Laird Superfood Ceo Talks Up Sales Benefit Of Navitas Deal

Credit: The Image Party/Shutterstock.com

Laird Superfood expects “nice distribution gains” from its acquisition of US integrated food-and-drinks business Navitas, nan company’s CEO has said.

Just earlier Christmas, Laird Superfood struck a woody to bargain California-based Navitas, which sells a scope of integrated products including acai powder, hemp seeds and powdered lattes.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to scope engaged professionals crossed 36 starring media platforms.

Find retired much

Laird Superfood completed nan $38.5m acquisition earlier this period and, speaking to analysts connected Thursday (26 March), CEO Jason Vieth outlined really nan woody could boost sales.

“There’s a important magnitude of crossover erstwhile you see retailers akin to Laird Superfood. They are predominantly earthy transmission [the] largest accounts being Whole Foods and Sprouts, truthful very akin to nan Laird Superfood portfolio,” Vieth said.

“It’s a awesome portfolio of products. They compete successful different categories but a very akin somesthesia state: shelf-stable pouch products that are very, very overmuch for illustration what you spot pinch Laird Superfood.

“There’s not really a consolidation of items that makes sense. This is really an description of items arsenic we see some brands but location is rather a batch of overlap and we’re moving done that now pinch nan mixed income organisation, which will really let america to spell to marketplace successful a much impactful way.”

Vieth added: “Now we tin spell successful pinch 2 exceptional brands and really play a overmuch much important domiciled to those retailers arsenic well.

“We’re really excited astir nan assortment opportunities that this creates being capable to leverage 1 marque for nan adjacent brand. We expect to spot immoderate really bully distribution gains successful years ahead.”

Alongside woody for Navitas, Laird Superfood besides announced finance from private-equity patient Nexus Capital Management, backing that funded nan acquisition.

Under nan position of their agreement, Nexus agreed to bargain an first tranche of 50,000 shares successful Laird Superfood astatine a acquisition value of $1,000 per share. Laird Superfood has nan option, for up to 1 twelvemonth pursuing nan deal, to require Nexus to purchase, upon nan aforesaid terms, up to an further 60,000 shares of its Series A preferred stock, nan proceeds of which “must beryllium utilized for strategical transactions”, nan connection issued connected 22 December read.

The private-equity patient now owns much than half nan publicly-listed Laird Superfood but Vieth explained why nan finance – pinch nan imaginable of much to travel – would support nan company’s ambitions.

He told analysts connected Thursday nan imaginable further proceeds from Nexus “are earmarked for an acquisition aliases different maturation initiatives pinch immoderate remainder disposable for wide firm purposes”.

Vieth added: “This financial building gives america tremendous elasticity to move connected further opportunities should they arise. Of course, this finance did consequence successful meaningful dilution to our communal equity.

“We are very transparent astir that dilution because it is being exchanged for thing that we judge is acold much valuable, nan contiguous summation of a profit accretive business that we expect will fortify our wide net powerfulness and rate travel procreation going forward.

“In short, we expect to beryllium trading immoderate ownership percent coming for a overmuch larger, higher value net watercourse tomorrow. We are genuinely excited astir nan imaginable for further acquisitions arsenic we build retired nan starring superfood business successful nan country.”

In 2025, Laird Superfood generated nett income of $49.9m, up 15% connected a twelvemonth earlier.

The institution booked an operating nonaccomplishment of $3.4m, compared to 1 of $2.2m successful 2024.

Laird Superfood’s nett nonaccomplishment was besides higher twelvemonth connected year, increasing from $1.8m to $3.3m.

CFO Anya Hamill pointed to costs linked to nan Navitas woody and an impairment complaint connected Laird Superfood’s Picky Bars brand.