Tessemae's All Natural, the fastest growing condiment company in the U.S., is pleased to announce a $5M investment led by Sagamore Ventures, LLC, the venture capital arm of Plank Industries. This financing round, which also includes a significant investment by Baltimore-based War Horse, will allow Tessemae's to further scale its national footprint and open additional channels of business. The investors see this as a next step toward enhancing Baltimore's position as a hub for innovative young companies.

Tessemae's salad dressings and condiments exclude unhealthy thickening agents. They are also free of GMO ingredients, sugar, dairy and gluten. In addition, Tessemae's incorporates 100 percent olive oil and satisfies the requirements of the vegan, paleo and Whole 30 diets.

Tessemae's mission is about getting people to understand the importance of eating real food. Greg Vetter, CEO of Tessemae's All Natural, explains, "Obesity continues to rise, kids' test scores are down, food deserts are growing, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, but yet, we continue to inexplicably minimize the most basic of daily decisions... what am I going to eat today?"

The emphasis on wellness is a good fit for the investors. Sagamore Ventures is owned by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank. War Horse is owned by Kevin's brother and former senior Under Armour executive Scott Plank. War Horse is committed to wellness through slow food, local food markets, a whole animal butchery and slow food restaurants in Baltimore and San Francisco.

Demian Costa, a Partner at Plank Industries and Managing Partner of Sagamore Ventures, said, "Consumers today are increasingly educated about the products they consume and demand absolute transparency in these products and their ingredients. Tessemae's uncompromising position on all-natural ingredients gives them a perfect opportunity to capture this growing market."

The Vetter brothers and the rest of the Tessemae's executive team look forward to continued growth of their company and are proud to call Baltimore and Maryland home.