FRANCE – Leading global food company Cargill has invested in Seventure Partners’ Health for Life Capital (HFL) fund II, a venture capital fund dedicated to supporting the microbiome revolution in the areas of health and nutrition..
The investment is seen as an effort by the largest privately held corporation in America to bolster its deep expertise and knowledge in nutrition, digestive and immune health
Following its investment in the fund, Cargill will serve as a limited partner with a member appointed to the fund’s advisory investment committee.
The American food conglomerate joins existing investors in the fund including French multinational food-products corporation Danone, Agricultural commodities company ADM and French years manufacturer Lesaffre.
Cargill says that it sees health ingredients as one of the fastest-growing segments in nutrition and is seeking out growth opportunities for both human and animal application.
With the move, Cargill hopes to gain insight into the latest technologies and trends in the digestive and immune health space through the HFL II team’s evaluation of innovative start-ups.
As part of the agreement, Isabelle De Cremoux, CEO and managing partner of Seventure, will join an internal Cargill advisory board that aims to provide guidance and insight as Cargill grows its health technologies portfolio.
“We’re thrilled to invest with Seventure Partners, given their deep expertise and knowledge of the rapidly evolving microbiome ecosystem,” said Chuck Warta, president of Cargill’s health technologies business.
“Together, we will expand the existing suite of health solutions available to consumers and bring more relevant products to market in the functional food arena.”
Microbiome innovations are now impacting many industries such as food, pharma, healthcare, retail, agriculture and animal feed and health, providing great opportunities for growth.
“Cargill joining our fund will accelerate our mission to transform fascinating science into great products, improving people’s lives,” Isabelle De Cremoux, CEO and managing partner of Seventure said.
Decades of research has helped Cargill understand the vital interactions – and interconnectedness – between the microbiome, immunity, gut integrity and a host of indication-specific issues in humans and animals.
With the investment in Health for Life Capital II fund, the company can accelerate its product innovation and gain insight into the latest technologies and trends in the digestive and immune health space.
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