What Next In Natural does

Next In Natural is a Brooklyn-based boutique hybrid holding company and venture studio that acquires and scales early-phase organic and natural food and beverage brands. The firm invests intellectual equity and working capital in emerging better-for-you CPG entrepreneurs, providing cross-functional support across Business Development, Marketing, Operations, and International Trading from offices in the USA (Brooklyn HQ), Israel (Jerusalem), the United Kingdom (London), Spain (Madrid), Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), and the Philippines (Manila). The current disclosed portfolio includes Lavva (plant-based yogurt made from pili nuts, acquired August 2022), Sound (organic sparkling botanicals and teas, acquired May 2024), Rowdy Mermaid (functional kombucha, acquired 2025), and Aura Bora (flavored sparkling water, acquired 2025), spanning beverage, dairy-adjacent, and distribution/D2C categories.

The company generates returns through equity appreciation in portfolio companies rather than disclosed fees, licensing, or product pricing. Its go-to-market leverages founder Jeff Lichtenstein's prior track record co-founding Gourmet Guru (which became UNFI Next) and co-writing go-to-market strategies for Chobani, Stumptown, and Hu. The leadership team includes CEO Jeff Lichtenstein, COO/CFO Kristine Laurel, CFO Trisha Dill, and a broader cross-functional team totaling 11–50 employees with combined experience claimed at 400+ years. No proprietary technology platform, AI capabilities, public revenue, equity funding rounds, or product pricing models are disclosed; the firm is privately held and founder-led with no evidence of PE, VC, or conglomerate control.

Name

Next In Natural

Legal name

Next In Natural LLC

Website

https://nextinnatural.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Next In Natural is a Brooklyn-based boutique hybrid holding company and venture studio that acquires and scales early-phase organic and natural food and beverage brands, providing operational, marketing, and distribution support to portfolio companies including Lavva, Sound, Rowdy Mermaid, and Aura Bora.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Studio / Food & Beverage Investment

NAICS

Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (4251)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic & Natural Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAJAE)

Keywords

• Venture studio services
• Natural food investment
• Organic beverage brands
• CPG brand scaling
• Hybrid holding company

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Portfolio Company Investment and Growth: Invests intellectual equity and working capital in early phase natural and organic food & beverage companies. Generates returns through portfolio company growth, acquisitions (Lavva, Sound, Rowdy Mermaid), and operational value creation. Revenue derived from successful exits and equity appreciation of portfolio companies.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Next In Natural is a boutique hybrid holding company and venture studio that invests intellectual equity and working capital in early-phase natural and organic food & beverage entrepreneurs. The company partners with brands at critical inflection points to help them scale into category leaders by providing operational excellence, go-to-market strategies, marketing, and international trading support through a cross-functional strategic co-op across offices in the USA, Spain, Brazil, Israel, and the Philippines.

Product overview

Next In Natural is a Boutique Hybrid Holding Company / Venture Studio dedicated to scaling select emerging organic and natural food and beverage companies. The company operates as an investment and operational excellence platform, acquiring and supporting brands in the better-for-you beverage and food space. The portfolio includes Lavva (plant-based yogurt from pili nuts), Sound (organic sparkling botanicals and teas), and Rowdy Mermaid (functional kombucha). The company provides cross-functional support including Business Development, Marketing, Operations, and International Trading from offices in the USA, Spain, Brazil, Israel, and The Philippines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lavva: Plant-based yogurt brand made from nutrient-dense pili nuts, sold at major retailers and online.
• Sound
• Rowdy Mermaid

Products and services

• Lavva
• Sound
• Rowdy Mermaid
• Venture Studio Partnership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Billions of dollars in annual revenue generated for portfolio companies (Chobani, Stumptown, Hu)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Powerplant Ventures: Venture capital firm purpose-built to back plant-based and better-for-you food brands. Directly comparable to Next In Natural's investment focus on plant-based and natural product categories such as Lavva and Rowdy Mermaid.
• VMG Partners: Growth equity firm specializing in emerging consumer brands, including natural and better-for-you CPG. Provides capital, operational resources, and distribution expertise comparable to what Next In Natural offers its portfolio companies.
• Sunrise Strategic Partners: Investment platform focused on scaling better-for-you food and beverage brands through operational expertise and strategic capital. Mirrors Next In Natural's model of providing hands-on support plus equity to emerging natural/organic brands.
• AccelFoods: Venture capital fund that invests exclusively in emerging consumer food and beverage brands. Operates a similar thesis of providing capital plus operational support to early-stage natural/organic CPG founders, making it the closest comparable to Next In Natural's boutique venture studio model.
• CAVU Venture Partners: Consumer-focused growth equity firm investing in CPG and food brands. Operates a similar 'capital plus operating playbook' model targeting emerging food and beverage categories, comparable in stage and approach to Next In Natural.

Broad incumbents

• B&G Foods: Public packaged foods company with a meaningful portfolio of natural and organic brands (Crockpot, Green Giant, Back to Nature). Represents a potential strategic acquirer for mature portfolio brands from Next In Natural's stable.
• 301 INC (General Mills): General Mills' venture studio that invests in and accelerates emerging food brands. Functions as a broader incumbent alternative to Next In Natural, with deeper capital reserves and incumbent distribution leverage.
• PepsiCo Ventures / HBC: Strategic venture arm of PepsiCo focused on emerging CPG and beverage brands. Represents the type of well-capitalized incumbent acquirer that Next In Natural's portfolio brands may ultimately be sold to.

Emerging players

• Sovos Brands: Food platform company building and acquiring premium CPG brands (Rao's, Michael Angelo's, Noosa). Operates a comparable brand-building and acquisition platform in adjacent better-for-you food categories.

Others

• United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI): Largest natural foods distributor in North America and key distribution partner through UNFI Next. Not a direct competitor but a critical infrastructure provider whose relationship materially shapes Next In Natural's go-to-market capability.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nextinnatural

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Next In Natural