NEW YORK — Belgian Boys, a woman-owned brand of European treats, raised $7 million in its first funding round, led by Equilibra Ventures with participation from angel investors.
Run by Belgian-born wife and husband duo Anouck Gotlib and Greg Galel, Belgian Boys offers stroopwafels, cookies and desserts as well as breakfast items like pancakes, waffles and crepes. The company is taking an unconventional approach to merchandising, choosing to sell its frozen breakfasts and desserts in the fresh refrigerated section.
“Even though breakfast is part of our daily routines, Americans have been conditioned to stock up on frozen breakfast items that you would typically find chilled in Belgium,” Ms. Gotlib said. “People enjoy eggs, bacon and sausage for breakfast, so why would you go across the store to find complementary items? We’re excited to see success bringing this same placement to the United States.”
Already available in major retailers like Walmart and Target, Belgian Boys products’ offer a mess-free means to an elevated at-home eating experience, she said. The company last month added brioche French toast to its breakfast lineup.
“If you think about French toast, there’s milk everywhere and eggs everywhere and this huge mess in your kitchen,” Ms. Gotlib said. “We’re changing that by bringing convenience to the customer.”
Belgian Boys plans to use the partnership with Equilibra to grow into a global brand. Created in 2018 by Daniel Lubetzky, the founder behind Kind Snacks, the platform incubates, operates and invests in entrepreneur-run businesses. Belgian Boys will leverage the team’s experience founding and developing cult CPG brands to continue on its path of “outside of the aisle” innovation, said Elle Lanning, managing director of Equilibra Ventures.
The partnership marks Equilibra’s fifth investment in a woman-founded, owned or operated enterprise, with Belgian Boys joining Yellow Leaf Hammocks, FitFighter, Tandm Surf and Before Brands Spoonful One. Other food and beverage companies in Equilibra’s portfolio include Greek yogurt maker Ellenos, meat snack maker Krave, seaweed snack maker gimMe Snacks, insect protein brand Chapul and Quevos, a maker of egg white protein crisps.
“We were most drawn to Belgian Boys’ passionate and innovative leaders,” Ms. Lanning said. “Instead of adhering to tried-and-true playbooks, Belgian Boys is writing its own rules and changing the entire game.”