Plant-based food brand Wicked Kitchen has scored another celebrity investor, NBA point guard and two-time Olympic Gold medalist Chris Paul.
Paul, who was recently traded to the Golden State Warriors, became a backer of Wicked Kitchen after the Minneapolis-based company last month acquired Current Foods, the announcement said Tuesday. Current Foods was a plant-based food service and fine dining startup that Paul had originally invested with. Terms of his investment deal with Wicked Kitchen weren’t disclosed.
Wicked Kitchen's brand include a range of chef-crafted, plant-based consumer packaged food products that are available among 13,000 retailers. The startup now has over 40 products in the U.S. and over 150 in the U.K. which include frozen entrees, pizza and ice cream.
Paul adopted a plant-based diet in 2019, and has recently published his memoir, Sixty-One, in which he shares about his life beyond basketball, including the changes in his diet regimen. Wicked Kitchen is also celebrating Paul's memoir release with giveaway of five autographed copies and Wicked Kitchen swag.
"With investors such as Chris Paul, our momentum as a global-impact brand is undeniable," said Pete Speranza, CEO of Wicked Kitchen in a statement. "We are uniquely positioned as more consumers and top-performers are recognizing the difference plant-based eating can have on their health and wellness."
Wicked Kitchen has also been expanding beyond consumer-packaged goods into food service in sports events. Last fall, it partnered with the Minnesota Timberwolves and launched its first concession stand at Target Center. Shortly after, the company announced a multi-year partnership with venue and event management company ASM Global.
Paul isn't the first celebrity investor the startup has partnered with. Wicked Kitchen has previously brought into the fold actor and vegan advocate Woody Harrelson, media personality Paris Hilton, actor and musician Lance Bass and actress and activist Shailene Woodley. In 2022, Wicked Kitchen secured $20 million in venture capital funding, one of the largest venture capital deals in 2022 according to Business Journal research.
