New York — Danone, the French yoghurt giant grappling with sluggish sales, has turned to a venture capital firm that backs start-ups selling everything from snack bars containing cricket protein to tater tots made from cauliflower. A unit of the company, Danone Ventures, has invested in AccelFoods, a fund run by two women that looks for upstart natural and organic brands that are stealing shelf space and sales from established food companies — like Danone itself. Both companies confirmed the deal. It’s the third investment for Danone Ventures — which was founded less than a year ago — and the latest example of a large food company launching an in-house venture capital fund in a bid to re-ignite sales growth. The unit has also put money into Farmer’s Fridge, which makes vending machines that sell organic salads and snacks, and a French baked-goods purveyor. Founded in 2013 by managing partners Jordan Gaspar and Lauren Jupiter, AccelFoods has backed about 30 companies. The firm reopen...
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