General Mills business development group joins existing investors in recognizing growth potential of probiotics category
Emerging probiotics powerhouse Farmhouse Culture® has inked a deal with 301 INC, the new business development and venturing unit at General Mills, leading a Series D investment round that aims to drive national availability of the brand’s growing food and beverage product lines. 301 INC’s support is a testament to growing consumer demand for probiotic-rich foods, as well as the brand’s leadership in the category.
Farmhouse Culture has been on the cutting edge of fermented foods since its founder Kathryn Lukas started selling her sauerkraut in a local Santa Cruz farmers’ market in 2008. Under the direction of a new executive team with deep-rooted experience in the natural foods industry, the company is actively expanding beyond the sauerkraut and probiotic-packed Gut Shots™ line to bring probiotic-rich foods to categories across the grocery store. New products have already debuted, including Gut Shots™, an expanded line of Fermented Vegetables including beets, carrots, cauliflower and more, and a recent launch into the snack category with Kraut Krisps™, a chip made with 50 percent sauerkraut. The company’s innovation team expects to break into additional categories later this year.