Dive Brief:
Partake Foods closed a $4.8 million Series A funding round with participation from CircleUp Growth Partners, Jay-Z's Marcy Venture Partners (MVP), Lotus Bakeries’ corporate venture fund FF2032, Black Capital, Black Star Fund, Once Upon a Farm CEO John Foraker, Seattle Seahawks’ Bobby Wagner and recording artist Rihanna. CircleUp partner Aditi Dash and Beyond Meat Chief Growth Officer Chuck Muth, a current investor, will join the board.
In a blog post on the funding announcement, Dash cited Partake's omnichannel appeal, including its online traffic growth and social following. The cookie company also expanded from 200 to 2,700 stores in 2020, and plans to grow to 5,500 outlets by the end of the first quarter of 2021. Retail partners include Target, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts and The Fresh Market.