CHICAGO — Specialty crouton maker Kooshy has received an investment from Springdale Ventures, an Austin, Texas-based venture capital firm focusing on consumer packaged goods companies, to continue scaling its retail distribution, drive velocities with increased marketing and grow its team. Investment sums were not disclosed.
Kooshy, founded by brothers Jonathan and Matt Wachsman, launched in July 2022 as a line of croutons formulated with organic sourdough, olive oil and spices.
The brothers started the company at The Hatchery Chicago, a local food and beverage business incubator, then began selling it at area farmers markets.
The brothers created Kooshy to expand beyond the salad bowl to encourage consumers to use the product on soup, pasta, yogurt or ice cream, to crush and coat chicken or fish, or to eat directly from the bag.
Springdale Ventures, which invested in Kooshy at the beginning of August, said Kooshy’s early retail success is “undeniable,” said Genevieve Gilbreath, co-founder and general partner of Springdale Ventures.
Springdale has invested in other such companies as Goodles, Cece’s Veggie Co., FitJoy Foods, and Feastables.
“From the tomato section at Whole Foods to shelves at Costco Midwest and traditional retailers, the brand is attracting new shoppers and expanding the category in a meaningful way,” Gilbreath said. “The founders bring complementary expertise that positions Kooshy for rapid growth. Jon’s financial acumen as a chief financial officer, paired with Matt’s extensive experience in brand management at Kraft Heinz, make them a strong team. We’re excited to join them on their journey to make Kooshy the next big name in grocery.”
Kooshy expanded its distribution significantly since launching in 2022. The company grew from a few doors to a total of 3,600 in roughly 12 months.
The company joined Whole Foods Market Stores nationwide. The company also debuted at The Fresh Market that same year with additional regional locations of Meijer, Albertsons, Safeway H-E-B, Mariano’s Fesh Thyme and Central Market.
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Springdale as we continue building out Kooshy into a leading modern pantry brand,” said Jonathan Wachsman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Kooshy.Enjoying this content? Learn about more disruptive startups on the Food Entrepreneur page.
