HOLY, headquartered in Berlin, a direct-to-consumer brand specializing in providing healthier alternatives to traditional soft drinks, revealed on Thursday its successful completion of a €10.5 million Series A funding round. The funding will be instrumental in expanding its presence throughout Europe.
With this recent funding, HOLY’s total capital raised now amounts to €12.3 million. Despite the ongoing decline in direct-to-consumer (DTC) investments, the current funding round has been acknowledged by investors as one of this year’s most competitive in the consumer sector.
About the Investors
Led by global venture capital firm Left Lane Capital, the funding round also saw participation from existing investors FoodLabs and Simon Capital (formerly known as Bitburger Ventures).
Participating in the round were London-based consumer fund V3 Ventures (a part of international consumer investment company Verlinvest), notable entrepreneurs, and industry experts including Bela Seebach, co-founder of Just Spices, Benjamin Kremer and Noel Bollmann, founders of YFood, and the venture arm of Hamburg-based media company OMR.
Jason Fiedler, Managing Partner at Left Lane Capital, stated, “In the US, we have witnessed the success of mission-driven brands like Liquid Death and ‘better for you’ products like Celsius, gaining market share from established players. We have identified similar attributes in the HOLY brand and product, which we believe holds significant mass-market potential in Europe with limited competition.”
HOLY’s Growth across Europe
With the secured funds, HOLY intends to propel its aspiration of becoming the premier healthier soft drink brand in Europe. The company’s plans encompass the introduction of new products, expansion into novel regions such as the UK, and penetration into retail markets.
Mathias Horsch, founder and co-CEO of HOLY, expressed, “Currently comprising a team of 25, the German Soft Drink Startup is actively seeking new talent to drive our product diversification, geographic outreach, and channel expansion as we ramp up our growth trajectory across Europe.”
About Holy
Established in 2020 by Frederick Jost, Philipp Nass, and Mathias Horsch, HOLY introduces health-conscious and environmentally-friendly alternatives to conventional soft drinks, showcasing offerings like HOLY Energy and HOLY Iced Tea.
These selections have garnered an extensive customer base of over 200,000 individuals across Germany, France, Austria, and Switzerland, closely aligning with the company’s guiding principle of “better for you, better for the planet.”
Since its inception, the company has successfully sold more than 10 million beverages. Jost commented, “We have a fondness for soft drinks, but the traditional options are outdated, distributing sugary beverages in plastic bottles on a global scale. We aim to revolutionize this and reconcile the dilemma between exceptional taste and ethical consciousness.”
HOLY’s powdered soft drinks prioritize environmental sustainability, leading to a reduction of more than 90 percent in packaging waste and carbon emissions.
Nass further added, “Featuring attributes like low sugar content, low calories, functional elements such as vitamins, nootropics, antioxidants, and fiber, as well as natural flavors and colors, our beverages are truly appealing to the upcoming generation of consumers.”
