This week in CPG investment trends, energy drinks, legacy food brands, and functional wellness players dominated headlines. From Heineken buying its way into caffeine to Gorgie landing a major Series A and Truvani securing a strategic growth investment, capital is moving toward brands that blur lines—between wellness and indulgence, food and supplement, legacy and challenger.
Here are the biggest moves and what they signal for the industry.
Heineken has acquired a controlling stake in Tenzing, a UK-based natural energy drink brand. The move marks Heineken's first step into the energy category and adds a caffeine-forward SKU to their traditionally alcohol-heavy portfolio.
Gorgie, the wellness-centric energy drink brand, raised a $24.5 million Series A round and announced a major retail expansion into 1,900 Target locations. The brand focuses on low caffeine, clean ingredients, and a highly aesthetic identity.
Uncrustables will roll out a limited-time Peanut Butter & Honey sandwich and Peanut Butter & Grape Roll-Up. The brand is testing seasonal SKUs as it continues to lead the frozen handheld category.
Red Bull announced record-breaking global sales of 12 billion cans in 2024, representing a 5.5% year-over-year growth rate. The milestone cements its place as the global leader in energy, despite rising competition.
Basemakers founder Max Baumann is launching a new AI-guided venture fund aimed at better predicting early-stage success in CPG. The fund will use proprietary data tools to inform investment decisions across food, beverage, and wellness.
Apex Capital has acquired a majority stake in Juanita’s Foods, a legacy Latin food brand known for menudo and hominy. The deal will support growth in new channels and refresh the brand’s positioning.
Boston Beer Co. shared a strong Q1 earnings report and positive guidance for the summer season. Highlights included growth in Twisted Tea and Truly as the company leans into flavored and sessionable formats.
Truvani, a supplement and clean-label wellness brand, secured a growth round led by RX3 Growth Partners. The funding will help scale DTC infrastructure and support retail expansion.
This week’s headlines point to a clear signal: the energy drink category isn’t just growing—it’s fragmenting. Heineken’s move into natural energy via Tenzing, Gorgie’s Series A, and Red Bull’s 12B milestone show a spectrum of plays: global scale, clean-ingredient challenger, and strategic legacy entrance. Brands aren’t fighting for the same consumer—they’re carving out moments and moods within the broader energy occasion.
Legacy CPG players are also moving in ways that suggest deeper investment alignment with changing consumer values. Juanita’s isn’t just a heritage acquisition—it’s a bet on cultural relevance and pantry-based growth. Boston Beer’s earnings reinforce that sessionable, flavor-forward drinks still win in warm-weather windows, even if seltzer saturation continues.
There’s also a broader tech-adjacent story playing out. Basemakers’ new AI fund is an early signal that investment due diligence is evolving. As more capital floods into early-stage CPG, expect data science to become a larger part of how investors underwrite risk and identify scalable opportunities.
Finally, Truvani’s new funding and Uncrustables’ LTOs show that functional and nostalgic are not in conflict. Truvani appeals to label readers; Uncrustables taps into convenience and comfort. Both are growing by meeting specific emotional and practical needs.
The thread through it all? Capital is chasing clarity. Whether it’s mood-driven beverages or AI-informed funds, the brands and investors moving with the most precision—not the most noise—are the ones building real momentum.
In this week’s CPG activity, big money didn’t just follow growth—it followed specificity. As more capital enters the space, expect sharper bets on defined categories, clearer brand voices, and tools that reduce guesswork. In 2025, strategy and storytelling are both part of the deal.