(Reuters) – Plant-based milk maker Oatly said Tuesday it raised a $ 200 million capital investment from a group led by Blackstone Group Inc (BX.N) which includes celebrities Oprah Winfrey, Natalie Portman and former Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) boss Howard Schultz.
The new investors, which also include rapper Jay-Z Roc Nation’s entertainment company, Orkila Capital and Rabobank’s Rabo Corporate Investments, will join the company’s existing partners and its founders, brothers Rickard and Björn Öste, who also they will reinvest with additional capital.
The plant-based food sector is a fast-growing category that has caught the attention of investors in recent years, especially as fast food chains and upscale restaurants create new menus to appeal to conscientious diners. of health and the environment.
Known for its oatmeal dairy products, Sweden-based Oatly has ties to several cafes in the United States, including Starbucks, for making herbal coffee and tea, and also sells her products online and in retail stores.
Much of the demand for plant-based food is being led by the millennial generation and consumers of generation Z, who are more than willing to spend on sustainable products that are also healthy.
Oatly said the proceeds from the latest investment will be used to finance his expansion projects in today’s markets and to establish new production plants and create jobs in Europe, the United States and Asia.
Earlier this year, California-based almond milk maker Califia Farms also raised investments worth a quarter of a billion dollars, underscoring strong interest in the plant-based food sector.
Report from Nivedita Balu in Bangalore; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli
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