LONDON — Having focused until now on European lifestyle brands, the London-based fund Vaultier7 has expanded its reach, moving into the U.S. market and the health and wellness space for its latest investment, in the brand Little Spoon.
Principals of Vaultier7, Anna Sweeting and Montse Suarez, said they were drawn to Little Spoon, a fresh, organic baby food company that delivers directly to consumers, for a variety of reasons, such as the brand’s core values, its democratic appeal, direct-to-consumer engagement with a distinct point of view, and viral marketing model that offers babies and small children nutritious food.
The London-based fund, which has stakes in Axel Arigato and The Modist, did not disclose the terms of the deal.
Vaultier7 joins early backers including Chobani cofounder Kyle O’Brien and Tinder cofounders Sean Rad and Justin Mateen. The investment dovetails with Vaultier7’s aim to build breakthrough brands for the modern consumer, according to Sweeting and Suarez.
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“Little Spoon’s fresh take on baby food is set to revolutionize the category and beyond,” said Sweeting and Suarez. “Unlike the alternatives, which are highly processed and shelf-stable, Little Spoon is always fresh, organic and preservative-free and underpinned by the belief that your baby’s food shouldn’t be older than your baby.”
Little Spoon, which is pediatrician recommended and delivered straight to consumers’ doors, uses a proprietary system to create a personalized nutrition plan, known as The Blueprint, for each child for various stages of development.
It uses cold pressure technology and natural ingredients free of added sugars and preservatives, working with more than 80 ingredients that are blended to enhance flavor, texture and health benefits. It ships freshly made meals to parents anywhere in the U.S.
The customer care team is composed of parents across the U.S. who handle all enquiries, and who are meant to respond quickly and in real time. “This genuine two-way conversation with customers, creating an authentic love community, is something we look for in all the brands we invest in,” said Sweeting and Suarez.
Little Spoon said the latest round of funding will allow it to accelerate growth plans and consolidate its leading position in the U.S. The money will be put toward building the team, product development and marketing.
“The quality of the baby food options out there have been far too low for far too long, and the industry has largely ignored the new needs of the modern-day parent,” said Little Spoon.
They said they are excited to partner with V7 ”so that all parents have access to quality nutrition and wellness products for their children.” As with their other investments, Sweeting and Suarez plan to take seats on the board and support the founders on a strategic level.
Vaultier7 is a specialist firm that aims to invest in “challenger brands” and also puts its money behind newcomer companies that have a distinctive attitude and a “digitally shrewd strategy underpinned with a compelling product offering,” the founders told WWD in an interview last year.
Vaultier7 is looking at companies with revenues of between 3 million pounds and 15 million pounds, and aims to provide growth capital between 2 million pounds and 10 million pounds.