General Mills Continues Plant-Based Investing Streak

Last week, General Mills’ investment arm 301 Inc. led a $6.5 million investment round in plant-based probiotic startup Farmhouse Culture. “Our collective goal is for consumers across the country to have access to the full line of these products,” 301 Inc.’s general manager John Haugen said. California-based Farmhouse Culture produces fermented products such as sauerkraut (including vegan kimchi), probiotic beverages, and plant-based snacks. “Many of the investments that General Mills has made so far have skewed toward plant-based products,” Fortune writer John Kell said in a recent feature about the investment, and added, “Farmhouse Culture fits into that trend neatly as well.” Farmhouse Culture joins General Mills’ growing vegan investment portfolio which includes kale chip company Rhythm Superfoods, plant-based protein bar-maker D’s Naturals, and vegan cheese brand Kite Hill.