NEW YORK — Nutpods has been acquired by MPearlRock, a partnership between The Kroger Co.’s venture capital arm PearlRock Partners and MidOcean Partners, a private equity firm. Terms of the acquisition were not announced.

Nutpods is a manufacturer and marketer of plant-based creamers that was founded in 2013 by Madeleine Haydon. Today, the brand may be found in 15,000 retail stores, nationwide, according to the company.

“Nutpods is a remarkable entrepreneurial success story that exemplifies the businesses and management teams with whom we seek to partner,” said Brian Kelley, chief executive officer of MPearlRock. “We have been following nutpods for the past few years and have been impressed with Madeline’s vision and disciplined approach and how she built strong customer loyalty by developing and marketing a truly superior product.”

Nutpods received a strategic investment from VMG Partners in 2019 and, over the course of the four-year partnership, the business more than tripled its net sales, the company said.

“We are proud to join MPearlRock in the next stage of our brand’s evolution,” Haydon said. “Brian’s background with leading global consumer brands coupled with MPearlRock’s capabilities and resources makes them an ideal growth partner for us. We are excited to reach more consumers in new channels and new product verticals who allow us to become part of their daily coffee ritual.”

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