LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Premium artisanal ghee manufacturer Fourth & Heart, the first brand to introduce flavored ghee to the consumer market, has announced that it has closed a $1 Million Series A funding round with a lead investment from an anonymous private investor. The round was raised on CircleUp, the leading investment marketplace for emerging consumer and retail companies.
“We had our eye on Fourth & Heart since the Expo West 2016 show; we loved the brand they created and we knew their growth was unheard of in the food space,” stated the anonymous investor. “Furthermore, we love the product and the brand vision. We look forward to growing a relationship with Fourth & Heart.”
Raquel Tavares Gunsagar, founder and CEO of Fourth & Heart, said, “We are overjoyed to have an investor that believes in us and who, with their investment, will give us the ability to broaden and accelerate product development as well as increase marketing and sales efforts. With this new partnership and guidance from our formal and informal advisors we are confident that Fourth & Heart will continue to see unparalleled growth and reinforce our standing as the leader in the flavored ghee market.”
"Fourth & Heart's mission is at the forefront of new, formative consumer trends, where people increasingly want fresh alternatives to classics, like pantry staples," said Rachel Reid, Business Operations Analyst at CircleUp. "Ghee is the fastest growing category in the $10 billion butter and butter replacements category, growing 30% year over year. Fourth & Heart's modern brand and commitment to quality and taste make it a clear winner in this fast growing sector."
With the new infusion of funds, Fourth & Heart has plans to develop new innovative food products that reflect their mission of modernizing ancient food pantry staples. These new product offerings will be announced at the Natural Food Shows in the coming years.
Currently the Fourth & Heart product portfolio features grass-fed, pasture-raised and glyphosate-free ghee in the gourmet flavors White Truffle Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, California Garlic, Madagascar Vanilla Bean and Original Recipe. This assortment of ghee flavors can now be found in over 3,500 stores nationwide including Whole Foods Market, Central Market, Earth Fare, Lucky’s Market, Fresh Thyme, Kroger, Sprouts, Giant Eagle, and other independent stores. Fourth & Heart is also available online at Thrive Market, Amazon, and soon will launch an e-commerce section on their own site FourthandHeart.com. The company anticipates closing the year in 6,000 stores nationwide.
ABOUT Fourth & Heart
Fourth & Heart (formerly Tava Life), is an artisanal food brand based in Los Angeles, CA on a mission to modernize ancient pantry food staples, starting with a line of grass-fed flavored pure spreadable butters known as "ghee." Since their launch in 2015, they've grown to occupy the shelves of over 3,500 stores and have become the country's go-to ghee. For more information on Fourth & Heart and to review all their offerings, please visit fourthandheart.com or follow the company with their current handles on Facebook (@Fourth & Heart), and Instagram (@fourthandheart).
