After a banner 2021, VC funding has taken a serious hit, and this year’s continuing struggles proves it’s not just a momentary blip.

Global venture funding in Q2 2023 dropped to its lowest level since 2020, per CBInsights. Deal counts have continued to fall since 2022, reaching their lowest since 2016 in Q2 this year. In the US, funding totaled $31.3 billion, a 27% decrease quarter over quarter.

Retail funding has followed a similar trend, and Retail Brew spoke to three investors—who previously shared their insight into investment strategies and due diligence process for sustainable retail companies—about what they’re seeing in this tricky retail funding climate and how it’s impacted the deals they make and entrepreneur’s mindsets.

Disciplinary actions: Chuck Templeton, senior managing director at S2G Ventures (and who also founded OpenTable in 1998), has worked through a few rough patches in the economy, including the dot-com crash and 2008 financial crisis. He believes the financial crunch can have a silver lining.

“Constraints are a fantastic thing for entrepreneurs,” he said. “And when there’s a higher cost of capital to entrepreneurs, it really sharpens the focus.”

Keep reading here.—EC

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After co-founding his own CPG brand, grass-fed bone broth maker Kettle & Fire, Nick Mares now helps other CPG businesses simplify their finances as head of business development for Ampla.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? At Ampla, I’m currently responsible for working with our supply chain partners to embed payments and credit options into their current workflows. A lot of supply-chain vendors are a brand’s most important partners, which creates a unique opportunity for the vendors to partner in a deeper way by solving their customers’ cash flow problems.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? Fortunately, I get to travel to some incredible cities with a strong CPG presence (New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago) and meet new brands and their founders. This is definitely my favorite part of the job.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Honestly, building Kettle & Fire right out of high school was my favorite project I’ve ever worked on and the most rewarding. And, of course, the transition from a project to a company was exciting.

Keep reading here.—EC

Retail Brew’s theme in July was sustainability. We covered the Porte Conference and spoke with investors about sustainability-minded startups. But that was just part of our coverage for the month, and if page views are any indication, these were our 10 most popular stories, covering everything from how marketers are reaching older Gen Zs and younger millennials (who have claimed a new moniker) to Amazon’s approach to counterfeiters on Prime Day.

1. What’s a zillennial, and why should you care?
2. Hoping to appeal to newbies and couples, this sex store takes a sporting goods approach
3. What works for DTC was top of mind at The Lead Innovation Summit
4. Secondhand may be on its way out and some consumers can’t get enough of BNPL, a new report finds
5. The latest news on retail bankruptcies and store closures
6. The verdict is in on what’s hot and what’s not in fashion
7. Five sustainable Thrive Market practices that are ahead of the curve
8. Amazon’s battle against counterfeiters on Prime Day
9. Roku partners with Shopify for in-app purchase options
10. Almost two-thirds of Americans believe it’s important retailers prioritize sustainability: survey

Today’s top retail reads.

Cool it: As record-high temperatures sweep across multiple continents, brands like Macy’s, Columbia Sportswear, and Reformation are producing clothing with “cooling” and more absorbent fabrics. (Reuters)

Chip off the old block: Mondelēz’s 60-year-old cookie Chips Ahoy! has hooked Gen Z consumers, making it one of the food giant’s fastest-growing brands. (Food Dive)

Not so fast: Fast-fashion items from Shein and Asos are filling thrift stores, marketplaces like Depop, and even brands’ own resale sites, but efforts to cut down on the industry’s waste problem have yet to make a dent. (Business of Fashion)