Cooks Venture, a food company focused on regenerative agriculture, has raised $4 million in funding led by Golden West Food Group.
Founded by Matthew Wadiak, the former COO and founder of Blue Apron, Cooks Venture is establishing regenerative agriculture systems through a combination of crop science, animal breeding and husbandry and long-term data monitoring.
The investment will enable the start-up to expand distribution of its pasture-raised, slow-growth heirloom chickens.
Cooks has also announced the appointment of Ankur Agrawal as chief financial officer.
“Consumers are always looking for a wider variety of ethically sourced meats, and we like to be at the forefront of what’s new and innovative in the market,” said Josh Solovy, president, Golden West Food Group.
“We align with Cooks Venture’s philosophy that better animal husbandry yields higher-quality, great-tasting and better-for-you foods. That’s why we invested in Cooks Venture and believe they, in short time, will be a market leader for pasture-raised, heirloom and heritage-bred, regenerative poultry in the US.”
Cooks Venture, which was founded in March last year, secured $12 million in funding in September. The start-up said Ankur Agrawal was instrumental in securing the agreement with Golden West Food Group.
Matthew Wadiak said: “As Cooks Venture continues to expand, it is critical that we add trusted executives to our team, who can help grow the business. I look forward to seeing what Ankur can do for the company as we look to our second year.”
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024