Good Culture organic cottage cheese, General Mills
Good Culture offers organic sweet and savory cottage cheese varieties.

LOS ANGELES — Good Culture, which offers organic sweet and savory cottage cheese varieties, has closed on a $2.1 million strategic financing round. Lead investors are CAVU venture partners and 301 Inc., which is a business development and venture unit of General Mills, Inc.

Jesse Merill, Good Culture
Merrill, co-founder and c.e.o. of Good Culture

“We are so excited to partner with CAVU and General Mills and look forward to making Good Culture a household name,” said Jesse Merrill, co-founder and chief executive officer of Good Culture, Irvine, Calif. “Cottage cheese needs a comeback, and Good Culture is now well-poised to make that a reality.”

The company offers such varieties as strawberry chia, blueberry acai chia, sun-dried tomato, kalamata olive and classic in 5.3-oz fully recyclable packs. The company does not use gums or thickeners in the cottage cheese, which is not only organic but also grass-fed and free of stabilizers and additives. The products are sold nationally in such retail outlets as Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market.

John Haugen, 301 Inc., General Mills
Haugen, v.p. and general manager of 301 Inc.

“We are thrilled to partner with Good Culture,” said John Haugen, vice-president and general manager of 301 Inc. “Their mission and vision, coupled with General Mills’ extensive resources, will give Good Culture tremendous opportunity to grow this remarkable, on-trend offering to meet the increasing consumer interest in nutrient-dense, high protein snacks.”

A co-founder of CAVU venture partners is Clayton Christopher, who founded Sweet Leaf Tea.

“We are excited to announce our newest partnership with Good Culture and look forward to developing and bringing such an innovative brand to millions of consumers,” he said.