CPG Weekly Roundup: October 3 – October 9, 2025
This Week’s CPG News at a Glance
This week’s CPG news signals a category in flux, and growing up. The TikTok-born beauty brands that once dominated Gen-Z’s routines are now trying to mature with their audience. Meanwhile, investor interest is shifting away from crowded categories like snacks and beverages, with money moving into body care, home appliances, and brand-driven collabs.
But it wasn’t all growth stories. Uncle Nearest’s receivership process continues to unfold publicly, offering a real-time case study in what happens when expansion outpaces operational structure.
Let’s break it all down.
Can Gen-Z Beauty Brands Grow Up?
Business of Fashion’s latest podcast tackles a hard question: can TikTok-era beauty brands like Bubble, and Byoma evolve with their audience?
These brands built momentum with stickered packaging, colorful goop, and mascots that made them feel more like collectible toys than clinical skincare. But as their customers age, so do expectations. The same Gen-Z consumers who loved jelly textures at 22 are now demanding performance, not just aesthetics. And retailers are responding—pushing for more premium pricing, credible formulas, and replenishable routines.
The challenge? Scaling without losing the brand DNA that made them stand out in the first place.
Uncle Nearest Faces Receivership, Possible Asset Sales
Uncle Nearest has been placed under court-appointed receivership after allegations of defaulting on loans exceeding $100 million. Founder Fawn Weaver has stepped back from operations, and the appointed receiver has already cut 13% of the workforce and is evaluating whether to sell off high-value assets—including a Cognac estate, a vodka business, and properties in France, Massachusetts, and Tennessee.
Although the receiver maintains confidence in the brand’s long-term viability, the process has exposed the downside of rapid diversification and high-burn category expansion. It’s a reminder that even in premium spirits, hype needs to be supported by operational discipline and cash flow visibility.
Melitas Ventures Backs Hanni in Body Care Bet
Melitas Ventures just added Hanni to its portfolio, marking a strategic move into the body care space. Founded by a former Dr. Dennis Gross executive, Hanni focuses on luxury grooming tools and skincare essentials with a sleek, sustainability-first angle. The brand joins a Melitas roster that includes Love Corn and Jupiter, signaling a broader thesis shift: from functional snacks and beverages to elevated personal care.
As early-stage CPG investors look for white space beyond protein bars and sparkling drinks, body care is beginning to attract serious attention—especially when it’s tied to strong brand IP and premium positioning.
Mush Appoints First-Ever Chief Customer Officer
Mush, the ready-to-eat overnight oats company, has named Jackie Cassis-Mayer as its first Chief Customer Officer. Her background spans Kind Snacks, PepsiCo, Danone, and Boston Beer Company, with deep experience in retail strategy and national accounts.
The hire comes as Mush enters its next phase of growth, signaling a strategic move to solidify distribution, improve retail execution, and expand household penetration. It’s a classic scaling moment—adding senior leadership to manage growing customer complexity and sharpen channel strategy.
Dezi Skin and Snif Collab on Scented Body Gloss
Dezi Skin and fragrance disruptor Snif just launched Paleta Punch, a skincare-meets-fragrance body gloss featuring superfruits, shea butter, and a tropical scent profile. The launch combines Dezi’s skincare credibility with Snif’s track record in design-forward fragrance collabs.
For Snif, this collab pushes the brand further into lifestyle territory. What started as a DTC fragrance brand has now built a platform for cross-category experimentation—candles, skincare, and body care—without losing aesthetic consistency.
Nori Raises Series A, Backed by Curate Capital
Curate Capital has led the Series A for Nori, the female-founded brand behind the viral handheld steamer-iron hybrid. With traction in Target and a rabid fanbase across TikTok and Oprah’s Favorite Things, Nori represents a growing segment: design-first, utility-based appliances led by women and built around modern life.
With Carrie Colbert joining the board, Curate’s investment isn’t just capital—it’s a vote of confidence in a new era of consumer tech that sits adjacent to beauty, apparel, and lifestyle.
What This Week’s CPG News Means for the Industry
This week’s stories surface a familiar theme: the honeymoon phase is over. Whether it’s skincare brands trying to grow up, spirits companies restructuring after rapid expansion, or emerging brands professionalizing with new leadership—CPG in Q4 is about maturity.
The shift is clear. Investors aren’t chasing the shiniest launch. They’re looking for scalable operations, category clarity, and leadership that understands how to balance brand with execution.
The Snif–Dezi collaboration and Nori’s Series A both show how lifestyle-led products can break out—but only when paired with operational discipline and strong brand architecture. Meanwhile, the Mush hire and Uncle Nearest restructuring prove that what happens behind the scenes is just as important as what consumers see.
If you’re hiring or scaling right now, this is your cue: the market is rewarding brands that are ready to act like businesses, not just ideas.
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