Shalom Daniel

Whiskey is emerging as a popular investment class among HNW investors according to a new report by KPMG: 27% said they plan to invest in whiskey within the next 3 years, making it the most popular form of "luxury" assets. Whiskey interest is followed by art (26%), jewelry (20%), wine (15%), and classic cars (14%). While increased capital moving into whiskey investments is likely to drive down returns in the long run, we believe the wholesale bourbon niche is still small enough to capture excess returns for investors who buy barrels in 2024. #bourboninvestments #alternativeassets #familyoffice #investmentideas https://lnkd.in/dgpdGCPd.

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Excited to announce our most recent transaction in the Food & Beverage sector at the core of the trends we are seeing in the market. We continue to see a lot of activity in the co-manufacturing sub sector as more brands seek out manufacturing capacity with collaborative partners with a history of excellence, such as Axium Foods. As new entrants into the space continue to focus on branding and marketing, the demand for manufacturing capacity across all sectors will continue to increase.

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👉 Generation Z is at the forefront of driving innovation in both the alcoholic beverage and digital marketing industries! 🚀 🍸 According to a recent report by Circana, Gen Z consumers aged 21-26 are prioritizing convenience and novelty in alcoholic beverages. Brands are responding with exciting flavor profiles and premium packaging to cater to their preferences. Ready-to-drink cocktails and hard seltzers are particularly popular among this demographic, with variety packs leading the way. 🛍️ On the digital front, America’s Rewards App, Fetch has captured the attention of Gen Z with personalized offers, social features, and gamified experience. With nearly one-third of our user base under 25, Fetch has become the go-to platform for Gen Z shoppers looking for fun, savings, and product discovery. 💡 What does this mean for BevAlc marketers? It's clear that Gen Z's affinity for digital experiences and personalized rewards is reshaping both the beverage and marketing landscapes. Ready to connect with LDA Gen Z and drive brand success? Hit me up! #GenZ #BevAlc

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I was saddened, but not surprised, to read in AgFunderNews that Motif FoodWorks is shutting down, given the challenges it has faced, including management turnover and lack of market traction, during the past few years. Motif, a FoodTech ingredients company using precision fermentation to create products that improve the aroma, taste, and texture of alternative proteins, raised $345 million since it spun off from Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc. in 2019. Motif also was in an IP fight with Impossible Foods over patents surrounding hemeproteins, which was resolved just prior to Motif’ announcement that it would be shutting down. Motif was one of a group of alternative protein companies that completed large financings in 2021, when it closed a $226 million series B round. At that time, capital was abundant and cheap, and valuations were nearing record highs due to rising consumer demand for alternative proteins following positive media exposure and extensive marketing campaigns by the likes of Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Since then, Motif, and many of its peers, have struggled to navigate a more challenging environment where retail sales stagnated, and they struggled to deliver products that are competitive on taste and cost with traditional animal proteins and provide improved nutritional value. Despite over $16 billion in capital having been raised globally by alternative protein companies between 2018 and 2023, according to Pitchbook, Motif will not be the last alternative protein company to go bankrupt. As the current difficult financing market stretches into 2025, more companies will struggle to raise capital and, as existing investors decide to stop funding those companies unable to achieve positive cash flow, they will either be shut down, like Motif, or sold off cheaply. Although the current outlook for alternative proteins looks rather bleak, my mid- and long-term prognosis remains positive, as the mega trends towards food security, sustainable food systems and health and nutrition remain catalysts for shift toward alternative proteins. Additionally, new plant-based, mycelium, and fermentation products are starting to hit store shelves that are better tasting and more nutritious. https://lnkd.in/gRwfHvRh Alan Hahn Annie Ryu Arturo Elizondo ‪Aviv Wolff‬‏‏‏ Didier Toubia Eitan Fischer Eshchar Ben-Shitrit Eyal Afergan, Ph.D Fengru L. George Peppou Jim Laird Jonathan McIntyre Josh Tetrick Justin Kolbeck Irina Gerry Lou Cooperhouse Maarten Bosch Martin Habfast Matias Muchnick Matt Gibson Matthew Strongin Michael Leonard Nicolas Morin-Forest Nicolas Schweitzer ⓥ🥓 Paul Shapiro Peter McGuinness Phil Graves Thomas Jonas Tristan Maurel Uma Valeti, MD Virginia Rangos #foodsecurity #foodtech #food #sustainability #climatechange #alternativeproteins #plantprotein #fermentation #precisionfermentation #mycelium EcoTech Capital Cy Obert

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CEO of The Production Board and Bestie on the All In Podcast, David Friedberg, joins me on The Plantbased Business Hour with Elysabeth Alfano to explain how the growth of alternative proteins could help to boost the economy. Link to the full podcast is in the comments. #alternativeproteins #economy #business

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Great article on the founder-investor relationship—one that’s so critical to the success of any venture. Tough times are inevitable, and the true strength of a founder-investor partnership isn’t measured during the good times, but in how both sides show up when things go wrong. These moments test trust, alignment, and shared resilience. As founders, we’re expected to lead our teams through crises, rally, adapt, and navigate the storm. The best investors also show the same level of leadership and step up during challenging moments, offering guidance, empathy, and actionable solutions. It’s a collaborative effort, and I’ve been fortunate to witness how impactful it can be when investors show true leadership. One way to ensure this is to work with investors who’ve been in your shoes before—there’s nothing quite like operator investors to bring valuable perspective and support when it matters most.

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🍷 Big shoutout to Archer Roose Wines, one of our SoGal Ventures portfolio companies, for their groundbreaking collab with Cornell University! They released a research with the Food Science Department on sulfite formation in canned wines and is getting serious attention in the media! 🥂 🔬 This is more than just a win for Archer Roose—it’s a huge moment for the whole canned wine industry. As Co-Founder & CEO Marian Leitner-Waldman puts it, “This study isn’t just about showing how Archer Roose ensures premium quality, it’s about pushing the entire industry forward. We’re breaking old perceptions and driving innovation.” This is how change happens—raising standards, sharing knowledge, and inspiring a whole category to evolve. 🍇🎉 Check out the research here: https://shorturl.re/7frkq #innovation #cannedwine  #foodscience #womeninbusiness #industrydisruption

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A great article on the state of food tech investing by PeakBridge. The combination of consumer demand, lower capex strategies and large corporates driving M&A activity make for a great time to be investing in the future of food. #foodtech, #agtech, #venturecapital,

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Worth checking out for any companies at the right stage.

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Boards of Directors – How Relevant To The Business Is The Board? In 2014, activist investor Starboard Value successfully replaced all 12 directors on the board of Darden Restaurants. The following shows the Darden incumbent board at the time of Starboard's proxy fight, Starboard’s value creation plan initiatives, the Starboard director nominees and the before and after performance (revenue, EBITDA, EBITDA margin and stock price). Note especially the direct relevance of each Starboard nominee to the industry or some aspect of the value creation plan. How often do you see this level of relevance on public company boards?

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This resonates and is a terrific introspective piece by Andre Menezes. Love that he ends on an ambitious note: 🌱🍽️ "By focusing on addressing genuine consumer needs, fortifying health claims, and cultivating sustainable demand, the plant-based food industry can chart a course toward resilience and resurgence." 👉🏽As an early investor in both wins and losses in this space, I believe there is much more to come for alt proteins, and a resurgence is around the corner. #AlternativeProteins #Sustainability #FoodInnovation #FutureOfFood #ClimateAction #GlobalFoodSecurity https://lnkd.in/g8FwTivt

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In Mars Megadeal, Big Food Wants to Get Bigger Planned $30 billion takeover of Kellanova is seen sparking new bout of consolidation as #consumers protest higher grocery prices. Mars’s nearly $30 billion deal for Kellanova ( Makers of #Pringles Chips)  would push the company, known for #M&M’s and #Snickers, into supermarkets’ chips and cracker aisles, handing Mars a larger share of a growing global snacks business. Conditions are ripe for a fresh wave of consolidation as food companies’ sales growth slows and their stock-market #valuations are depressed, according to Wall Street analysts and consultants. Pandemic-era pantry stocking and sharp price increases that continued in its aftermath fueled a sales boom for food companies. That growth has cooled, prompting executives to search for new ways to boost their businesses and cut expenses. #foodindustry #M&A #consumergoods #retail #marketing #brands #brandequity #Mars #Kellanova

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Introducing Pear Consumer Circle: Empowering Early-Stage Consumer Founders We’re thrilled to unveil the Pear Consumer Circle, a dynamic community crafted for early-stage consumer founders who are navigating the unique challenges of building and scaling consumer companies. This initiative is the brainchild of my partner, Warren Shaeffer, a seasoned entrepreneur who has founded three companies and deeply understands the hurdles faced by consumer startups. Our inaugural in-person event will take place on August 21st at Pear Studio in San Francisco, featuring an exclusive fireside chat with Sam Chaudhary, co-founder and CEO of ClassDojo. ClassDojo is a transformative D2C platform that has won the hearts of over 50 million parents and students worldwide. This is just the beginning—future events will spotlight visionary leaders like Eddy Lu, co-founder and CEO of @GOAT, Charlie Cheever, co-founder of Quora, and Vlad Tenev, co-founder and CEO of Robinhood, among others. How to Get Involved: -Join Us on August 21st: If you’re in the Bay Area and believe you’re a great fit for this community, we’d love to have you. Sign up using the link below and be part of a transformative evening. - Online Community: We’re also launching an exclusive online community for consumer founders. Given the focus on quality engagement, space is currently limited to those who have raised a pre-seed round. If you’re interested, please comment below to express your interest. -Explore PearX: For early-stage founders looking for comprehensive support, don’t miss PearX, our boutique accelerator program. Applications open on August 20th, and this year we’re running a dedicated track for B2C and B2B2C founders. Pear VC The Pear Consumer Circle is more than just a network—it’s a launchpad for the next generation of consumer innovators. We’re excited to build this community with you and look forward to helping you scale new heights. Registration page for the in-person event: https://lu.ma/6168bxbf

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After 13 years of strategic management consulting within the CPG industry, the number one question I get asked is “why don’t you launch your own CPG brand because you obviously know every step inside and out.” Well…I’m happy to report that I've just successfully filed my S-1 document with the SEC and have secured the "JOSH" stock ticker for my upcoming IPO. As always...thank you for shopping with The Joshua Company. 🤣 #trends #markets #food #beverages #fmcg #cpg #entrepreneurship

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Ready to play big? Unlock the billionaire playbook: Start with an Aged Shelf Corporation and master the art of influence WITHOUT ownership. 🏦✨ If you want to learn more. Click here to sign up for my next free webinar ⬇️

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“Why are premium spirits becoming a high-yield investment? In my latest article, I explore the unique factors driving demand and how alternative investments in aged spirits are shaping portfolios. Check it out here!https://lnkd.in/e-q5F5iY #AlternativeInvestments, #PremiumSpirits, #FamilyOffices, #HighNetWorthInvestors, #InvestmentStrategies.

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Yes, a focused approach is always needed when raising capital. 🤑 BUT, you still need a lot of investors in your pipeline to close the RIGHT deal on YOUR terms. This guy has 4+ potential lead investors already with 20+ calls pending still 🤯🤯🤯 #fundraising #startups #raisingcapital #startupfunding #venturecapital

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Founders - Don't sleep on private label. With the news of #walmart #bettergoods, I can imagine the conversations... 💬 Our packaging is so much better. 🗨️ We are legit they are fakers (insert string of attributes). 💬 Consumers want small bespoke brands, not corporate behemoths. This is probably true for many of the brands that have those conversations. But what is also true, private label always 🏆 wins best shelf placement (more facing, prominent placing) 💸 has endless promo dollars that are part of a store-wide strategy 🍗 makes products of incredibly high quality (in some cases, the leverage of the retailer forces the manufacturer to deliver higher specs in PL than in brand.) These factors create velocity that can be 4x+ the best seller in the category. I have spent my career in "commodity" categories like #petfood  and #meat #,  where #privatelabel can be up to 70% of the category sales! I was building #better-for-you , #mission-driven #brands , so if anyone wants this not to be true, it is me. It doesn't mean you are going to lose, but you're probably not going to win head-to-head, either. So start thinking early about how to differentiate and add value to your #consumer  and your #customer.

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In 2003, Mike Kirban was skating around NYC selling coconut water. 20 years later, that same product is set to hit $500 million in sales. 🥥 This is the Vita Coco story. The product is simple - some may even call it a commodity. But, branding, story telling and the right marketing allowed this Verlinvest portfolio company to win. This story will show that brands are built with patience, hustle and heart. In 2003, co-founders Michael Kirban and Ira Liran met 2 Brazilian women at a bar. Ira ended up falling in love with one of them and moved to Brazil🇧🇷 Later, during one of Mike’s visits, Ira convinced him to partner up to start selling coconut water in the US. Vita Coco was born! They scraped together $75,000 and bought two containers of coconut water; only to realize that they didn’t have FDA clearance to import them. But that didn’t stop them – They re-exported them to the Bahamas and flew there to sell through the product door-to-door. Mike was everywhere—skating through NYC in the morning, doing store demos in the afternoon and then bookkeeping at night. That’s the real founder hustle :) Meanwhile, Zico, a better-funded competitor, was emerging, setting the stage for the "coconut water wars." It’s around this time that Verlinvest realized we wanted to have a share of the coco-war, and ended up investing $2M. At the time, Vita Coco had not even hit $1M in sales yet. The momentum continued. In 2010, the brand raised a $5M celebrity from celebs like Madonna and Matthew McConaughey. Today, this is common - but at that time it was path breaking. Suddenly, they had the megaphone they needed to build massive brand awareness 🫡 Through the years, their distinct branding and marketing strategy allowed them to stand out on shelves across the world. In 2021, Vita Coco went public, raising $172M. Now, they’re on their way to clock $500M in sales :) From no business plan to building one of the biggest global beverage companies, the story of Michael and Ira building brand in a category like coconut water is one that’s always amazed me. In a lot of cases in consumer products, the product isn’t necessarily the moat. Success comes from brand and a relentless hustle - the willingness to roll with the punches. I’ve always said - the best way to start is to start. You will end up figuring out a lot on the way. I love the product. Have you tried Vita Coco? Do you think there is a case to build such a large coconut water brand in India? PS: Thinking of sharing more stories of our global Verlinvest portfolio like this. Thoughts? #business #entrepreneurship #founder

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