Good Culture backed by General Mills’ 301 Inc in funding round

General Mills, through its 301 Inc venturing unit, has increased its investment in Good Culture, the US organic cottage cheese maker.

In total, Good Culture has secured $8 million as part of a fresh funding round, led by Cavu Venture Partners, alongside investments from Almanac Insights and 301 Inc.

This funding will expand the dairy company’s distribution capabilities and product development efforts.

Good Culture was co-founded in 2015 by Jesse Merrill and Anders Eisner, who saw a gap in the market for high-quality cottage cheese. The brand’s cottage cheese flavours include pineapple, strawberry chia, and peach.

The announcement follows on from funding by both General Mills and Cavu in the brand in 2016.

301 Inc managing director John Haugen said: “Good Culture is a trailblazing company with an incredible passion for disrupting an entire category. We are excited to partner with Good Culture to give consumers high-quality, delicious dairy products.”

Clayton Christopher, Cavu Venture Partners co-founder, said: “We are always seeking to find and support brands with a mission to change our environment and the way consumers eat for the better.

“We believed in them in 2016 and are excited to invest again with the brand as a part of their continued growth and progress, as Good Culture is at the helm of this dormant category’s reinvention.”

Good Culture CEO and co-founder Jesse Merrill added: “When we entered the market with our disruptive cottage cheese range, it was our aim to responsibly make real food, simple ingredient, superfood products that tasted amazing and worked toward a larger goal of creating a material change to the food system.”

Last year, 301 Inc lead investments in Kite Hill, the vegan cheese and yogurt brand, and Urban Remedy, a plant-based snacks producer.