Focus on Consumer Brands Primarily Selling via eCommerce

Altacrest Insights

22
Feb

FEBRUARY 2024 CONSUMER BRAND INVESTING UPDATE:The operating environment for brands isn’t robust, but is stabilizing and improving

Since Covid entered the U.S. beginning around March 2020, the operating environment for  consumer brands has been volatile and difficult: shocks, setbacks, and continuous change,  particularly for digital brands. Despite the myriad of difficulties experienced over the last few  years, today’s operating climate is starting to look much more stable.   SUMMARY  Starting in 2020, a series of Covid-related macroeconomic “shocks” significantly altered the  operating environment for consumer brands, in particular, digitally native brands. Impacts  included: ...
17
Aug

Nothing is Easy for eCommerce Brands in 2022, Which Means Focusing on the Fundamentals

SUMMARY TAKEAWAYS: The current environment is difficult for digital consumer brands. An edgy consumer, higher costs everywhere, and a rapidly shifting, more difficult targeted ad spend environment has impacted most consumer brands negatively into 2022.We believe strongly that this is a cycle and will present opportunities i) for brands that have focused on fundamentals including profitability and ii) for investment opportunities in the sector. Factors to consider:Consumer spend represents 70% of the US economy. It’s not going...
08
Oct

Altacrest is excited to announce Andy Hollon, former COO of YETI Coolers, has joined the board of Big Blanket Co

“Big Blanket Co designs, markets, and sells the ‘biggest, best blankets in the world.’ Founder Bryan Simpson and his team have built a great company rooted in phenomenal products that are supported by an authentic and compelling brand. When combined with the loyal fan base they’ve cultivated, the Big Blanket Co story really resonated with me and my experience at YETI. Bryan and his team have a big opportunity in front of them, and I’m excited to play...
26
Jul

Are your sales channels helping or hurting your business valuation?

Consumer product business owners and entrepreneurs pursuing growth face a number of important decisions. Often, the product path seems clear: an idea for a product (or family of products) that the entrepreneur knows is an “item”, one that he or she is certain has significant market potential. And the market response, whether early in the company’s life cycle, or perhaps over time, is validating this thesis. However, where the product is sold – your sales channels –...
12
Apr

Consumer Brand Categories: Covid Winners and Losers

Now over a year into the Covid pandemic in the United States, everyone is weary of Covid related news.  Covid has severely impacted every aspect of our daily lives.  Now, with hope on the horizon in the form of increased availability of vaccinations, there is also cause for concern, with Covid variants and new infections on the rise. We have written before about how eCommerce brands have fared better than in-store brands during Covid, due...