Consumer Ventures

About Consumer Ventures

We invest across multiple stages of growth, often starting with Series A rounds We reinvest in success, i e continue to invest in the best companies in our portfolio across multiple rounds We co-invest with great partners to bring the best resources to companies

We are humbled by the myriad of amazing people and companies we have been fortunate to partner and work with It is our privilege to have the opportunity to work with great entrepreneurs, and we are adamant that we must work diligently every day to continue to earn that right and their trust

The only way to treat people is with sincerity and integrity No matter how much money or wealth one accumulates, we believe true worth is measured by your reputation and character We commit to being open and honest, and expect others to do the same in return

in business and in life

We invest where we can add value and we like to ask how we can help Our team is cross-functional and hands-on, with decades of experience spanning finance, strategy, marketing, and operations We also draw on a strong network of advisors, partners, and industry experts

Jason’s Midwest roots set the guiding principles at Consumer Ventures™, which can basically be summed up as treat others as you would want them to treat you Fanatical about entrepreneurship, Jason relishes the opportunity to roll up his sleeves and help emerging companies…whether that includes thinking through strategic options, financial planning, improving operations, implementing technology, or just pounding the pavement at trade shows Jason and his family live in the Chicago area where his free time is spent coaching a variety of youth sports and volunteering at the University of Chicago as a mentor, coach, and judge in their business plan competitions and start-up accelerator / incubator programs

Jeff is an Operating Partner at Consumer Ventures with over twenty years of sales and executive experience with both public and privately held organizations including over 10 years of working with Private Equity sponsors Jeff is currently the CEO and Executive Chairman of Inovar Packaging, one of the premier digital printing companies North American (backed by AEA Investors and acquired by Kelso & Company) Before Inovar, Jeff was President & CEO of Fort Dearborn Company, a leading supplier of packaging and label solutions with 15 manufacturing facilities and 1,700 employees Fort Dearborn works with many of the world’s most recognizable consumer companies and brands such as Unilever, Nestle, KraftHeinz, and Coke Fort Dearborn was backed by KRG Capital Partners and acquired by Advent International Before Fort Dearborn, Jeff spent 10 years with RR Donnelley where he served in various sales and management roles

Jeff received an MBA from DePaul University in Entrepreneurship and a BS in Marketing from Northern Illinois University Passionate about building great businesses, Jeff embraces the opportunity to help emerging companies and brands navigate both the strategic and day-to-day challenges all businesses face However, Jeff also understands the critical balance of providing value added support to management without compromising their unique ability to create value for their customers and support the people who deliver that value Jeff and his family are from and currently reside in the Chicago area In his free time, Jeff enjoys attending his kids’ sporting events, cooking, and traveling with his family

Consumer Ventures is honored to have worked with so may great people, especially our former associates and colleagues that joined us through our relationship with Chicago Booth and the Polsky Center Special shout out to our extended Consumer Ventures family:

Jason has been an incredible asset to my company even before I launched and his investment. There is no question that Jason puts incredible pride and passion into his relationships and investments and he is willing to go far beyond the norm to help out the team. Jason’s involvement has been extremely helpful in multiple aspects of our business including financial planning and capital strategy. We are beyond grateful to have Jason on our cap table and board of advisors.

DUSTIN FINKEL, FOUNDER/CEO, AWAKENED FOODS We partner with entrepreneurs and work tirelessly to help them build a more valuable company Fairly easy to say, but very difficult to do

and we love every minute of it

Growing businesses must be properly capitalized to drive growth, support working capital needs, and attack opportunities in the market Even successful businesses can “grow broke” if they don’t proactively approach the financing of their business Consumer Ventures™ invests capital across multiple rounds and stages to help support and fuel growth We partner with our companies to develop and execute on a long-term capital plan to fuel growth and enable the team to keep their foot on the gas

Consumer is not the typical domain of venture capital We believe that investing in and empowering underrepresented and underestimated industries, regions, and people is incredible fuel that can lead to amazing things We are not a social impact fund, but we report on the impact that our investments have, ranging from the diversity of our teams, the creation of products that are better for people and the world, and the empowerment of companies that have social missions and corporate social responsibility programs

Product development Brand development Channel development These are a few of our favorite things While the brands, products, and ideas are the brainchild of the entrepreneur, we have spent a significant amount of time developing brand strategy, cultivating customers, driving product innovation, and building channels We won’t tell you what color or shape your product should be, but we can help put a roadmap in place that supports the team and enables the business to thrive

Some say that a business plan is worthless, but we say the act of planning is invaluable No one expects you to have a crystal ball, but you can’t just raise capital or run a business without a well thought out financial plan We work closely with entrepreneurs to help develop working models of their business along with metrics and dashboards for monitoring so they can put the pedal to the metal and go after market opportunities at warp speed

As an entrepreneur, you have a lot on your plate Often there are key aspects of your business where you just don’t have the time or the expertise to get everything done We understand, we’ve been there And we can help From better development and tracking of metrics to improved systems and processes, we work closely with our partner companies to raise the bar, develop a finely tuned machine, and be as capital efficient as possible

Consumer Ventures™ is honored to have the following as strategic advisors to our Firm and Fund: Chris is the general partner of CJM Ventures and is a Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where he teaches courses on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and private equity Chris was previously a Managing Director at Madison Dearborn Partners where he oversaw more than $2 billion of equity investments in the industrial, consumer, and energy sectors

Michael is a Parter at Zenfinity Capital, an investment firm started by Kevin Easler (the co-founder of Sprouts Farmers Market) to identify, finance, and develop the growth of promising better for your businesses in retail, food, and beverage Michael has been an investor for more than 15 years and has completed over 40 private transactions, working primarily with high net worth families

Nick is an executive at PLZ Aeroscience PLZ was founded in 1939 with the invention of Plastic Auto Glaze Polish An innovator in commercializing aerosol technology, PLZ is a leading manufacturer of specialty aerosol and liquid products PLZ has thrived under multiple generations of Ferring leadership and produced over four billion cans of industrial and consumer products

Todd spent over three decades in leadership positions at Cargill, recently retiring as the head of the Cargill’s global protein and salt businesses Todd was a member of the Cargill Board of Directors, oversaw some of Cargill’s largest acquisitions, and was a member of the Cargill Leadership Team, the executive group in charge of Cargill’s strategic direction, growth, and capital allocation