BASF - Food and Health Performance Ingredients Business
Acquisition in 2024
BASF - Food and Health Performance Ingredients Business is a unit of BASF that provides human nutrition such as aeration and whipping agents, food emulsifiers and fat powder grades; health ingredients such as plant sterols esters, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), omega-3 oils.
TRACT
Funding Round in 2024
TRACT is an innovative platform for measuring sustainability performance that was created by and for the agriculture and food industries.
Namoi Cotton
Acquisition in 2024
Namoi Cotton Limited, based in Toowoomba, Australia, is a prominent player in the cotton industry, focusing on the ginning and marketing of cotton in Australia and Asia. The company operates 12 cotton gins across New South Wales and Queensland, providing essential ginning services to cotton farmers. Namoi Cotton is also involved in the procurement of lint cotton through forward contracts, as well as the trading and marketing of cottonseeds and by-products from the ginning process. Additionally, it engages in the procurement of various grain and pulse crops, selling these into domestic and international markets. The company offers cotton classing services and manages the logistics related to plastic waste generated from its operations. Founded in 1962, Namoi Cotton was formerly known as Namoi Cotton Co-operative Ltd before rebranding in October 2017.
Cacique
Acquisition in 2024
Cacique is a manufacturer and distributor of coffee products, including dry and roasted coffee.
SeaStock specializes in global marine science solutions, focusing on the production and extraction of substances from seaweed and algae. Its primary product is derived from Asparagopsis seaweed, used to create methane-reducing feed ingredients for sustainable options across agriculture, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.
Bound4Blue
Series A in 2023
Bound4Blue develops foldable wingsail systems for integration onto various vessels. Their technology harnesses wind power to reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions by up to 40%, with a payback period under five years.
Natural Fiber Welding
Debt Financing in 2023
Natural Fiber Welding, Inc., founded in 2015 and based in Peoria, Illinois, specializes in the manufacture and supply of sustainable fabrics and materials derived from natural fibers. The company has developed a circularity platform that produces high-performance, plastic-free materials from plants, which are applicable across various industries, including fashion, footwear, automotive, and upholstery. By integrating its innovative technology into existing supply chains, Natural Fiber Welding enables brands to design and scale environmentally friendly products, thereby promoting sustainability in material usage.
EarthOptics
Series B in 2023
EarthOptics develops a global soil cloud platform for sustainable agricultural management. It uses advanced sensors and machine learning to create accurate soil maps with fewer samples, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about soil compaction, fertility, and carbon levels.
Aquaconnect
Series A in 2022
Founded in 2017, Aquaconnect is a tech-driven platform dedicated to improving aquaculture productivity. It connects fish and shrimp farmers with stakeholders across the value chain, providing intelligent technology solutions for farm advisory, financial access, and market linkage.
Grão Direto
Venture Round in 2022
Grão Direto operates a Brazilian digital marketplace that connects grain buyers and producers for agricultural commodity trading. The platform supports spot, futures, and barter transactions and provides real-time price intelligence, contract automation, and document processing to help farmers and buyers optimize deals and streamline logistics. It serves cooperatives, traders, brokers, feed factories, and warehouses, and enhances market intelligence and decision-making while supporting related processes such as logistics and financial products.
ProfilePrint
Series A in 2022
ProfilePrint is a company that specializes in food ingredient analysis through an innovative platform that utilizes artificial intelligence technology. This platform enables the detection of quality, taste profile, and freshness of food ingredients by synthesizing complex parameters and sensory data into a single digital fingerprint. By rapidly predicting the quality and profile of food samples within seconds, ProfilePrint empowers businesses to make more informed and efficient purchasing decisions. The company aims to address challenges within the food supply chain while fostering a sustainable ecosystem, enhancing growth and resilience for its users.
Comet Biorefining
Series C in 2021
Comet Biorefining, Inc. is a Canadian company specializing in the development of sustainable ingredients and products derived from agricultural waste. It focuses on producing high-quality cellulosic glucose syrup, which is generated through its proprietary technology that converts materials such as wood, wheat straw, bagasse, and corn stover. This innovative approach provides a cost-effective and stable alternative to traditional food sugar sources. In addition to glucose syrup, Comet Biorefining offers plant dietary fibers and animal nutrition products. The company also provides biomass conversion and pretreatment services, alongside a range of consulting and project development services aimed at enhancing process technology and business development within the renewable biofuels and biochemicals sectors. With a demonstrated capacity for production at a small scale, Comet is actively pursuing commercial scale-up and partnerships to further its impact in the renewables industry.
Good Catch
Series B in 2021
Good Catch Foods is a company that specializes in the development and manufacture of vegan, plant-based seafood alternatives. Founded in 2016, it produces a variety of products designed to replicate traditional seafood, including fish-free shredded tuna, crab cakes, salmon filets, and patties. These offerings are crafted using a blend of pea proteins and legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans. Initially headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Good Catch has since expanded its presence to New York, New York. The company aims to provide sustainable and health-conscious food options for consumers seeking plant-based diets.
Gathered Foods
Series B in 2021
Gathered Foods Corporation, operating under the brand name Good Catch, specializes in the development, production, and sale of plant-based seafood alternatives in the United States. Founded in 2016 and based in Heath, Ohio, the company offers a variety of products, including plant-based tuna, frozen entrées, and appetizers, all crafted from a unique blend of six legumes—peas, chickpeas, lentils, soy, fava beans, and navy beans—alongside seaweed and algae extract to enhance flavor. These products are designed to replicate the taste and experience of traditional seafood while being free from dairy, gluten, and GMOs, providing a cruelty-free option for consumers seeking alternatives to seafood. Gathered Foods sells its products through both retail stores and online channels, catering to a growing market of health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers.
Benson Hill
Series D in 2020
Benson Hill is an agricultural technology company that specializes in crop improvement and soy protein innovation. The company focuses on unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants to develop healthier, more sustainable food and ingredients. Its proprietary CropOS platform leverages machine learning and big data alongside traditional breeding techniques to streamline and expedite the product development process. Benson Hill operates a Crop Accelerator designed for rapid prototyping and is actively developing a seed portfolio that includes protein ingredients, aquaculture, specialty animal feed, and vegetable oils. The company generates revenue from both proprietary and non-proprietary product categories, with proprietary revenue stemming from the sale of its unique bean varieties.
Motif FoodWorks, Inc. is a bio-organism engineering company based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in developing innovative food ingredients. The company focuses on producing animal-free proteins, including meat alternatives and dairy-free proteins, catering to the growing demand for plant-based food solutions. By utilizing fermentation technology, Motif creates essential proteins and nutrients that enhance both nutrition and flavor in food products. The company collaborates with chefs, health experts, and food innovators to develop new ingredient solutions aimed at transforming the food industry and promoting sustainability. Established in 2018 and originally known as Motif Ingredients, Motif FoodWorks rebranded in 2019 to reflect its commitment to advancing the next generation of healthy and plant-based foods.