USK Capital, the family office of billionaire banker Uday Kotak, has acquired a majority stake in Freeland Foods LLC, which owns the US-based seed-snack brand Go Raw.
The sellers include Juggernaut Capital Partners, a middle-market private equity firm, along with other early-stage investors. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The acquisition is significant for USK Capital on multiple counts. It represents the family office’s first investment outside India, its maiden exposure to the consumer sector, and a strategic step towards building a diversified global portfolio over the long term.
“Healthy eating is a growing global trend, and the US consumer is increasingly embracing it,” Venkat Subramanian, chief investment officer at USK Capital, said in a statement.
“Go Raw has demonstrated robust growth over the years and has steadily expanded its retail footprint across the US.”
Strategic outlook
Seeds such as pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds are known to be nutrient-dense, and are increasingly being embraced by health-conscious consumers around the world.
Based in the Chicago area, Go Raw positions itself as a “better-for-you” snacking brand focused on seed-based products. Its portfolio includes sprouted seeds, granola, salad toppers and cluster snacks. Mint had earlier reported that healthy snacking options are increasingly gaining popularity among consumers, with food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy capitalizing on this shift.
For USK Capital, the deal underscores a calibrated push into global consumer businesses with strong brand equity and scalability. The family office manages the personal wealth of Uday Kotak, founder and former chief executive of Kotak Mahindra Bank, India’s third-largest private sector lender by market value. The Kotak family currently owns about 26% of the bank.
The Go Raw acquisition signals USK Capital’s intent to look beyond domestic opportunities, as it builds a long-term, globally-diversified investment platform anchored in scalable, consumer-focused businesses.
