Good Culture, a clean-label cultured foods brand, has completed $64 million in Series C funding led by Manna Tree, with participation from Semcap Food & Nutrition and celebrity investor Kristen Bell.
This capital will help Good Culture, a certified B-Corp, continue to scale the business and innovate beyond its current product line to build a cultured foods platform.
Co-founder and CEO Jesse Merrill's vision for Good Culture was born from his desire to use food as functional medicine to combat an autoimmune disease. He focused on cultured dairy (specifically, cottage cheese) as a prime starting point in his quest to use food for healing, and then sought to revolutionize the category with clean, whole ingredients, and the freshest cultured dairy, responsibly sourced from farms employing regenerative agriculture methods.
"We are evolving from a cottage cheese and sour cream brand to a healing cultured foods company, and this new round of funding will help propel our efforts to create positive food system change," said Merrill.
The brand has experienced a 79 percent compound annual growth rate over the last five years while increasing its distribution footprint to over 10,000 stores, and is the No. 1 natural cottage cheese brand in the MULO channel, according to the company.
The company’s relationship with Bell occured organically, too. The celebrity, known for partnering with mission-driven brands, expressed her love for Good Culture's products, which led to a partnership on this next phase of growth.
"Good Culture’s portfolio is on trend with today's consumer, and they’re leading the way with their commitment to pasture-raised dairy and regenerative agriculture,” said John Haugen, managing partner at SEMCAP Food & Nutrition. “This really aligns to Semcap's mission to change humanity for the better, and we believe that fueling Good Culture's growth is a phenomenal way to positively impact people and the planet.”
Merrill said this funding will serve to grow the Good Culture team, expand awareness-driving marketing, and enhance manufacturing, as well as provide liquidity to some early shareholders, including Cavu Venture Partners.
Related: Nearly Half of Americans Inclined to Use Cultured Butter; Plant-Based Dairy Company Raises $28 Million.
Photo Credit: Ricky Middlesworth