ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF. — Spirited Brands Holdings, Inc. has raised $4.5 million in a seed funding round ahead of its launch of two low-alcohol beverage brands early next year.
The company’s Soké brand is an Asian-inspired soda made with Junmai sake and flavors including white peach, lychee, cherry blossom and yuzu ginger. Its Mexican-inspired margarita brand, Soula, features Mexican agave azul wine and flavors including mango citrus, lime, paloma and pineapple chili. The canned cocktail offerings were developed for consumers seeking premium, lower-calorie options.
“We founded Spirited Brands because we enjoy the ritual of mindfully crafting the perfect cocktail,” said Melanie Nelson, co-founder and president of Spirited Brands. “As a busy professional and mom, I no longer have the luxury of time to craft my favorite cocktail. Because we couldn’t find the perfect low-alcohol, low-calorie canned cocktail, we created it.”
The funding round was led by an entrepreneur investor with experience in marketing strategy and product placement, according to the company. The unnamed backer will join the startup’s board of directors.
“This investment validates our excitement about the rising consumer demand for premium, ready-to-drink cocktails with lower alcohol content,” said Maikel van de Mortel, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Spirited Brands. “With these funds, we can concentrate on our sales and marketing efforts and drive growth in major markets across the country, meeting the increasing interest for low-alcohol and lower-calorie products.”Enjoying this content? Learn about more disruptive startups on the Food Entrepreneur page.
