The Urgent Company has acquired Coolhaus for an undisclosed sum.
Women, LGBTQIA+ founded ice cream company, Coolhaus, has been acquired by The Urgent Company for an undisclosed sum, and will transition to become a fully animal-free brand over the next few months.
Coolhaus’s current CEO and cofounder Natasha Case, and CFO Ryan Bennett will join the Urgent Company as its new President of Brand Experience, and Senior Vice President of Operations and Integration, respectively.
Perfect Day created The Urgent Company, currently run by Paul Kollesoff, as a standalone CPG business after raising more $300 million in 2020. The platform offers three brands using its animal-free dairy proteins: Brave Robot, Modern Kitchen, and California Performance Co.
Coolhaus, previously backed by Sunrise Strategic Partners, and The Urgent Company have been in talks for a potential deal since earlier this year, according to Kollesoff, and the onboarding of Coolhaus will help deepen the firm’s commitment to a better food system.
“One of the big upsides of this deal is their incredible team: we’ve always been fans of Natasha,” Kollesoff told me, “and we have offered roles at The Urgent Company and Perfect Day to all Coolhaus employees.”
The Urgent Company will help Coolhaus transition to become a fully dairy-free ice cream brand using ... [+]
Case believes joining The Urgent Company is timely since Coolhaus will focus more on sustainability as part of its next growth phase. “We’ve always been committed to using ice cream as the ultimate food canvas for cultural expression and limitless horizons, and a deeper focus on sustainability is the next important step in that journey,” she said. “We’ve built an incredible product with a great story and loyal following, and what’s to come is even more exciting for our future and our shared planet.”
To step up its sustainability efforts, Coolhaus will transition to become a fully animal-free ice cream brand using Perfect Day’s animal-free dairy ingredients in the months ahead. The formulations of its current dairy-free offerings, however, will remain intact.
“After the transition to animal-free dairy is complete,” Kollesoff said, “the only change Coolhaus fans can expect is reduction in the environmental impact from the products they already know and love.
“We came together out of a shared passion for more sustainable, equitable food for future generations and are committed to using this acquisition as an opportunity to amplify missions in this exciting next chapter for both companies.”
While The Urgent Company is currently exploring the retail launch of an animal-free dairy novelty co-branded between Coolhaus and Brave Robot in 2022, the firm is also expected to onboard more mission-driven CPG brands down the road.
“We’re always looking for ways to make a greater impact on the planet at The Urgent Company,” Kollesoff said, “so we’re open to exploring different avenues and paths to achieve our goal.”
