grt sht ventures

diary-style thoughts after 2 full days of expo west: 1. there are a lot of bars. more than ever and as someone who has been a ride or die perfect bar girl for a decade, i have trouble swapping that out for another. but there are a lot of new ones with different nutritional breakdowns and catering to other needs or “trends”. excited to try some of the ones in my suitcase. but also hyped about the brownie perfect bar! 2. protein protein protein - but also protein in things that it doesn’t belong in. like protein soft pretzels?? i get why protein is having a moment but i personally prefer it in things like shakes, bars, oatmeal etc. or natural forms of protein like chomps meat sticks. do you feel your lacking protein? 3. soda alternatives - i didn’t think i’d see more sparkling beverages after the last two shows but WOW a lot of functional sodas or drinks focusing on prebiotic, probiotic, adaptogens. i dont notice as much without sugar as previous years. in fact a lot of what i sampled had a decent amount of sugar. but its from fruit sources like mango pureee. 4. hydration - electrolytes, magnesium, all the things. i love what local weather and leisure are doing. i drink these daily and they deliver on flavor and ingredients to me. as a woman who has been pregnant or breastfeeding for 6 years straight, hydration is a huge focus of mine. i chug water and hydration beverages all day 5. fiber - fiber powders specifically. i am noticing more fiber supplement powders to mix in our water to up fiber intake. curious your thoughts on this trend? do you think you need extra fiber? 6. snacks - there are no shortage of snacks. but there is a shortage of the snacks i as a consumer am shopping for. i find this inspiring for new opportunities in the snacking category 7. some of my favorite new innovations: - sweet nothing’s new peanut butter pops and açaí bowls -midday squares new crunchy peanut butter -unreal snacks chocolate pretzels and almonds -sweet loren’s gf puff pastry, breakfast biscuits and gf pizza dough -spindrift grapeade and fruit punch although i did beg them to do fruit punch as a collab years ago😆 -actual veggies sweet potato fries -goodles gluten-free mac (excuse typos as i am on my phone😅)

As a better-for-you food and beverage investor at grt sht ventures here are my top take aways from #expowest2024 1. Products are no longer just "better-for-you," now there needs to be a function 2. A big focus on breakfast 3. International flavor continues to expand 4. Fiber call outs especially in beverages 5. So many functional non-arc beverages that will "help you focus", "give you energy", "relax", etc... 6. Bold and bright colors for new branding 7. Less call outs for low net carbs by using sugar alcohols A huge thank you to Rachel Mansfield for finding all the best parking spots :) What were some of your favorite trends, products or brands you found this year at #expowest2024 ? #cpg #cpgindustry

As an early stage CPG food & beverage investor at grt sht ventures, I've noticed more consumers are on the hunt for on-the-go snack and meal options made with better-for-you ingredients. What are some of your favorite / newest on-the-go snacks and brands? #cpg #cpgbrands #investing #betterforyou

Exclusive Interview: RIND Snacks has fully acquired Vermont-based Small Batch Organics as part of the venture-backed upcycled dried fruit company’s transition into in-house manufacturing and fulfillment. PitchBook data showed RIND has amassed $12.8 million in funding as of April 2023. Existing investors include grt sht ventures, Valor Equity Partners, Melitas Ventures, RCV Frontline , and angel groups, Spacestation Investments and Tompkins Square Ventures. Founder & CEO Matt Weiss revealed RIND also closed an “opportunistic and value-add” $1.5 million round from RCV and Adam Spriggs- and Chris Robb-led The Angel Group before acquiring Small Batch Organics to strengthen its R&D and operational capabilities. This investment bank-free deal, according to Weiss, was a direct result of him "planting million seeds" over the years. “I’m a firm believer in the idea of... cultivating these relationships, and good karma will come back in ways you can’t imagine,” he recently told me, while recalling his serendipitous encounter with Small Batch Organics’ founder Lindsay Martin at a farmers’ market during a family vacation. “That’s just the right way to run your business.” Read details below and find out why RIND Snacks is well positioned to become the next-generation environmentally conscious snack icon:

As an early stage food and beverage investor, here are some of the themes I’ve heard from founders about retail rollouts: 1. Retail is getting even more expensive to play in. 2. It’s harder to build a DTC food and beverage brand today and don't have the sales data to show retailers compared to a few years ago.  3. Chicken or the Egg, investors are on the sidelines until there is retail success, but brands need working capital for successful retail rollouts. What brands are getting creative with go-to-market strategies and finding new ways to prove product-market-fit? #cpgbrands #cpgbrands #cpg #investing

Never gets old getting to see Rachel Mansfield in her element as a guest on the TODAY Show! https://lnkd.in/gVPcv4Zr #cpg #cpgbrands #foodandbeverage #todayshow