Unpackaged Goods

Willie Nelson's $80M Cannabis Empire + $400M Barbecue Sauce


Listen Later

This week the CPG world officially lost its mind. Willie Nelson built an $80 million cannabis beverage empire in under 12 months, someone paid $400 million for barbecue sauce, and a baby food company is now trading on the NYSE next to Apple and Tesla.

In this episode:

[0:00-6:00] The Week CPG Broke Reality

  • Once Upon a Farm's $198M NYSE debut proves baby food is Wall Street material
  • Willie Nelson's $80M cannabis run rate validates authentic celebrity brands
  • Marzetti's $400M Bachan's acquisition signals ethnic condiments are institutional assets

[6:00-12:00] The Funding Frenzy Continues

  • CAVU Consumer Partners raised $325M (exceeding target) for Fund V
  • SEMCAP doubled down on Good Culture with $55M follow-on investment
  • Proper Wild raised $10M after 550% energy shot growth

[12:00-17:00] When Sunscreen Meets Soda

  • Vacation x Pepsi Wild Cherry lip balm collaboration chaos
  • Lemme x Kylie Cosmetics gummy partnership strategy
  • Why unexpected brand collaborations actually work

[17:00-23:00] The Creatine Explosion

  • Koia launching creatine protein shakes exclusively at Publix
  • Momentous expanding creatine chews with new flavors
  • How strength training went mainstream and created category gold rush

[23:00-29:00] Distribution Wins & Strategic Exits

  • Hain Celestial's $115M snack division divestment strategy
  • Tony's Chocolonely defying chocolate industry trends with 20% growth
  • Why premium brands continue conquering mass retail

The Big Picture: Authenticity and execution beat innovation every time. When country music legends build cannabis empires, barbecue sauce commands $400M valuations, and baby food trades publicly, we've entered an era where solving real problems for specific populations creates institutional investment opportunities.

Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, YouTube | Newsletter: The Deeter Digest

What shocked you most this week? Let us know in the comments.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Unpackaged GoodsBy Jonathan Deeter