LOVELAND, COLO. — Awakened Foods, which was formed earlier this year through the merger of the makers of Ka-Pop! Super Grain Snacks and Bubba's Fine Foods Paleo & Keto-friendly Snacks & Granolas, has secured a significant strategic investment from Evanston, Ill.-based Clover Vitality. Clover Vitality is a growth equity firm focused on emerging food and beverage companies.

“We have followed Awakened and its predecessor brands for years and are excited about its products and growth,” said Alex Schneider, co-founder and manager of Clover Vitality Fund. “We believe Ka-Pop! and Bubba’s decision to merge and vertically integrate its production strongly positions it in a rapidly evolving category. We are excited to provide funding to help it further accelerate its growth.”

Since its formation earlier this year, Awakened Foods has experienced significant business acceleration. The company won BizWest's Fastest Growing Company in Northern Colorado, Ka-Pop! secured four divisions of Kroger and Thrive Market, and Bubba's Fine Foods launched nationally with two airlines and landed the No. 1 selling nut mix on Amazon for Bubba's Keto Nut Mix.

“We are thrilled to partner with Clover Vitality,” said Dustin Finkel, chief executive officer of Awakened Foods. “We have shown since our merger in January that Awakened Foods creates synergies and scale to unlock significant, profitable growth aligned with major market trends in natural foods. We will continue to exceed investor expectations by using this investment to drive core portfolio acceleration through innovation and marketing.”

Clover Vitality is led by three principals (David Choe, Bert Cohen and Mr. Schneider) who have dedicated their careers to these industries as operators and investors. In addition to Awakened Foods, Clover has investments in Tia Lupita (better-for-you Mexican inspired snacks), Blake’s Seed Based (allergy free snacks), Koia (plant-based beverages), Fillo’s (artisanal Latin inspired beans) and Grace’s Goodness (plant-based sipping broths).