Food
Q&A: Hamilton Lane's Collwyn Tan
Collwyn Tan, Hamilton Lane’s co-head of Asia investment and key point person for everything transactional in the region, unpacks the mixed signals of 2020
Singapore's Velocity Ventures launches travel fund
Velocity Ventures, a Singapore-based VC firm focused on travel and hospitality, has launched its debut early-stage fund targeting Southeast Asia with a target of $20 million.
Roc buys Australia grain marketing business
Australia’s Roc Partners has agreed to acquire a 100% stake in local grain storage and handling company Emerald Grain from Japan’s Sumitomo Corp for an undisclosed sum.
Investcorp acquires Singapore food company Viz Branz
Investcorp has agreed to acquire Singapore-based Viz Branz, a cereal and beverage brands maker and distributor in China and Southeast Asia, for an undisclosed sum.
Chinese noodle shop chain raises $68m Series D
Hefu Noodle, a Chinese noodle restaurant chain, has raised a RMB450 million ($68 million) Series D round co-led by Tencent Holdings and Longfor Capital, an investment unit of Hong Kong-listed property developer Longfor Group.
India food delivery player Zomato raises $195m
India-based food delivery business Zomato has raised $195 million from a group of investors including US-based Kora Management and Luxor Capital, and Korea’s Mirae Asset Capital.
Deal focus: V2Food tackles alternative protein’s price problem
Australia’s V2Food is bringing affordability to the alternative protein space as fresh funding fuels an Asian expansion. The China entry will be a delicate proposition
China's Bits x Bites hits first close on second food tech fund
Chinese food and agriculture technology investor Bits x Bites has reached a first close of $30 million on its second VC fund. The target is $70 million.
Chinese self-heating hotpot start-up gets $50m Series C
Zihaiguo, a Chinese start-up best-known for its line of self-heating hotpot products, has raised a $50 million Series C round led by CICC Capital at a valuation of $500 million.
Shunwei leads $22m round for Chinese fruit tea brand
Chinese fruit tea brand Sweet7 has raised RMB150 million ($22 million) in funding led by Shunwei Capital, with participation from Insight Fund, a vehicle launched by financial advisor MM Capital.
India's FreshToHome raises $121m Series C
FreshToHome, an Indian food delivery platform backed by local VCs Iron Pillar and Ascent Capital, has raised a $121 million Series C round.
Proterra supports plant-based egg start-up's Asia rollout
A consortium led by Proterra Investment Partners has committed $100 million to the establishment of an Asian unit of Eat Just, the company behind the US vegan egg substitute brand Just Egg.
Deal focus: Lyre’s opts for science instead of a still
Australia-founded beverages maker Lyre’s has raised $11.5 million in seed funding with a view to helping non-alcoholic spirits follow in the footsteps of alternative protein
Australia's V2Food raises $55m Series B
Australian alternative protein producer V2Food has raised a A$77 million ($55 million) Series B round featuring Sequoia Capital China and Temasek Holdings.
Archipelago acquires Malaysia's Coolblog, Ekuinas exits
Archipelago Capital Partners has acquired Malaysian dessert and drink chain Coolblog from government-backed PE firm Ekuinas based on an equity value of MYR75 million ($18 million).
J-Star acquires Japan aquaculture business
Japanese lower middle market private equity firm J-Star has acquired local aquaculture industry supplier Dainichi for an undisclosed sum.
Deal focus: Green Monday finds mission-aligned investors
Green Monday, the Hong Kong plant-based food distributor behind the Green Common retail chain and OmniPork alternative meats, has raised its first institutional round of funding.
Lever invests five China alternative meat start-ups
Hong Kong and US-based food tech investor Lever VC has confirmed five investments in alternative protein start-ups from its recently launched China fund.
Tiger, Temasek commit $160m to India's Zomato
Tiger Global Management and Temasek Holdings have contributed $160 million to an ongoing Series J round for India-based food delivery company Zomato.
Dragon Ball, CDH lead Series C in China's Lehe Food
Lehe Food, a China-based distributor of fresh food and ingredients, has secured RMB400 million ($56 million) in Series C funding led by Dragon Ball Capital and CDH Investments. Existing backer Hezhi Investment re-upped.
Chinese oatmeal brand Wangbaobao gets $14m Series B
Chinese oatmeal brand Wangbaobao has raised approximately RMB100 million ($14 million) in a Series B round led by consumer-focused BA Capital. Existing investors Source Code Capital, Vertex Ventures and Decent Capital re-upped.
Investcorp achieves $275m first close for Asia food fund
Investcorp has achieved a $275 million first close for an Asia food fund, a joint venture that also involves China Resources and Fung Strategic Holdings.