Startup Sproud raises £4.8m to match taste and nutritional profile of dairy milk Sproud, the Swedish maker of a range of plant-based milk alternatives, has raised £4.8m ($6.6m) from growth capital investor, VGC Partners. The investment will be used to grow Sproud’s team, accelerate the brand’s distribution and brand building activities in the company’s core markets - including the UK, US and Canada - and for further development of its plant-based product offering. Sproud launched in Sweden in 2018, and has expanded to 15 markets in two years. It is available across the UK via supermarkets and online retailers such as Waitrose, Ocado, and Amazon, in addition to various independent shops, cafés, and restaurants.