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Radar · Food & Beverage Products in North Carolina

Best Food & Beverage Products Companies in North Carolina, United States

The 78 best Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: BIOMILQ.

78companies tracked
$70.8Mdisclosed funding
0unicorns
17have raised
FLIAR INTELLIGENCE · FOOD & BEVERAGE PRODUCTS × NORTH CAROLINA

Our analysis of 50 Food & Beverage Products companies

$6.7b in tracked funding; 98% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.

50companies analysed
98%cloud-native stacks
2025funding peak (by rounds)
3unicorns
2015median founding year
179kcombined LinkedIn audience
87%of audience held by top 3
4companies hiring publicly (12 mo)

Ranked: Best Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina

#CompanyDisclosed fundingLast roundStageFounderFoundedTech stackRecent signals
1BIOMILQ
Provider of lab-grown breast milk for babies
$24M56 mo agoSeries ALeila Strickland
Co-founder and CEO
2020——
2Rowdy Energy
Brand of energy drinks
$13M61 mo agoSeries AKyle Busch
Co-Founder
2019——
3PlantPure Nation
Brand of nutritional supplements
$7M85 mo agoSeries A—2015Shogun Page BuilderCart FunctionalityShopify+23—
4Seal the Seasons
Provider of private label of raw frozen fruits and vegetables
$6M53 mo agoSeedAlejandro Piasecki
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
2014Cart FunctionalityShopifyTailwind CSS+35—
5Scivation
Provider of engineering and project management services for energy projects
$6M144 mo agoAcquired—2004——
6Barvecue
Brand of frozen ready meals
$5M39 mo agoSeedZack Werner
Founder & Chef & COO
2017Cart FunctionalityShopifyFacebook Login+22—
7Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn
Brand of popcorn
$3M40 mo agoSeries AGinger Frank
Founder & CEO
2016Cart FunctionalityShopifySentry+391 job opening · 1 award
8Tribucha
Tea-based fermented drinks brand
$2M85 mo agoSeries AJonathan York
Co-Founder
2014——
9FoodYoga
Internet first brand of food products
$2M70 mo agoSeedDhawal Phadke
Co-Founder & CEO
2013Cart FunctionalityShopifyGSAP+26—
10Abby's Better Nut Butter
Delicious, healthy nut butters and snacks made with simple, clean ingredients
$1M63 mo agoSeedAnna Kircher
Founder & CEO
2015Cart FunctionalityShopifySentry+35—
11Creative Snacks
Brand of dried fruits & nuts
$1M200 mo agoAcquired—2009——
12Village Juice
Brand of cold-pressed juice
$980K42 mo agoSeed—2015Webflow EcommerceCart FunctionalityWebflow+18—
13French Broad Chocolates
Asheville, NC chocolate shop crafting bean-to-bar chocolates and treats
$500K105 mo agoSeedDaniel Rattigan
Co-Founder
2008Shogun Page BuilderCart FunctionalityShopify+34—

Top 12 Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina

#1
Series A · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2020 · 33 employees
$24.5Mraised
▾

Provider of lab-grown breast milk for babies. The company claims to use patent-pending technology to develop its products and offers its products to families providing whole nutrition to their babies.

Funding rounds
  • Oct 2021Series A$21M
  • Jun 2020Series A$3.5M
Founders & team
Leila StricklandCo-founder and CEO
Investors
Purple Orange Ventures, Breakthrough Energy, Blue Horizon, Novo Holdings, Spero Ventures, Digitalis Ventures
#2
Seed · Cornelius, North Carolina · founded 2017 · 7 employees
$4.6Mraised
▾

Brand of frozen ready meals

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 836 LinkedIn followers
Activity: 1 product launches announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
  • Mar 2023Seed$1M
  • Feb 2022Seed$600K
  • Mar 2021Seed$1M
  • Jun 2020Seed$2M
Founders & team
Zack WernerFounder & Chef & COOLee CooperFounder & CEO
Investors
Stray Dog Capital, Siddhi Capital, Clear Current Capital, GlassWall Syndicate, Lee Cooper, VegInvest
Tech stack
AosApple PayCart FunctionalityCloudflareCore-JsFlickity
#3
Seed · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2014 · 10 employees
$5.8Mraised
▾

Provider of private label of raw frozen fruits and vegetables. It is an agriculture marketing company. It partners with certified organic farms and procures the produce, packages, brands, freezes, and supplies to the retail markets. Its product portfolio includes blueberries, spinach, and broccoli among other fruits and veggies.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 2k LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
  • Jan 2022Grant (prize money)$18.3K
  • Aug 2021Seed$2.5M
  • Jan 2021Seed$1.4M
  • Jun 2019Seed$150K
Founders & team
Alejandro PiaseckiCo-Founder & Chief Operating OfficerPatrick MateerCo-Founder & CEO
Investors
Institute for Emerging Issues, Austin Foodshed Investors, Semillero Partners, Fairbridge Park, VentureSouth, Slow Money NC
Tech stack
AccessibeAmazon S3Amazon Web ServicesAosApple PayCart Functionality
#4
Series A · Mooresville, North Carolina · founded 2019 · 22 employees
$13Mraised
▾

Brand of energy drinks

Funding rounds
  • May 2021Series A$13M
Founders & team
Kyle BuschCo-FounderJeff ChurchCo-Founder & CEO
Investors
CircleUp, The Kraft Group
#5
Series A · Asheville, North Carolina · founded 2016 · 62 employees
$3Mraised
▾

Brand of popcorn. It is known for crafting popcorn in small batches using natural, high-quality ingredients. The brand emphasizes joy, community, and positive impact while delivering innovative and bold flavors. They focus on building supportive relationships and encouraging entrepreneurship.

LinkedIn Pulse recent public activity · Jul 2026
Audience: 1k LinkedIn followers
Hiring: 1 hiring post in 12 mo (public) · hiring: Inside Sales & Customer Experience Specialist, Heading Sales & Marketing Manager
Activity: 1 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
  • Feb 2023Series A$3M
Founders & team
Ginger FrankFounder & CEO
Investors
JAC Capital Partners
Tech stack
AffiliatlyAosBackbone.JsCart FunctionalityCdnjsCloudflare
#6
Series A · Mebane, North Carolina · founded 2015 · 8 employees
$6.9Mraised
▾

Brand of nutritional supplements

Funding rounds
  • May 2019Series A$6.9M
Investors
EverHope Capital
Tech stack
AffiliatlyCart FunctionalityCloudflareCore-JsFacebook PixelGoogle Analytics
#7
Seed · Winston-salem, North Carolina · founded 2015 · 15 employees
$980Kraised
▾

Operator of a restaurant intended to serve healthy drinks and foods. The company's restaurant offer smoothies, breakfast bowls, sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, desserts, and snacks, enabling consumers to get a fun and comfortable environment to eat healthy food, and have access to the latest trends in the healthy eating industry.

Funding rounds
  • Dec 2022Seed$150K
  • Jan 2022Seed—
  • Dec 2020Conventional Debt$675K
  • Oct 2019Conventional Debt$155K
Investors
WSPR
Tech stack
AccessibeApple Sign-InCart FunctionalityCloudflareCore-JsFacebook Pixel
#8
Seed · Greensboro, North Carolina · founded 2013 · 1 employees
$1.8Mraised
▾

FoodYoga is an online platform offering food products high in antioxidants, Omega3, and stress relief benefits, specifically designed for individuals practicing yoga. Their range of products includes Lotus puff snacks, infused with magical qualities, to support post-yoga snacking.

Funding rounds
  • Aug 2020Seed$76.4K
  • Jul 2019Seed$189K
  • Dec 2017Seed$1.2M
  • Nov 2016Seed$131.5K
Founders & team
Dhawal PhadkeCo-Founder & CEO
Investors
Swastika, LetsVenture, GHVH, Guerrilla Ventures, Gainindia Advisors, Global Holdings Management Group
#9
Acquired · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2004 · 11 employees
$5.5Mraised
▾

Provider of engineering and project management services for energy projects. It specializes in floating LNG (FLNG) topside design, FPSO redeployment, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) solutions. The company also offers engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for process modules and has experience in renewable energy projects, including hydrogen and ammonia production. Its services encompass the full spectrum of project phases, from FEED to commissioning. The firm works on both onshore and offshore projects internationally.

Funding rounds
  • Jun 2014Conventional Debt$5.5M
  • May 2014PE—
Investors
Plexus Capital, One Better Ventures
Tech stack
ShopifyHstsCloudflareHttp/3
#10
Series A · Cary, North Carolina · founded 2014 · 14 employees
$2.1Mraised
▾

Tribucha is a brand of tea-based fermented drinks. They claim that their product is organic. Their products have many flavors such as rosemary and sage, coffee, cinnamon, cacao, hibiscus, rose, honeysuckle, ginger, cayenne, and turmeric. They sell their product online and through independent grocers and retailers.

Funding rounds
  • May 2019Series A$1.5M
  • Jul 2017Angel$556K
Founders & team
Jonathan YorkCo-Founder
Investors
Mike Hockenberry, Jim Geikie, David Gardner, Steve Malik, Kathleen
Tech stack
WordpressMysqlPhpApache Http Server
#11
Seed · Charlotte, North Carolina · founded 2015 · 13 employees
$1.1Mraised
▾

Delicious, healthy nut butters and snacks made with simple, clean ingredients. They offer a variety of gluten-free, peanut-free, paleo, and plant-based nut butters and bites sweetened with fruits or honey. Their core products are nut butters with unique flavors. They focus on providing healthy snacking options without sacrificing taste. They are a female-founded and family-operated business committed to using simple ingredients. They offer bundles, bites, and nut butters available for purchase through their online shop with cart and login features. They provide recipes and blogs, FAQs, and contact information for customer support. They also have a subscription option. They are active on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They offer various payment methods, including American Express, Apple Pay, and PayPal.

Funding rounds
  • Mar 2021Seed$1M
  • Dec 2017Seed$50K
Founders & team
Anna KircherFounder & CEO
Investors
Food-X, SOSV
Tech stack
ShopifyHstsCloudflareHttp/3
#12
Acquired · High Point, North Carolina · founded 2009 · 200 employees
$1Mraised
▾

Brand of dried fruits & nuts

Funding rounds
  • Sep 2009Seed$1M
Tech stack
Cloudflare

Funding & investor landscape

$70.8Mtotal disclosed funding
14companies funded
35disclosed rounds
0rounds last 90 days
Most active investors
Food-X2 rounds
FoodBytes2 rounds
Launch Chapel Hill2 rounds
SOSV2 rounds
100watt1 rounds
Alexandria1 rounds
Alwyn Capital1 rounds
Austin Foodshed Investors1 rounds
Blue Horizon1 rounds
Breakthrough Energy1 rounds

Notable founders

Leila Strickland
Co-founder and CEO · BIOMILQ
Zack Werner
Founder & Chef & COO · Barvecue
Lee Cooper
Founder & CEO · Barvecue
Alejandro Piasecki
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer · Seal the Seasons
Patrick Mateer
Co-Founder & CEO · Seal the Seasons
Kyle Busch
Co-Founder · Rowdy Energy
Jeff Church
Co-Founder & CEO · Rowdy Energy
Ginger Frank
Founder & CEO · Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn
Dhawal Phadke
Co-Founder & CEO · FoodYoga
Jonathan York
Co-Founder · Tribucha
Anna Kircher
Founder & CEO · Abby's Better Nut Butter
Daniel Rattigan
Co-Founder · French Broad Chocolates
Prism market signals · United States · country-scoped Prism corpus, 2,465,768 docs

Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage

Share of Food & Beverage Products coverage by sub-theme.

Regulatory-risk over time rising

Funding & growth over time

funding rising · growth rising

RESEARCH SIGNALS · United States

How research on Alternative Proteins is moving in the United States

A read on the academic research around Alternative Proteins — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 235 United States-affiliated papers.

research sentiment over time
202020232026
enthusiastic · positive · guarded tone
Tone is overwhelmingly optimistic and intensifying — the enthusiastic (strongly-positive) share moved 28% → 41% across 2020–2026.
top research entities
  • Purdue University West Lafayette14
  • Johns Hopkins University11
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst10
  • North Carolina State University7
  • Kansas State University7
leading researchers
David Julian McClements · Jayson L. Lusk · Mansha Kapur · Gonçalo Fernando · Dwayne Holmes · Frederico Castelo Ferreira · Glynn T. Tonsor · Jeffery K. Tomberlin
▲ Breakthroughs21 · 9%
▲ 0%→6% share
13 median citations48% since 2021mostly methods-led
Breakthroughs are rising (0%→6% of field), led by Computational biology.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
  • Computational biology5
  • Proteomics3
  • Sequence (biology)3
  • Mutant2
  • Alternative splicing2
Landmark Structural studies of p53 inactivation by DNA-contact mutations and its rescue by suppressor mutations via alternative p · 74 cites
◆ Advancements98 · 42%
▲ 0%→38% share
3 median citations68% since 2021mostly empirical
Advancements are rising (0%→38% of field), led by Food science.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
  • Food science5→24
  • Sustainability1→5
  • Soy protein2→4
Newly emergingBiotechnology 0→10
Landmark A review on plant-based proteins from soybean: Health benefits and soy product development · 513 cites
▼ Concerns64 · 27%
▲ 0%→31% share
12 median citations86% since 2021mostly empirical
Concerns are rising (0%→31% of field), led by Food science.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
  • Food science2→11
Newly emergingBiotechnology 0→13 · Sustainability 0→12 · Consumption (sociology) 0→8
Landmark Considering Plant-Based Meat Substitutes and Cell-Based Meats: A Public Health and Food Systems Perspective · 306 cites
RESEARCH HOTSPOTS · United States

Where alternative proteins is researched across United States

Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.

New York8 · +0.11
Opportunity · Biotechnology
Boston6 · +0.32
SF Bay Area6 · +0.28
Opportunity · Food choice
PATENT SIGNAL · United States

Who's filing alternative proteins patents in the United States

United States alternative proteins patent filing is accelerating — 74 filings from 38 assignees (2016–2025), led by Whitewave Services, Heinz Brands H J, Cargill; annual filings 1→15.

74 filings38 assigneespeak 18/yr2016–2025
filing momentum (YoY 2016–2025)
top patent filers
  • Whitewave Services7
  • Heinz Brands H J7
  • Cargill7
  • Kalamazoo Holdings6
  • Hershey5
  • Herbalife INT Of America4
  • Paragon Flavors4
  • Pepsico4

Common questions

How many Food & Beverage Products companies are there in North Carolina, United States?
Radar tracks 78 indexable Food & Beverage Products companies headquartered in North Carolina, United States that meet our profile-completeness bar.
What is the total funding raised by Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina, United States?
The Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina, United States on this list have raised a combined $70.8M in disclosed equity funding across 14 funded companies.
Which is the highest-funded Food & Beverage Products company in North Carolina, United States?
BIOMILQ is the highest-funded Food & Beverage Products company in North Carolina, United States, with $24.5M in disclosed equity funding.
How many Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina, United States are funded?
14 of the 78 Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina, United States on this list have disclosed at least one equity funding round.
How many Food & Beverage Products unicorns are there in North Carolina, United States?
None of the Food & Beverage Products companies in North Carolina, United States on this list currently has a disclosed valuation of $1B or more.
Who are the top investors in North Carolina, United States Food & Beverage Products companies?
The most active investors in North Carolina, United States Food & Beverage Products companies on this list include Food-X, FoodBytes, Launch Chapel Hill, SOSV, 100watt.
Riya SenguptaFinancials

Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.

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