Cpgconnect // Vol. 32: Creator Buyouts, Sport Coffee, and the Playable Pantry
From UFC stepping into protein bars and Throne carving out a lane in sport coffee, to creators acquiring supplement brands and legacy CPG turning pantry staples into playable drops.
But before we dive in, take a quick second to fill out this form. It helps me give back to the CPG community we’re building, connect the right people, and surface new opportunities for brands looking to grow.
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by RetailPath.
I spent some time talking with Maysam, the founder. Before starting RetailPath, he led retail operations at Hims & Hers, so he’s lived the retail compliance and deduction chaos firsthand.
What they’re building is honestly a no-brainer: software that automatically disputes invalid chargebacks, compliance fines, shortages, and unpaid invoices across retailers like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Ulta.
Just look at what they did with Ritual: In less than 90 days from onboarding, they recovered over $120k in Target deductions and unpaid invoices — revenue that would have otherwise been written off.
No new headcount. No portal hopping. No chasing PDFs.
What I like about the model is that it’s brand friendly. Brands only pay on dollars actually recovered, and they’re even offering the first $10K recovered free for Cpgconnect readers.
If you’re selling into big-box retail, it’s worth at least understanding what might be sitting on your balance sheet.
Brand Shoutout: eatlasso.com
LASSO is a modern gelatin cup brand delivering nostalgic flavor with real nutrition, packed with 10g grass-fed protein and 5g prebiotic fiber, naturally sweetened with no shortcuts.
Events:
RSVP - Stride Run Club (Palm Springs) 2/24
RSVP - eTail Desert Ranch Party (Palm Springs) 2/24
RSVP - Partners Pickleball at eTail West (Palm Springs) 2/25
RSVP - CX Mixer Lunch (Palm Springs) 2/25
RSVP - Pre-Expo West Espresso & CPG (Anaheim) 3/3
RSVP - East Meets Expo West with Naturally New York & New England (Anaheim, CA) 3/3
RSVP - Flexpo West By Man Cereal (Anaheim) 3/4
RSVP - America’s Next Top Snack (Anaheim) 3/4
RSVP - Rise, Roast & Meet CPG (Anaheim) 3/5
RSVP - Anti-Expo 3/5
Alysa Seeland didn’t grow up dreaming of starting a bone broth company. But she did grow up watching entrepreneurs.
Her mom ran an interior design business out of their basement, staple gun humming past midnight. Her dad built and sold a parcel company before moving on to the big leagues. Hustle was normal. Ownership was normal. Building something from scratch was just part of the air she breathed.
After college, Alysa joined a fintech startup, running social and community. She later ghostwrote for a VC firm, interviewing investors and absorbing how they thought about traction, scale, and what makes a company investable. It was an unofficial MBA in Silicon Valley logic.
But FOND was born from something far more personal.
After the birth of her first son, Alysa’s health collapsed. She was told she likely wouldn’t carry to term. She did. He was a healthy nine-pound baby. She was not. Five months later, she underwent emergency surgery and was told to prepare for another procedure within months.
She decided that trajectory wasn’t acceptable.
While researching gut health and nutrient deficiencies, she rediscovered bone broth. Not the trendy version. The ancestral one. The slow-simmered, mineral-rich staple that spans centuries and cultures. In 2012, it wasn’t on shelves. So she made it herself.
She went on a five-week reset, rebuilding her digestion from the inside out. The shift wasn’t subtle. It was transformational. Thirteen years later, she never needed that second surgery.
When you experience that kind of change, you don’t keep it to yourself.
In 2015, Alysa showed up to a Texas farmers market with five coffee carafes of bone broth and a handmade sign. It was over 100 degrees. She asked strangers if they wanted a “broth shot.”
She sold out.
For five years, she and her husband brewed for 18 hours at a time, bottled by hand, navigated USDA and FDA regulation, and built a cult following one conversation at a time. They won local grants, community awards, and most importantly, trust. By the time they scaled, they knew their customer intimately. They had tested, refined, and proven the product in real life.
FOND has since grown into a regenerative, premium bone broth brand built on two pillars: uncompromising quality and process. When faced with the decision to scale manufacturing, they chose a boutique co-packer that could replicate their exact artisan method. No shortcuts.
There were setbacks. In 2022, a fire destroyed raw goods and crippled production. In the middle of raising a Series A, the future looked uncertain. But the crisis forced a reset. FOND rebuilt as a default-alive, profit-focused company. Growth, now, comes with discipline.
Alysa’s advice to founders is simple but hard-earned:
Grow profitably.
Raising capital does not remove your responsibility to steward it. Financial leadership always sits with the founder. The vision, the discipline, the willingness to say no to unprofitable growth. That’s the real work.
At some point, she said, you have to believe you can win. Not win everything. Not dominate the entire category. But win for your customer. Serve her better than anyone else.
FOND started as five jars at a farmers market. It became a brand because Alysa couldn’t ignore the problem once she solved it for herself.
News:
UFC Partners with FoodStory Brands on High-Performance Protein Bars
UFC is stepping into the functional food arena, partnering with FoodStory Brands to develop and launch a new line of high-performance, nutritionist-backed protein bars.
The move extends UFC’s brand beyond media and live events into performance nutrition, aligning with its core audience of athletes and fitness-focused consumers.
As sports properties continue expanding into CPG, this partnership signals the growing convergence of entertainment, performance culture, and functional snacking.
Cambiotics Raises €4M Seed to Tackle “Forever Chemicals”
Danish startup Cambiotics closed a €4M seed round led by Collaborative Fund to advance its precision-formulated probiotic designed to help remove PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” from the body.
The company is positioning itself at the intersection of gut health and environmental detox, leveraging targeted strains to address rising consumer concern around long-term chemical exposure.
As awareness of PFAS grows, Cambiotics is betting that next-gen probiotics will move beyond digestion into measurable, functional health outcomes.
Alex Eubank Acquires Fresh Supps
Fitness influencer Alex Eubank has acquired supplement brand Fresh Supps for an undisclosed sum, deepening his move from creator to operator.
The deal underscores a growing trend of influencers shifting from endorsement deals to ownership, leveraging built-in audiences to drive brand equity and long-term upside.
As the creator-to-founder pipeline accelerates, Fresh Supps becomes another example of audience-driven CPG consolidation in action.
Cadence Climbs to No. 1 in Specialty Retail
Cadence continues its retail momentum following a can refresh in December 2025, now ranking as the No. 1 RTD hydration brand at both GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe.
The performance highlights the impact of packaging evolution paired with strong retail execution, especially within specialty channels where functional beverages compete for attention.
As hydration remains a crowded battlefield, Cadence is proving that brand clarity and shelf presence can translate directly into velocity.
Epetōme Secures 7-Figure Round to Scale Gut Health Innovation
UK-based gut health startup Epetōme has closed a 7-figure funding round led by Active Partners and Redrice Ventures.
The raise positions Epetōme to further develop its approach to microbiome-focused solutions as demand for science-backed gut health continues to accelerate across Europe and the U.S.
With strong consumer VCs backing the round, Epetōme signals continued investor appetite for clinically positioned, next-generation wellness brands.
Throne Sport Coffee Closes $10M Funding Round
According to Founder & CEO Michael Fedele, Thone Sport Coffee has officially closed a $10M funding round.
The raise positions the brand to scale its performance-focused coffee offering, bridging the gap between traditional caffeine and functional sports nutrition.
As the lines continue to blur between energy, hydration, and performance, Thone is betting that “sport coffee” can carve out its own category within the functional beverage boom.
Campbell’s x Goldfish Launch Limited-Edition Game Night Drop
Campbell’s and Goldfish are turning their iconic tomato soup pairing into a playable experience with the launch of the Campbell’s x Goldfish Games.
The limited-edition drop features two family-friendly games, Fish in a Row and Soup Splashers, each priced at $19.99 and bundled with both Goldfish crackers and Campbell’s tomato soup.
Pre-orders are now live, with additional limited drops happening every weekday at 10 a.m. ET through February 24.
The move blends nostalgia, pantry staples, and interactive entertainment, signaling how legacy CPG brands are leaning into experiential drops to drive cultural relevance beyond the shelf.
Just Ice Tea Raises $9M Series B to Fuel Retail Expansion
According to a report from BevNET, Just Ice Tea has closed a $9M Series B funding round as it looks to accelerate retail growth and brand awareness across the U.S.
The organic ready to drink tea brand, founded by Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman, is positioning itself as a next generation clean label beverage built around fair trade ingredients and lower sugar formulations.
As legacy beverage brands face increasing pressure from health conscious consumers, Just Ice Tea’s raise signals continued investor confidence in mission driven functional refreshment plays that can win on both values and velocity at retail.
Moon Juice Expands Nationwide at Target
After appointing longtime wellness executive Federico Troiani as CEO last year, Moon Juice has announced its nationwide launch at Target.
The move marks a major retail milestone for the brand, signaling continued mainstream adoption of functional wellness products across big-box channels.
With new leadership in place and expanded distribution, Moon Juice is entering its next phase of scale.
Whether you’re launching your first SKU, pushing into retail, or just trying to stay ahead of where CPG is headed, that’s what Cpgconnect is here for. This community exists to connect the right people, surface real opportunities, and share what’s actually working as brands scale.
If you haven’t yet, take a minute to fill out the form so I can keep tailoring this to what’s most useful for you. And for daily updates, brand finds, and behind-the-scenes CPG moments, make sure to follow along on Instagram.
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Catch you next week ✌️
- Zach
P.S. If this was helpful, pass it along to a founder or teammate who’d get value out of it. And as always, hit reply anytime. I read every message.