Functional sparkling drinks start-up Humble Warrior has secured a six-figure investment to accelerate its omnichannel strategy and scale the business.
The third funding round at the company sees Nando’s grocery CEO Georg Gruber join as executive chairman and investor.
Junior Bake-Off judge and pastry chef Ravneet Gill also backed the business, as well as joining as brand ambassador.
Other investors in the round included Paul Stanford, who spent 37 years at the Coca-Cola Company, Pasta Evangelists co-founder James McArthur, and Alan Parker, founder and chairman of global PR firm Brunswick Group.
Humble Warrior also appointed James Gilks, formerly of Piccolo, Gü Puds and Young’s Seafood, as head of commercial sales.
“We’re humbled to close this funding round, particularly in the current climate, and to do it with the support of some truly amazing backers gives us great confidence,” said co-founder Rosh Amarasekara.
Launched in 2019 by Amarasekara and Andy Field, the brand’s range of sparkling drinks is available in Whole Foods and Selfridges, fast food chains such as Poké Shack and Chipotle, and at fitness group Gymbox, as well as with food distributor CH & Co.
Amarasekara said sales had “flourished” in the past 18 months as consumers increasingly looked for healthier alternatives to traditional fizzy drinks.
The three-strong range – Pomegranate Hibiscus, Mango Turmeric and Pineapple Ginger – are low in sugar, made with plant-based ingredients to provide vitamin C, and marketed as immunity boosting.
Gruber, who is also executive chairman at Remeo Gelato, said: “I’m delighted to be supporting Rosh and Andy as they scale Humble Warrior to be a leading functional sparkling drink in the UK and globally.
“They have an incredible knowledge of functional ingredients and bring an authenticity that is hard to replicate. The functional beverage category is growing globally, and I’m excited to bring together this great team to scale the business and be number one in the space.”
Humble Warrior also plans to use the latest investment to continue expanding its range.
“When we launched Humble Warrior, it was all about using plants to give people healthier drinks, without compromising on taste,” Amarasekara added. “That mission remains to this day, and we’re excited to deliver the Humble dream as we forge ahead.”
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