Sunrise Strategic Partners Expands Partnership with Trilantic North America to Accelerate the Next Generation of Disruptive Food and Beverage Brands Brings in Renowned CPG Executive Peter Burns as Managing Partner

Sunrise Strategic Partners (“Sunrise”), a Boulder, CO based accelerator of emerging brands in the healthy, active and sustainable living space, announces new funding from its partner, Trilantic North America. Founded in 2016, the new funding solidifies Sunrise Strategic Partners as one of the preeminent investors in better-for-you food and beverage and as the largest food and beverage investor on the Front Range.

“Our partnership with Trilantic North America has created a new model for value creation for emerging brands in our sector,” said Steve Hughes, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Sunrise Strategic Partners. “The capital, and more importantly growth expertise, we provide is empowering brands to disrupt their categories. We are excited to continue this rewarding partnership with Jamie Manges and the entire Trilantic North America team.”

In addition to a robust portfolio of innovative brands, Sunrise Strategic Partners has recently completed two highly successful exits. Sunrise invested in Kodiak Cakes in 2016, helping drive revenue from $15 million to over $200 million and a successful sale to L Catterton. Sunrise remains a minority shareholder in Kodiak Cakes alongside Kodiak’s founders and management team. Sunrise was also an investor in Vital Farms, which completed its IPO in 2020. Other brands in the Sunrise portfolio include Cali’flour Foods, Coolhaus, Kill Cliff, Little Secrets, Maple Hill Creamery, Pact, and Teton Waters Ranch.

“With two successful exits and a portfolio of world-class brands, Sunrise Strategic Partners remains well-positioned to continue identifying and accelerating brands in the better-for-you food and beverage space,” said Jamie Manges, Partner at Trilantic North America. “We look forward to the next phase of our partnership, supporting the next generation of extraordinary founders and scaling their businesses to become category leaders.”

The success of Sunrise Strategic Partners and its brands is attributed to the talented team of CPG and financial professionals and their formulaic, value-added model. With their sights set on leading the next generation of high-growth category disruptors, Sunrise has brought in renowned food and beverage executive Peter Burns as a Managing Partner. Most recently, as CEO of ONE Brands, Burns led the sale of the company to Hershey in late 2019. Prior to that he also led Justin’s to a successful sale to Hormel. Burns will join Steve Hughes and Vincent Love as Managing Partner of Sunrise’s new investment vehicle funded by Trilantic North America’s Fund VI North America.

“Joining Sunrise allows me to live my passion of helping founders and management teams scale their business and create tremendous value,” said Peter Burns, Managing Partner of Sunrise Strategic Partners. “Millennial consumers are driving a massive shift from legacy brands to emerging brands that are better aligned with their values. I’m excited to join Sunrise because we are uniquely positioned to partner with these disruptive brands and provide the tools and expertise needed to capitalize on this shift in the industry.”

As the firm evolves and prepares for the next phase of growth, Sunrise Strategic Partners has also promoted Nick Mole to Principal. Mole joined Sunrise in 2016 and will continue his role originating, performing due diligence on and structuring Sunrise Strategic Partners' investments.