Cleveland Avenue

Cleveland Avenue is a venture capital investment firm established in 2015 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The firm specializes in investing in a range of sectors, including food and beverage companies, lifestyle consumer brands, agricultural technology, and technology firms. As a registered investment adviser, Cleveland Avenue focuses on seed-stage, early-stage, later-stage, and growth-stage opportunities, aiming to support innovative companies that align with its strategic interests.

Matthew Wellington Burns

Senior Associate, Investments

Fernando Carranza

Venture Investor

Harry Coaxum

Managing Partner, Operations

Walker Cullinan

Analyst

Ellen Federbush

Project Manager, Office of the CEO

Keith Kravcik

Chief Investment Officer

Mingu Lee

Managing Partner, Technology Investments

Randall Lewis

Managing Partner, Agri-Tech Investments

Jason Mercer

Principal

Fabian Gosselin

Investor

Veronica Pierce

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Don Thompson

Co-Founder and CEO

Ryan Tlusty

CFO

Robert Wietecki

Senior Associate, Investments

Taylor Williams

Venture Investor

Past deals in Catering

Dom's Kitchen & Market

Convertible Note in 2023
Dom's Kitchen & Market is a grocery store chain founded in 2021 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company aims to provide a unique shopping experience that combines grocery shopping, restaurant dining, and home delivery services. It focuses on well-crafted, locally sourced, and globally-inspired food, creating a food destination that encourages sharing, exploration, and community engagement. Dom's Kitchen & Market fosters an inviting atmosphere where consumers can enjoy discovery and hospitality, making it a central hub for culinary experiences in the community.

Zerocater

Series C in 2023
Zerocater, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company that operates a subscription-based and on-demand food ordering platform, specifically designed for businesses and their employees. Founded in 2009, Zerocater delivers personalized and diet-specific meals from independent restaurants, caterers, food trucks, and private chefs. The service caters to various occasions, including meetings, parties, and celebrations, offering a range of menu options such as breakfast, lunch, happy hour, desserts, and even craft beverages. The company serves clients in major cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Austin, Texas, and focuses on enhancing workplace culture by providing convenient and diverse food solutions that foster employee engagement and collaboration.

Cooks Venture

Venture Round in 2023
Cooks Venture, Inc. is a New York-based company that specializes in producing and selling regenerative pasture-raised chicken and meats, including beef, pork, and lamb. Founded in 2018, the company is dedicated to environmentally sustainable farming practices and adheres to the Better Chicken Commitment. Cooks Venture exclusively utilizes its own approved breed of chicken, which is certified by the Global Animal Partnership at Step Level 4, ensuring that the birds have access to diverse pastures. The company offers a selection of individually sealed cuts of heirloom chicken and other pasture-raised meats, which are delivered directly to consumers' doorsteps. In addition to chicken, its product line includes grass-fed beef and wild-caught traceable seafood, reflecting a commitment to sensible farming systems and providing a variety of high-quality food choices.

Cooks Venture

Convertible Note in 2022
Cooks Venture, Inc. is a New York-based company that specializes in producing and selling regenerative pasture-raised chicken and meats, including beef, pork, and lamb. Founded in 2018, the company is dedicated to environmentally sustainable farming practices and adheres to the Better Chicken Commitment. Cooks Venture exclusively utilizes its own approved breed of chicken, which is certified by the Global Animal Partnership at Step Level 4, ensuring that the birds have access to diverse pastures. The company offers a selection of individually sealed cuts of heirloom chicken and other pasture-raised meats, which are delivered directly to consumers' doorsteps. In addition to chicken, its product line includes grass-fed beef and wild-caught traceable seafood, reflecting a commitment to sensible farming systems and providing a variety of high-quality food choices.

Red Bay Coffee

Venture Round in 2022
Red Bay Coffee Company LLC, founded in 2014 and based in Oakland, California, is a coffee roasting company committed to quality and sustainability in the specialty coffee industry. The company offers a diverse range of whole-bean and specialty coffee products, which are meticulously sourced and roasted to ensure high standards. In addition to its coffee offerings, Red Bay provides coffee catering programs for events and sells merchandise, including T-shirts and gifts, through its online platform. Founded by Keba Konte, an artist and food entrepreneur, Red Bay Coffee is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the coffee sector. The company strives to empower historically marginalized communities, including people of color, the formerly incarcerated, women, and individuals with disabilities, by creating job opportunities and promoting social and economic restoration through its operations.

Dom's Kitchen & Market

Venture Round in 2021
Dom's Kitchen & Market is a grocery store chain founded in 2021 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company aims to provide a unique shopping experience that combines grocery shopping, restaurant dining, and home delivery services. It focuses on well-crafted, locally sourced, and globally-inspired food, creating a food destination that encourages sharing, exploration, and community engagement. Dom's Kitchen & Market fosters an inviting atmosphere where consumers can enjoy discovery and hospitality, making it a central hub for culinary experiences in the community.

Red Bay Coffee

Convertible Note in 2020
Red Bay Coffee Company LLC, founded in 2014 and based in Oakland, California, is a coffee roasting company committed to quality and sustainability in the specialty coffee industry. The company offers a diverse range of whole-bean and specialty coffee products, which are meticulously sourced and roasted to ensure high standards. In addition to its coffee offerings, Red Bay provides coffee catering programs for events and sells merchandise, including T-shirts and gifts, through its online platform. Founded by Keba Konte, an artist and food entrepreneur, Red Bay Coffee is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the coffee sector. The company strives to empower historically marginalized communities, including people of color, the formerly incarcerated, women, and individuals with disabilities, by creating job opportunities and promoting social and economic restoration through its operations.

Dom's Kitchen & Market

Seed Round in 2020
Dom's Kitchen & Market is a grocery store chain founded in 2021 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company aims to provide a unique shopping experience that combines grocery shopping, restaurant dining, and home delivery services. It focuses on well-crafted, locally sourced, and globally-inspired food, creating a food destination that encourages sharing, exploration, and community engagement. Dom's Kitchen & Market fosters an inviting atmosphere where consumers can enjoy discovery and hospitality, making it a central hub for culinary experiences in the community.

Bhakti

Convertible Note in 2019
Bhakti, Inc. is a producer of chai concentrates, iced chai beverages, and dry tea products, with a focus on delivering authentic flavors through sustainably sourced ingredients. Established in 2002 and located in Boulder, Colorado, the company offers a range of products including iced chai available in six varieties, such as Original and Decaf, as well as concentrate products sold in quarts and gallons. Bhakti emphasizes the use of Fair Trade, Non-GMO, and organic ingredients, ensuring a high-quality beverage experience. Its products are widely accessible through various retail channels, including Whole Foods and Costco, as well as online platforms, allowing customers to enjoy both hot and cold tea blends made with real ginger, black tea, and spices. The company is committed to ethical business practices, aligning with B Corp standards to promote sustainability and social responsibility.

Zerocater

Series B in 2019
Zerocater, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company that operates a subscription-based and on-demand food ordering platform, specifically designed for businesses and their employees. Founded in 2009, Zerocater delivers personalized and diet-specific meals from independent restaurants, caterers, food trucks, and private chefs. The service caters to various occasions, including meetings, parties, and celebrations, offering a range of menu options such as breakfast, lunch, happy hour, desserts, and even craft beverages. The company serves clients in major cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Austin, Texas, and focuses on enhancing workplace culture by providing convenient and diverse food solutions that foster employee engagement and collaboration.

Bhakti

Convertible Note in 2019
Bhakti, Inc. is a producer of chai concentrates, iced chai beverages, and dry tea products, with a focus on delivering authentic flavors through sustainably sourced ingredients. Established in 2002 and located in Boulder, Colorado, the company offers a range of products including iced chai available in six varieties, such as Original and Decaf, as well as concentrate products sold in quarts and gallons. Bhakti emphasizes the use of Fair Trade, Non-GMO, and organic ingredients, ensuring a high-quality beverage experience. Its products are widely accessible through various retail channels, including Whole Foods and Costco, as well as online platforms, allowing customers to enjoy both hot and cold tea blends made with real ginger, black tea, and spices. The company is committed to ethical business practices, aligning with B Corp standards to promote sustainability and social responsibility.

Red Bay Coffee

Series A in 2019
Red Bay Coffee Company LLC, founded in 2014 and based in Oakland, California, is a coffee roasting company committed to quality and sustainability in the specialty coffee industry. The company offers a diverse range of whole-bean and specialty coffee products, which are meticulously sourced and roasted to ensure high standards. In addition to its coffee offerings, Red Bay provides coffee catering programs for events and sells merchandise, including T-shirts and gifts, through its online platform. Founded by Keba Konte, an artist and food entrepreneur, Red Bay Coffee is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the coffee sector. The company strives to empower historically marginalized communities, including people of color, the formerly incarcerated, women, and individuals with disabilities, by creating job opportunities and promoting social and economic restoration through its operations.

Zerocater

Series B in 2018
Zerocater, Inc. is a San Francisco-based company that operates a subscription-based and on-demand food ordering platform, specifically designed for businesses and their employees. Founded in 2009, Zerocater delivers personalized and diet-specific meals from independent restaurants, caterers, food trucks, and private chefs. The service caters to various occasions, including meetings, parties, and celebrations, offering a range of menu options such as breakfast, lunch, happy hour, desserts, and even craft beverages. The company serves clients in major cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Austin, Texas, and focuses on enhancing workplace culture by providing convenient and diverse food solutions that foster employee engagement and collaboration.

Craftable

Seed Round in 2018
Craftable is a restaurant management platform designed to enhance operational efficiency within the hospitality industry. Developed by experts in technology and seasoned professionals in hospitality, it provides a comprehensive solution for restaurateurs, operators, and accountants. The platform facilitates ordering and purchasing management, inventory control, and accounting integrations, allowing bars, restaurants, and hotels to streamline operations and improve productivity. Key features include menu engineering, recipe costing, and vendor management, which enable users to monitor costs and maintain profit margins. Craftable is suitable for a range of operators, from independent restaurants to large regional and national chains, and serves notable clients in the hospitality sector, including Hakkasan Restaurants and Kimpton Hotels. The platform is particularly adept at managing complex beverage programs and culinary offerings, thereby driving revenue and optimizing business performance.

Bhakti

Series B in 2017
Bhakti, Inc. is a producer of chai concentrates, iced chai beverages, and dry tea products, with a focus on delivering authentic flavors through sustainably sourced ingredients. Established in 2002 and located in Boulder, Colorado, the company offers a range of products including iced chai available in six varieties, such as Original and Decaf, as well as concentrate products sold in quarts and gallons. Bhakti emphasizes the use of Fair Trade, Non-GMO, and organic ingredients, ensuring a high-quality beverage experience. Its products are widely accessible through various retail channels, including Whole Foods and Costco, as well as online platforms, allowing customers to enjoy both hot and cold tea blends made with real ginger, black tea, and spices. The company is committed to ethical business practices, aligning with B Corp standards to promote sustainability and social responsibility.
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