USA – Danone Manifesto Ventures, the venture arm of global food and beverage company Danone, has made a minority investment in San Francisco-based plant-based food and beverages company Forager Project.
Through the investment, Danone Venture agreed to enter into a strategic partnership with Forager Project to aimed at accelerating growth of the company’s organic plant-based creamery.
The investment will also enable Forager to continue to build its portfolio of innovative products, enhance sustainable sourcing and production, increase brand awareness and widen distribution.
Forager Project is a family-owned and operated organic food company that has been crafting plant-based foods in California since 2013.
The company aims at improving the planet health by making exceptional tasting, organic, plant-based whole foods more widely available.
The company has developed a broad portfolio of organic plant-based products including Yogurt, Milk, Sour Cream, Half & Half as well as a range of Protein and Probiotic Shakes.
Danone Manifesto Ventures said that Forager Project is a unique brand with strong potential in the fast-growing plant-based space and is fully aligned with Danone’s ambition to continue developing a best-in-class platform to meet the increasing needs of plant-based consumers globally.
“Forager Project and Danone have highly aligned values focused on improving human and planet health through food, and a shared commitment to sustainable, enduring business growth,” said Laurent Marcel, CEO of Danone Manifesto Ventures.
“Over the years we had the chance to develop a special relationship with Stephen and his talented team, and today we’re very excited to start this partnership with Forager Project.” added Jean-Francois Hurel, Chief Investment Officer for Danone Manifesto Ventures.
Danone Manifesto Ventures launched in 2016 with the mission to support innovative and healthy food and beverage companies, and partners with disruptive entrepreneurs that share its vision of a healthy and sustainable future.
Through this unit, Danone makes investments and provides financial and operational support to its portfolio companies through access to its experienced teams around the world.
Danone Manifesto Ventures has invested in various companies including Harmless Harvest, Farmer’s Fridge and Sustainable Bioproducts in the US, Michel et Augustin and Yooji in France, as well as Epigamia in India.
