Breakout Kids' Snack Brand cadootz! Secures $3M+ Seed Funding to Scale Nationwide Retail Expansion

WHAT TO KNOW:

• cadootz! has raised $3M+ in seed funding led by Selva Ventures to fuel its next phase of growth
• The brand sold out its first DTC launch in under two hours, signaling strong early demand and strength of Founder Rachel Mansfield's engaged community
• cadootz! will launch nationwide at a major retailer in June 2026, which will include the debut of a new, family-friendly pack type

NEW YORK, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- cadootz!, the fast-growing, better-for-you kids' snack brand founded by food entrepreneur, creator, cookbook author and co-CEO of cadootz! Rachel Mansfield and her husband and co-CEO of cadootz! Jordan Carpenter, today announced it has raised $3M+ in seed funding to fuel the brand's next phase of growth.

The round was led by Selva Ventures, the early-stage fund that invests in top better-for-you brands such as Mid-Day Squares and Grüns. Selva Ventures was founded by Kiva Dickinson, who is also a Co-Founder of cadootz. The round also had participation from additional strategic investors aligned with the brand's mission to redefine better-for-you snacking for families.

Since launching direct-to-consumer in January 2026, cadootz!'s debut line of crackers has seen immediate demand, with its first production run selling out in under two hours - reflecting strong early product-market fit and the enthusiasm of Rachel's engaged community.

cadootz! was created to solve a familiar challenge for modern families: finding snacks that kids love and parents feel good about. The brand's debut line of savory crackers - available in Cheddar, Sea Salt, and Ranch - delivers 5 grams of protein per serving and is certified organic, gluten-free, kosher, seed oil-free, and made without gums, emulsifiers, artificial dyes, or natural flavors. cadootz! is also the first cracker to receive the Clean Label Project Purity Award certification.

The newly raised capital will support cadootz!'s upcoming national retail launch in June 2026, in partnership with a major, to-be-announced retailer, which will make it easier for busy families to find cadootz! where they already shop. Their retail launch will also debut a new, family-friendly pack-type. 

"cadootz! has all the makings of a category-defining, generational brand," says Kiva Dickinson, Founder & Managing Partner at Selva Ventures and Co-Founder of cadootz! "We believe cadootz! will become the ultimate shorthand for trust in kids' snacking: a modern-day seal of approval for what families should feel good about. Rachel and Jordan aren't building a product, they're building the platform that will set the standard across every format, every occasion, and every pantry."

Development of cadootz! began in 2023, drawing on Rachel's more than decade-long career in the better-for-you food space and a deeply engaged community of over 1.5 million followers. Alongside building cadootz! Rachel is the author of Just The Good Stuff and the forthcoming More Please! cookbooks, and together with Jordan, co-founded grt sht ventures, through which they have invested in more than 25 emerging consumer brands.

Ahead of its expanded distribution rolling out nationwide beginning Summer 2026, cadootz! is currently available on cadootz.com and on Amazon. For more information, visit cadootz.com.

Media Contact:
Kim Kaminsky + Alex Lovallo
[email protected]

SOURCE cadootz!