15 Best CPG Investors and VCs for Consumer Brands

The CPG market is shifting from price hikes to profitable volume growth. Large strategic acquisitions in 2025 put money back in VC pockets. PepsiCo closed Siete Foods for $1.2B in January 2025. Flowers Foods grabbed Simple Mills. These exits unlock new capital for early-stage brands.

Don't expect the 2021 funding frenzy. Today's investors want gross margins above 50%, proof of retail velocity, and unit economics that work. Most won't touch brands burning through cash on Instagram ads without demonstrating real distribution traction. If you're still pre-revenue talking about market size, you'll struggle.

Quick list

Picking the right CPG investor

Experience: Find investors who've backed companies through real distribution challenges, not just DTC growth. Ask if they understand co-packer relationships and slotting fees.

Network: Check if they can intro you to buyers at Target, Whole Foods, or Costco. Generic "we have a great network" means nothing. You need specific retail contacts who actually return emails.

Alignment: Seed investors don't understand Series B burn rates. Growth investors won't write small enough checks for pre-revenue brands. Make sure their check size matches your actual needs, not your aspirations.

Track record: Look at whether their portfolio companies raised follow-on rounds. Dead portfolio companies are a red flag. Three failed exits in a row tells you something about their value-add beyond capital.

Communication: Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your financial projections. If an investor says they're interested but never clicks past slide 3, that's useful information before you waste weeks chasing them.

Value-add: Most investors claim they provide operational support. Ask their portfolio founders what that actually means. If the answer is "quarterly board meetings and email introductions," that's not hands-on help when your co-packer screws up production.

Getting in front of CPG investors

Identify potential investors: Research recent deals on Pitchbook or Crunchbase. Don't pitch seed funds for your Series B. Check their actual portfolio to see if they've funded similar business models. Most CPG funds publish investment criteria on their websites.

Craft a compelling pitch: Show your retail velocity per store per week. Most investors are tired of sustainability claims without unit economics. If you can't demonstrate 50%+ gross margins after slotting fees, fix that before pitching.

Share your pitch deck: Upload to Ellty and send trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on. If they skip your unit economics, that's useful information about their interest level or understanding of CPG fundamentals.

Utilize your network: Message portfolio founders on LinkedIn and ask about response times and actual value-add. Most will be honest if you approach them respectfully. Warm intros close deals 3x faster than cold outreach.

Attend networking events: Expo West, Fancy Food Show, and investor-specific CPG events are where deals actually happen. Skip the small local networking mixers. Investors attend conferences where they can see 50 brands in two days.

Engage on online platforms: Connect with partners on LinkedIn after you've been introduced by a portfolio founder. Cold DMs rarely work for CPG investors. They get hundreds per week from brands they'll never fund.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model, cap table, and key supply agreements before they ask. It speeds up the process. Most deals die in diligence because founders scramble to organize materials weeks after the investor asks.

Set up introductory meetings: Lead with your retail traction and velocity metrics. Don't waste 20 minutes on market size slides they've seen 100 times. Get to what makes your brand different and why consumers are actually buying it.

Why CPG funding matters in 2025

M&A activity is rebounding after a flat 2024. PepsiCo's Siete acquisition and Flowers Foods' Simple Mills deal returned capital to VCs. These exits signal that strategic buyers are back. Investors can deploy capital knowing there's an exit path beyond IPO.

Volume-driven growth replaced price increases. Brands proving they can move units profitably are getting funded. Functional beverages captured 30% of food VC dollars in Q1 2025. Gut health products command premium valuations with clinical validation. The market rewards brands that demonstrate sustainable unit economics, not just Instagram followers.

25 top CPG investors

1. S2G Investments

Multi-stage firm focused on food systems transformation and proven exits.

• Recent Deals: Sound Agriculture $25M (December 2024), Mara Renewables $9.1M (August 2025), Mealogic $16M (June 2025), Faeth Therapeutics $92M Series A (October 2025)
• LinkedIn: S2G Investments
• Sector Focus: Food & agriculture, oceans, energy, sustainable food systems
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth equity
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Website: s2ginvestments.com

2. Strand Equity

Growth equity firm with permanent capital backing next-generation consumer brands.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP (unicorn at $1.85B - February 2025), Supergut Series B (March 2025), Sauz Seed (June 2025), Hello Cake $18M Series B (October 2024)
• LinkedIn: Strand Equity
• Sector Focus: Consumer goods, food & beverage, health & wellness, beauty
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: strandequity.com

3. GroundForce Capital (formerly PowerPlant Ventures)

Investment firm backing companies improving human and planetary health.

• Recent Deals: Miyoko's Creamery (August 2021), Liquid Death Fund III (September 2022), SYSTM Foods platform launch (May 2025), closed Fund III at $330M (September 2022)
• LinkedIn: GroundForce Capital
• Sector Focus: Plant-based foods, sustainable consumer products, consumer wellness
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth equity
• Location: Venice, California
• Website: groundforcecapital.com

4. AF Ventures (formerly AccelFoods)

Specialist in packaged food, beverage, and wellness with hands-on operational support.

• Recent Deals: Siete Foods (acquired by PepsiCo $1.2B - January 2025), Wandering Bear (March 2023), multiple portfolio exits
• LinkedIn: AF Ventures
• Sector Focus: Food & beverage, health & wellness, beauty, personal care, pet
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: afventures.com

5. Imaginary Ventures

Early-stage VC at the intersection of retail and technology.

• Recent Deals: Lucky Beverage $11.75M Series A (October 2024), Hook $3M (March 2025), Goose $13.4M Seed (February 2025), Alec's Ice Cream (October 2025)
• LinkedIn: Imaginary Ventures
• Sector Focus: Retail, consumer, e-commerce, fashion, lifestyle, beauty
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: imaginary.vc

6. CircleUp

Platform providing capital and data insights for consumer brands (acquired by Brightflow AI 2023).

• Recent Deals: Beauty Bakerie $3M (April 2024), Rae Wellness (sold February 2024), Kosas Cosmetics (April 2022)
• LinkedIn: CircleUp
• Sector Focus: Food & beverage, beauty, personal care, household products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: circleup.com

7. BFG Partners

Natural products investor with 40+ years combined experience and strategic backing.

• Recent Deals: Multiple investments in natural and organic brands, OLIPOP Series A co-investor (January 2020)
• LinkedIn: BFG Partners
• Sector Focus: Natural foods, beverages, wellness, better-for-you products
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Boulder, Colorado
• Website: Not publicly listed

8. Collaborative Fund

Thesis-driven VC backing companies building the future across categories.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Series A co-investor (January 2020), One Trick Pony Nuts (November 2024), multiple consumer brands
• LinkedIn: Collaborative Fund
• Sector Focus: Consumer, technology, healthcare, sustainability
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: collaborativefund.com

9. J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners

Growth equity arm of largest U.S. bank backing scalable consumer brands.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP $50M Series C at $1.85B valuation (February 2025)
• LinkedIn: J.P. Morgan Asset Management
• Sector Focus: Consumer, technology, healthcare, financial services
• Stage Focus: Series C, Late-stage, Growth
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: jpmorgan.com

10. Monogram Capital Partners

Early-stage consumer investor with focus on premium brands.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Seed (January 2019), multiple consumer product companies
• LinkedIn: Monogram Capital Partners
• Sector Focus: Consumer products, premium brands, wellness
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Beverly Hills, California
• Website: Not publicly listed

11. First Beverage Group

Beverage-exclusive investor focused on proven market traction.

• Recent Deals: Essentia Water, Project Juice, Drizly (companies with $1M-$15M revenue)
• LinkedIn: First Beverage Group
• Sector Focus: Non-alcoholic beverages, functional drinks, premium water
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth ($2M-$15M checks)
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: firstbevgroup.com

12. Siddhi Capital

Growth-stage investor partnering with convention-crushing food and beverage companies.

• Recent Deals: Thistle $10.3M Series B (January 2021), multiple sustainable food brands
• LinkedIn: Siddhi Capital
• Sector Focus: Growth-stage CPG, sustainable foods, innovative snacks
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: siddhicapital.com

13. Blue Horizon

Mission-driven investor backing sustainable food systems and alternative proteins.

• Recent Deals: Multiple alternative protein and sustainable food investments, frequently leads rounds
• LinkedIn: Blue Horizon
• Sector Focus: Alternative proteins, sustainable food, plant-based, food tech
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: Zurich, Switzerland
• Website: bluehorizon.com

14. Khosla Ventures

Major VC firm active in food tech and transformative food technologies.

• Recent Deals: Multiple food tech and alternative protein investments, leads large rounds
• LinkedIn: Khosla Ventures
• Sector Focus: Food tech, alternative proteins, clean energy, healthcare
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: khoslaventures.com

15. Brand Foundry Ventures

Austin-based early-stage VC building next-generation consumer brands.

• Recent Deals: Lucky Beverage $11.75M Series A co-investor (October 2024), digitally native brands
• LinkedIn: Brand Foundry Ventures
• Sector Focus: Consumer brands, food & beverage, e-commerce
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A ($100K-$500K checks)
• Location: Austin, Texas
• Website: brandfoundryvc.com

16. Selva Ventures

Mission-driven firm supporting emerging health and wellness brands early.

• Recent Deals: Mid-Day Squares, Javvy, Native Pet, One Skin (pre-$10M revenue)
• LinkedIn: Selva Ventures
• Sector Focus: Health & wellness, clean ingredients, consumer products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Toronto, Canada
• Website: selvaventures.com

17. True Beauty Ventures

Beauty and wellness specialist with decades of institutional experience.

• Recent Deals: Multiple beauty and wellness startups, leverages industry insider networks
• LinkedIn: True Beauty Ventures
• Sector Focus: Beauty, wellness, personal care
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: truebeautyventures.com

18. Finn Capital Partners

Consumer-focused investor backing innovative food and beverage brands.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Series A co-investor (January 2020), functional beverages, better-for-you snacks
• LinkedIn: Finn Capital Partners
• Sector Focus: Food & beverage, consumer products, wellness
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: Not publicly listed

19. Terpsi Capital

Consumer health brand investor with focus on functional products.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Series A co-investor (January 2020), consumer health products
• LinkedIn: Terpsi Capital
• Sector Focus: Consumer health, functional foods, wellness
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Hermosa Beach, California
• Website: Not publicly listed

20. Dohler Ventures

German-based investor in food ingredients and functional food innovation.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Series A co-investor (January 2020), food ingredient companies
• LinkedIn: Dohler Ventures
• Sector Focus: Food ingredients, functional foods, beverage innovation
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: Darmstadt, Germany
• Website: doehler.com

21. Rocana Ventures

Consumer-focused VC backing innovative food and beverage brands.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Series A co-investor (January 2020), consumer product companies
• LinkedIn: Rocana Ventures
• Sector Focus: Food & beverage, consumer products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Santa Ana, California
• Website: Not publicly listed

22. Melitas Ventures

New York-based investor in health-conscious consumer products.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Series B co-investor (October 2021), health-focused brands
• LinkedIn: Melitas Ventures
• Sector Focus: Health-conscious consumer products, wellness
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, New York
• Website: Not publicly listed

23. Platinum Mile Ventures

West Hollywood investor backing growth-stage consumer brands.

• Recent Deals: OLIPOP Series B co-investor (October 2021), consumer products
• LinkedIn: Platinum Mile Ventures
• Sector Focus: Consumer products, food & beverage
• Stage Focus: Series B, Growth
• Location: West Hollywood, California
• Website: Not publicly listed

24. Consumer Ventures (formerly CompanyFirst)

Chicago-based VC investing in next generation of consumer brands and enabling tech.

• Recent Deals: Consumer brands with $500K-$10M revenue, products, retailers, tech enablement
• LinkedIn: Consumer Ventures
• Sector Focus: Food & beverage, health & wellness, outdoor, family & pets, retail tech
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Website: consumer.vc

25. Accel

Global early and growth-stage firm with consumer brand track record.

• Recent Deals: Multiple consumer and technology investments globally
• LinkedIn: Accel
• Sector Focus: Consumer, enterprise, fintech, developer tools
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: Palo Alto, California
• Website: accel.com

How Ellty helps CPG founders track outreach

These 25 investors closed deals from 2024 to November 2025. Before you start reaching out, set up proper tracking. Most CPG founders waste months on investors who were never interested.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your financials. Most founders are surprised to learn investors skip their market size slides but spend 5+ minutes on unit economics. That tells you what actually matters to them.

When investors ask for more materials, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your cap table, financial model, and supply agreements in one secure place with view analytics. You'll know if they're seriously evaluating or just collecting decks. If someone says they're interested but hasn't opened your data room in two weeks, move on.

Common questions

How do I know if a CPG investor is still active?

Check their recent deals on Pitchbook or Crunchbase. If they haven't closed a deal in 18+ months, they're probably not actively deploying capital. Look at their LinkedIn to see if partners are still posting about new investments.

Should I cold email CPG investors or get introductions?

Get warm intros from portfolio founders whenever possible. Cold emails work about 2% of the time for CPG brands. Message founders on LinkedIn, offer to buy them coffee, and ask about their experience with specific investors. Most will help if you're respectful and brief.

What's the difference between seed and Series A investors?

Seed investors write $250K-$2M checks for brands doing $0-$1M revenue. Series A investors want $1M-$5M revenue with proof of retail velocity. Don't pitch Series A investors when you're pre-revenue. They won't fund you no matter how good your deck is.

How many investors should I reach out to?

Start with 15-20 that match your stage and sector. If you're getting zero responses after 20 pitches, your deck or traction is the problem, not your target list. Fix that before reaching out to more investors.

When should I set up a data room?

Before your first investor meeting. Most founders scramble to organize materials after an investor asks. That delays deals by weeks. Have your financial model, cap table, key contracts, and product roadmap ready in an Ellty data room from day one.

Do investors actually care about pitch deck analytics?

Yes. Tracking shows which investors are seriously evaluating vs. politely passing. If someone says they're interested but never opened your deck, that's a soft no. If they spent 10 minutes on your financials and team slides, they're doing real diligence.