US-based vegan chocolate maker Hu Products has closed a Series A funding round led by a minority investment from consumer products incubator Sonoma Brands.
Hu Products said it “embraces the integrity of dark chocolate”, using organic cacao to create a “vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, delicious product, free of refined sugar and additives”.
Sonoma Brands, Hu and other new partners now aim to collaborate to accelerate growth and continue innovating in the good-for-you snacking space.
Hu co-founder Jason H. Karp said: “We are thrilled to have found a strategic partner in Sonoma Brands. We look forward to what this relationship will help us accomplish as we move to advance our distribution and exposure in the coming months.
“With the support of Sonoma Brands, along with several other highly strategic investors, we will accelerate the conversation around the need for more vegan, paleo and unprocessed foods and bolster our platform as a mission-driven health and wellness business.”
Sonoma Brands founder Jon Sebastiani added: “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with a brand that is right on par with our background. Providing unique experiences with 100% vegan products, Hu Chocolate is a true category disrupter in the vegan/paleo world, showcasing ingredient integrity and culinary influence that resonates deeply with our team.
“We believe that Hu will change brand standards across a variety of product verticals by delivering its rigorous ingredient integrity and transparency, and we’re excited to be a part of that future and the Hu story.”
Hu Chocolate is available in “several thousand” stores in the US and retails for between $4.99 and $6.99.
Founded in 2016, Sonoma Brands is a specialist growth equity firm led by Jon Sebastiani, founder of artisanal meat brand Krave Jerky. In 2016 the firm launched a range of drinkable vegetable soups.
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