A Los Angeles-based vegan foods company recently got a huge helping hand from music and business mogul Jay-Z and NBA superstar Chris Paul.
The Roc-Nation founder and the Phoenix Suns point guard participated in a $3 million seed investment round for Misha’s Kind Foods through Jay’s venture capital firm Marcy Venture Partners. Misha’s is a plant dairy firm that specializes in vegan cheeses.
“The mission of Misha’s directly aligns with our values,” Marcy co-founder Jay Brown said in statement last week. “When we first discovered Misha’s, we found some immediate synergies. We embrace companies that value sustainability, empowerment, inclusivity, accessibility, convenience, health and wellness, and personal expression.”
Jay-Z and Paul’s funding efforts will assist the brand, founded in 2018 by Chef Ian Martin and Aaron Bullock, in creating new products, team expansion, and increase its presence in retail stores.
“These investors, and their enthusiasm, not only confirm the quality and excellence of our artisan cheeses, but they also align with our long-term vision and mission,” Bullock said in a statement. “We are here to serve the large community of cheese lovers, plant-based and not. Everything we make is kind to your body, kind to the planet, and kind to your wallet.”
He added, “I’m confident having these investors at the table will be vital to the future growth of the company as they bring valuable cultural instincts, branding knowledge as well as operations and growth expertise.”
The “4:44” emcee initially began his journey into the vegan industry in 2013 with Beyoncé when the power couple partook in a vegan challenge. Two years later, the pair founded their own vegan food delivery company, 22 Days Nutrition.
Shortly after, in 2019, the rapper participated in a $300 million investment round for Impossible Foods, then a $1 million investment round in Partake Foods. The New York native also invested in the oat milk brand Oatly and put into a $50 million investment by the parent company of vegan chicken brand, NUGGS — SIMULATE.
Meanwhile, Paul has been vegan for roughly three years and has often advocated for the healthy lifestyle. In 2019, the 36-year was part of 14 other athlete investors in the vegan brand Beyond Meat. He later went on to help promote the brand as an athlete ambassador alongside fellow NBA stars and vegans Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, and JaVale McGee.
