Fall 2025 Newsletter
Investors and Friends,
For the past decade, Beliade has built a different kind of consumer investment firm, anchored in patience, conviction, and a focus on brands that improve the well-being of American families. From our earliest days, we’ve backed companies in the early innings, brands like Rhone, Kosas, and Coterie, not because they were trendy, but because they solved real problems with staying power. Along the way, we’ve learned as much from challenges as from wins, sharpening our approach to governance, discipline, and values-driven growth.
Pictured: Bill Schultz (Partner); Nell Diamond (Founder & CEO, Hill House Home); Jess Jacobs (CEO, Coterie); Martin Dolfi (Founder & Managing Partner); Whitney Williams (CFO & Partner); Robyn Swift (Advisor)
That philosophy continues to guide us as we enter our next chapter. With the successful close of Beliade Fund IV, we’re doubling down on what has defined our journey: supporting founders with patient capital, prioritizing family health and well-being, and investing with the conviction that great consumer brands are built to last.
Beliade On The Global Stage
We’ve had a whirlwind few months elevating the firm’s profile. At the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit in New York—held alongside the UN General Assembly and now in its 15th year—Martin moderated “Building Brands People Love: Leading Values-Driven Consumer Companies” with Ben Van Leeuwen (Van Leeuwen Ice Cream), Nell Diamond (Hill House Home), and Jess Jacobs (Coterie). The conversation focused on purpose-led growth, authenticity and community, disciplined unit economics, and scaling brand love from seed to national distribution.
Why Concordia Matters:
It’s the largest nonpartisan forum convening public- and private-sector leaders during UNGA in NYC
Recent summits have drawn 3,000+ attendees from 100+ countries, 300+ speakers, and multiple sitting heads of state
Cross-sector participation from government, Fortune 500 executives, investors, NGOs, and media
Notable voices at #Concordia25 included Brendan Carr – FCC Chair, Steve Witkoff – U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Christopher Landau – U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Nancy Pelosi, Gen. David Petraeus, Yamandú Orsi, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and other global public- and private-sector leaders, underscoring the event’s reach and relevance.
Concordia Annual Summit
Martin presenting at Concordia Annual Summit 2025. Image provided by Getty Images for Concordia Summit.
Panel from left to right: Ben Van Leeuwen (Van Leeuwen Ice Cream), Jess Jacobs (Coterie), Nell Diamond (Hill House Home) and Martin Dolfi (Founder & Managing Partner). Images provided by Getty Images for Concordia Summit
Beliade Brands Spotlighted at American Investment Council Food Truck Event
In September, the American Investment Council (AIC) partnered with our portfolio brands—Van Leeuwen Ice Cream and Little Sesame—to bring a food-truck activation to Capitol Hill for Members of Congress and their staff. The showcase highlighted how founder-led businesses, once a Brooklyn food truck and a D.C. pop-up, have scaled into national favorites powered by private investment and strong, values-driven leadership. Moments like these demonstrate the impact of patient capital—job creation, resilient unit economics, and products families love—and reinforce Beliade’s role in the national conversation on entrepreneurship, private capital, and the future of American families.
Bill Expands Founder Network at Beanstalk Summit
Bill was onsite for Beanstalk Summit 2025, a multi-day conference at Industry City in Brooklyn that convenes leaders across consumer, marketplaces, and DTC reshaping digital commerce. He met with founders and investors from across our ecosystem, joined panel discussions, and deepened relationships with portfolio brands including Rhone, Cotopaxi, Coterie, Poncho Outdoors, and Little Sesame through focused 1:1s, panels, and dinners.
Whitney Leads at LaunchTN’s 3686
Whitney represented Beliade at 3686, Tennessee’s leading entrepreneurship conference and the state’s largest innovation gathering. She joined programming with Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and UT System President Randy Boyd, supported portfolio company Neman during an “Amazon Seller Success Stories” session, and attended the 7th Annual Comfort Food & Conversation dinner (Build In SE × LaunchTN, presented by J.P. Morgan)—a marquee investor event around 3686. The week delivered timely conversations, strong visibility for Beliade in Tennessee, and high-impact networking with founders and capital partners.
Whitney at Van Leeuwen’s Nashville Scoop Shop Opening
Whitney was on site for Van Leeuwen Ice Cream’s grand opening of its third Nashville location in the Neuhoff District, following earlier openings in Edgehill and The Gulch. The district is quickly becoming a destination, with neighbors such as Sid Mashburn and Ann Mashburn, E+ROSE Wellness Company, Fishmonger, Close Company (by the Death & Co. team), and Babychan driving strong foot traffic and community energy around the new shop.
Martin at the Embark Invitational
Martin attended the Embark Invitational in Roanoke, VA, an action-packed few days of golf, live music, and high-quality networking with founders, operators, and capital partners from across the region. The event underscored Beliade’s growing presence in the Southeast and helped deepen relationships across our ecosystem.
Portfolio Momentum
Beliade portfolio brands are making significant cultural and commercial impacts. Here's a snapshot of recent highlights.
Coterie expands beyond diapers and wipes with a new baby skincare line—Head & Body Wash, Lightweight Moisturizer, and Protective Barrier Cream—built to the same high-safety standards parents expect. “Our aim was highly effective, ultra-clean formulas families can trust,” said CEO Jess Jacobs.
Link: Coterie Expands Beyond Diapers With Baby Skincare Line
Van Leeuwen in honor of Ed Sheeran’s forthcoming eighth studio album, Play, Van Leeuwen released “Play Pink”, a limited-edition flavor created in partnership with the artist.
Link: Ed Sheeran Turned His New Album Into Ice Cream - Here’s Where to Try It
Rhone is opening at Palmer Square (Princeton, NJ)—the brand’s second New Jersey location and 20th retail store across the U.S.
Link: Rhone Sets Grand Opening for Latest NJ Store in Princeton
Nearly a decade after launch, Cotopaxi’s Fuego collection returns with 100% recycled fabrics, improved durability and fit, and a new ultra-warm option, Fuego Max.
Little Sesame closed an $8.5M Series A to open a state-of-the-art, 23,000-square-foot production facility in Maryland and power national expansion. The round was led by InvestEco, with participation from Beliade, Watchfire Ventures, and Santatera.
Link: Little Sesame raises $8.5M for new Maryland hummus factory and expansion
This fall, Hill House Home opens new stores at Plaza del Lago (Chicago, IL) and on Greenwich Avenue (Green Greenwich, CT), with an additional opening at Phillips Place (Charlotte, NC) later in the year.
Kosas founder Sheena Zadeh was featured in a Forbes profile in September, highlighting her background, the brand’s philosophy, current scale, and roadmap for growth.
Link: How Sheena Zadeh Built A $150 Million Clean Beauty Brand
Cure launched its core and kids’ lines into 500+ Whole Foods Market stores nationwide. “Whole Foods has set the standard for clean, high-quality ingredients—making this partnership a perfect match. At Cure, we believe hydration should be both effective and healthy, which is why we use a science-backed formula without added sugar or artificial junk.” — Lauren Picasso, CEO & Founder
Link: Cure Hydration Expands Nationwide Retail Presence with Launch in Whole Foods Market
Super Smalls announced its first book, The Super Book of Gems, designed to delight curious kids and gem-loving grown-ups. Written by founders Maria and Bianca, the book blends education and fun to inspire a lasting passion for gemology.
Link: Super Smalls’ New Book Introduces Kids to Gems, Fine Jewelry
Mooala’s latest innovation, the Simple Almond Milk line, earned two major awards: Good Housekeeping’s 2025 Snack Award (Best Almond Milk) and SELF’s 2025 Pantry Award (Best Almond Milk).
Poncho introduced the Field Polo—a durable, super-soft polo crafted from premium, extra-long-staple Pima cotton with UPF 50+. It’s designed to feel broken-in right out of the box while staying breathable and technical.
La Ligne launched a limited-edition sleepwear capsule with Observed by Us, the design line founded by Kirsten Dunst and Jessica Herschko. The capsule features 10 pieces of elevated loungewear and sleepwear.
Link: La Ligne Launches Exclusive Collaboration With Observed by Us for Sleepwear
Founder & CEO Spotlight: Q&A with Lauren Picasso of Cure Hydration
Lauren Picasso (Founder & CEO, Cure Hydration) with Bill Schultz (Partner) at Expo West 2025
Lauren Picasso is the powerhouse behind Cure, the plant-based electrolyte brand shaking up a category long ruled by neon-colored sports drinks and synthetic ingredient-laden hydration mixes. A former triathlete, she set out to create something that actually worked without the sugar crash. Cure’s formula was based on the World Health Organization’s gold-standard rehydration solution, but upgraded with clean, organic ingredients like coconut water and pink Himalayan salt. Before diving into hydration, Lauren honed her chops at Jet.com, where she learned how to scale fast-moving consumer brands. Today, she’s making wellness more accessible (and a lot more fun) by bringing Cure to shelves at Whole Foods, CVS, and Sprouts. All while proving that hydration doesn’t need to be boring, artificial, or fluorescent. Recently, Bill sat down with Lauren for a quick interview to discuss her company and leadership style.
Q: What motivates you most as a founder?
A: I’ve always been driven by solving real problems that impact people’s everyday lives. With Cure, it started as a personal need. I wanted a clean, effective way to stay hydrated without all the added sugar and artificial ingredients. Seeing how much better people feel when they fuel their bodies with something that’s both healthy and effective continues to motivate me every day. I’m also motivated by building something lasting: a brand, a product and a team that people are proud to be a part of.
Q: What has been the most fulfilling part of running your own business? What about the most challenging?
A: The most fulfilling part of running my own business has been building an incredible team and watching them grow in their roles. Seeing people step into leadership positions, stretch beyond their comfort zones, and accomplish things they once thought were out of reach is one of the best parts of being a founder. The most challenging part has been navigating external uncertainty and unexpected obstacles, whether it’s the pandemic, a bank collapse or tariffs. Running a business means constantly adapting to forces outside your control while staying focused on the long-term vision. Those moments test your resilience but ultimately make the company stronger.
Q: What was your “aha moment” when you knew your idea could become a real business?
A: My “aha” moment came in 2020 when Cure first launched in retail. We started in just 8 test stores and quickly grew to more than 3,000 CVS locations nationwide. That kind of rapid growth proved that there was real consumer demand for a cleaner, science-backed hydration product and it showed that we were solving a problem people genuinely cared about.
Q: What excites you most about the future for Cure Hydration?
A: We still have a ton of white space ahead of us in hydration. There's a huge opportunity to expand retail distribution and bring Cure to more consumers across the country, while continuing to innovate with new functions and formats. I’m equally excited about the team and culture we’re building. Everyone at Cure is deeply committed to our mission and willing to roll up their sleeves to make things happen. That energy and sense of purpose are what make this next chapter so exciting.
Where You’ll Find Us Next
At Beliade, we believe meaningful connections are forged in person. Here’s where we’ll be in the coming months:
VIP Wine, Women & Wealth — West Palm Beach — October 9, 2025
Whitney and Martin will attend the VIP Wine, Women & Wealth event at Atlantic Aviation in West Palm Beach on October 9. Beliade is a presenting sponsor.
MidSouth Alternative Investment Association Panel — Nashville — October 16, 2025
Whitney will speak on “Generating Alpha in the New American South” at an event hosted by the MidSouthAlternative Investment Association (MSAIA). MSAIA is a knowledge-based networking organization connecting 800+ alternative investment professionals across the MidSouth through forums, community programming, and fundraising for local charities.
Startup CPG Founders & Funders — New York City — December 11, 2025
Bill was named a Featured Funder at Startup CPG’s invite-only Founders & Funders. The event convenes 150+ CPG brand founders and 50+ active investors for a day of high-quality networking, deal-making, and funding opportunities in NYC.
Investment Themes We’re Tracking
AI as a Demand & Ops Co-Pilot. Consumer brands are deploying AI to personalize shopping and CRM, sharpen product discovery/recommendations, power conversational commerce, and optimize inventory/demand planning—driving higher LTV, lower CAC, and leaner ops.
Reshoring & Pricing Power. “Made in USA” has moved from “can we?” to “how fast?” Reshoring/nearshoring can protect gross margins, de-risk supply chains, and lift brand equity—especially in categories where trust and quality command a premium.
Health-Forward, Family-Centric Consumer. From functional snacks to family-first personal care, today’s consumer is choosing better-for-you products that align with values. This isn’t a trend—it’s a generational reset—and we’re building the portfolio to match.
What We’re Looking For
At Beliade, we’re always looking to partner with exceptional people building the next generation of iconic American consumer brands. Here’s who we’re actively seeking:
Entrepreneurs. Founders building in clean food & beverage; family-focused wellness & personal care; outdoor/active lifestyle; performance-driven apparel & accessories.
High-Growth Brands. 3–10× potential over 3–5 years, clear founder-market fit, disciplined unit economics, credible path to profitability, and alignment with our Healthier American Household thesis.
Investors. Partners who share our conviction in modern, values-driven consumer brands and want to get in early alongside an experienced consumer sponsor.
Operators. Leaders in retail strategy, supply chain & logistics, e-commerce/marketplaces, and performance marketing—especially those who’ve scaled omni-channel brands with both velocity and discipline.
Whether you’re an investor, operator, founder, or friend—we’re grateful for you. There’s never been a better time to build brands that matter. Let’s keep building.
The Beliade Team
Martin, Whitney, and Bill