General Mills Invests in Probiotics Firm Farmhouse Culture

Probiotics food and beverage company Farmhouse Culture signed an investment agreement with General Mills’ venture unit 301 INC to increase the availability of its products nationally, the Watsonville, CA company announced Wednesday.

“Americans are embracing the positive health benefits of probiotics and are looking for more ways to nurture healthy, good bacteria from real foods,” said John Tucker, chief executive officer of Farmhouse Culture in a press release announcing the investment. “301 INC and our existing investors are helping us reach our mission of cultivating generations of healthy microbiomes and improving health and well-being through nourishing probiotic-rich foods.”

The company is expanding from its flagship Gut Shots line and sauerkraut products into new grocery-oriented products like Kraut Krisps, a chip made from 50% sauerkraut and an expanded line of fermented vegetables. Additional products are set to be debuted this year, the company said.

“We’ve been watching the functional foods space grow exponentially over the past few years, with Farmhouse Culture emerging as a leader,” said a statement by John Haugen, vice president and general manager of 301 INC. “The recipe for success is there: probiotic-rich products that taste great, led by a team with strong experience in the natural foods industry. Our collective goal is for consumers across the country to have access to the full line of these products.”

With the firms existing investors, White Road Investments and Renewal Funds, 301 INC will work to scale up production of existing products, accelerate innovation, and help grow sales and visibility in the marketplace.

Farmhouse Culture was founded in 2008.

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