to potential partners about utilizing spare fermentation capacity at its Mega Ranch in Thornton, Colorado to sweat assets until it is in a position to utilize all available space for in-house mycelium production. #foodtech #mycelium #meatlalternatives #fungi #alternativeprotein #startups #foodinnovation AgFunder meati™ #biomassfermentation #fermentation #mycoprotein

🫧 #Startups, new entrants and challenger brands often talk about having a point of difference vs incumbents - faster, better, more premium, more ethical... ...so it's great to see the growth of a family business whose key aim "is to replicate the performance of leading brands at a price well below theirs, although slightly above retailers’ own brands." As its owner Howard Moss says, "We could make a washing-up liquid tomorrow, but not something as good as Fairy for half the price, so we don’t." What a refreshing approach to business! Also interesting to see an FMCG business that built most of its market presence through distribution in #discounter channels like Poundland, B&M and Home Bargains, before using that as a launchpad to crack the big grocers. Well worth reading about Astonish Cleaning Products in today's FT: https://lnkd.in/eg5kEfwT #brands #fmcg #grocery #discounters

Zappfresh Acquires Mumbai-Based Online Meat and Seafood Delivery Brand, Bonsaro, in Its Second Acquisition Zappfresh, a leading online grocery delivery platform, has announced its second acquisition in recent months. The company has acquired Bonsaro, a Mumbai-based online meat and seafood delivery brand. This strategic move aligns with Zappfresh's ambitious growth plans and strengthens its position in the competitive grocery market. Bonsaro's strong presence in Mumbai will significantly expand Zappfresh's customer base and product offerings. "We are thrilled to welcome Bonsaro into the Zappfresh family," said CEO of Zappfresh. "Bonsaro's expertise in the meat and seafood category complements our existing offerings and will allow us to provide our customers with a more comprehensive range of fresh, high-quality products." The acquisition is expected to drive growth for both companies, as Zappfresh leverages Bonsaro's distribution network and customer base while Bonsaro benefits from Zappfresh's technology and operational efficiencies. As Zappfresh continues to expand its operations and solidify its market position, industry experts are watching closely to see what other strategic moves the company may make in the future. #startup #startupnews #business #zappfresh #bonsaro #mumbai #online #delivery #fresh #acquire #company #strong #customer #base #operations #post

Rebel Foods, the cloud kitchen startup behind popular brands such as Faasos and Behrouz Biryani, has raised $210 million in its Series G funding round, spearheaded by Singapore-based Temasek Holdings. Existing investor Evolvence also participated in the round, which combined primary and secondary share sales. The transaction facilitated exits for some investors, according to the company. The newly acquired capital will be directed toward expanding Rebel Foods’ operational footprint and bolstering its brand portfolio. CEO and co-founder Jaydeep Barman emphasized that the funding aligns with Rebel Foods’ mission of enhancing its platform, scaling its omnichannel presence, and driving operational excellence globally. He added that the company remains committed to innovation, sustainability, and delivering value to its customers and stakeholders. Rebel Foods operates over 450 kitchens in more than 70 cities across India and has extended its reach to international markets, including the UAE and the UK. The company credits its proprietary technology platform, Rebel OS, for enabling the rapid scaling and aggressive expansion of its direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. This funding round highlights Rebel Foods’ strong unit economics achieved over recent years and positions the company for its next phase of growth in the competitive food-tech sector. Trilegal advised Rebel and its founder on investments via primary issuance of shares and acquisition of shares from existing shareholders of Rebel, by Temasek. #Corporate Team advising on the matter was led by our Partner Prateek Lala; and comprised Senior Associates Someny Singhal, Ritwik Mukherjee and Rachna Chhabria; Associates Aayush Sinha, Saurabh Saket and Swathi M V. The #Employment Team advising on the matter was led by Partner Veena Gopalakrishnan and comprised Senior Associate Vinduja Menon; Associates Monazza Sajid and Sandhya Swaminathan. Trilegal’s #TMT Team advising on the matter was led by Partner Jyotsna Jayaram and comprised Senior Associate Prabal De and Associate Joseph Padikkala.

Exciting News from 301 INC!   We’re thrilled to announce our latest investment in Keychain, an innovative AI-powered B2B platform revolutionizing how CPG brands connect with co-manufacturers.   As General Mills’ Chief Supply Chain Officer, Paul Gallagher, explains: “This tool will transform how brands identify and connect with potential co-manufacturers, reducing timelines from weeks or months to mere minutes. That’s a game-changer in meeting evolving consumer demands. We’re investing in Keychain because of the efficiencies it can unlock for us, its profound potential to shape the future of food, and their collaborative approach.”   This partnership reflects 301 INC’s commitment to driving innovation in the CPG ecosystem and empowering brands with cutting-edge solutions.

ReScale—a Boston-based startup led by ex-Trader Joe’s exec Julia Megson—has emerged from stealth after raising a $2.3m round led by Baukunst to address a major pain point for small and medium sized CPG brands: sourcing, negotiating, and managing external manufacturing partnerships. The funding round, supported by Dartmouth Angels and various CPG industry angel investors, will help Megson (CEO) and cofounder Matthew K. (CTO) further build out an online platform to help brands with under $100 million in revenue find a co-manufacturer “who can actually make your product,” says Megson. “But we also recognize that this is just the beginning. Brands then need help with contracting and then managing that relationship,” she adds. “Finding a contract manufacturer is still mostly done by word of mouth. About half of small- and mid-size food brands rely on white label manufacturers, but for each new item, they have to start from scratch. We spoke to hundreds of brands that all said it’s their biggest problem. It’s a mess.” #foodtech #CMOs #contractmanufacturing AgFunder

Cloud kitchen startup Curefoods (EatFit) has acquired the distribution rights for the South & West India operations of doughnuts and coffee brand Krispy Kreme from Landmark Group - shared Ankit N. This acquisition is part of a larger deal in which Landmark Hospitality Services has invested an undisclosed amount in Curefoods' recent USD 40 mn fundraise. You can read more below 👇