Plant-Based Functional Beverage Category Leader to Expand as Demand Surges
Minneapolis (November 11, 2020) – So Good So You, the category leader in premium refrigerated health shots, today announces the closing of $14.5 million in growth funding led by Prelude Growth Partners.
So Good So You plant-based functional beverages are cold-pressed with powerful natural ingredients that help improve immune system health and support everyday functions like Immunity, Energy, Sleep and Beauty. The brand has been rapidly expanding since it was founded in 2014 by entrepreneurs Rita Katona, a native of Hungary, and her husband Eric Hall, and has seen growth of more than 380 percent in the last 18 months as consumer demand for immune-boosting products continues to rise.
So Good So You will use this capital to accelerate growth by expanding its national footprint in-store and through e-commerce, and to support innovative product developments that meet increased consumer demand for immune- and other solution-forward products across the functional beverage category. The company has been profitable since mid-2019.
Prelude Growth partners with high growth, category-leading consumer brands, and brings deep operating experience in scaling iconic consumer brands as well as a powerful network in the consumer industry. Current investments include Banza, 8Greens, and Sol de Janeiro. So Good So You existing investors also contributed to this capital raise.
“The wellness shot category is growing exponentially due to consumers’ rising demand for convenient, functional product offerings with clean, plant-based ingredients. The differentiated taste profile of So Good So You appeals to everyday Americans who are looking for functional wellness,” said Neda Daneshzadeh, co-founder and managing partner, Prelude Growth Partners. “Our proprietary consumer research indicates So Good So You resonates deeply with Millennials and has the highest repeat rate in the industry driven by its delicious and nutrition-rich products. We are thrilled to support a female-owned business, and we look forward to partnering with Rita, Eric and the management team as they continue to launch their innovation pipeline and develop So Good So You into an iconic, powerhouse brand.” Both Daneshzadeh and Prelude Growth Partners co-founder and managing partner Alicia Sontag will join the So Good So You board.
“We’re proud to welcome Prelude Growth Partners to the So Good So You community,” said Rita Katona, co-founder and board chair, So Good So You. “We’re fortunate to have found partners that believe so deeply in our product and more importantly, in our mission to do good for both people and the planet. Customers have fully embraced the importance of proactively managing their health, and with this new investment, our category-leading shots have an opportunity to help more people nationwide.”
Furthering its commitment to innovative sustainability and supporting a healthy planet, this summer So Good So You launched an industry-first packaging innovation, BtrBtl™. BtrBtl looks like a regular bottle, but has a proprietary additive which allows it to biodegrade in landfills at an accelerated rate, breaking down in years versus centuries, without leaving microplastic fragments behind.*
So Good So You manufactures all beverages in its 100 percent renewable energy-powered, zero-waste manufacturing facility in Minneapolis. Each of the brand’s juice shots is made with only certified organic, non-GMO-verified ingredients, and includes one billion CFUs of probiotics to support both immune and digestive health. So Good So You wellness shots are available in more than 4,500 stores in 47 states including Target, Publix, Sprouts and Safeway.
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About So Good So You
So Good So You was founded on the core concept that the products we buy and use are a direct connection to a larger community and purpose. The company’s mission and values extend far beyond its delicious and functional plant-based beverages: So Good So You is a community of passionate humans driven to make a difference, believing collectively, everyone can make a positive impact on body and planet.
So Good So You crafts its functional shots in a 100 percent renewable energy-powered manufacturing facility at its headquarters in Minneapolis. All So Good So You shots are packaged in the BtrBtl™, whose increased biodegradation allows for conversion of the package to usable energy in a landfill. The company uses only organic, non-GMO, real ingredients. Each bottle is packed with nutrients that are fully derived from their fruit and vegetable ingredients, made to support the community’s everyday needs such as Energy, Sleep and Immunity. Packed with more than one billion probiotic CFUs to support immune and digestive health, So Good So You juice shots are plant-based, certified organic and non-GMO verified, and use High Pressure Processing (HPP) to kill bacteria, lock in nutrients, and ensure premium quality and flavor. For more information, visit https://sogoodsoyou.com.
About Prelude Growth Partners
Prelude Growth Partners, based in New York City, is a growth investor focused on providing capital and deep value-added support to fast-growing, high potential consumer brands with a passionate consumer base. Prelude Growth focuses on building iconic consumer powerhouse brands through its world-class set of value-add strategic and operating resources and industry-specific network. Prelude Growth invests across branded consumer categories including food & beverage, personal care & beauty, health & wellness, pet and many other consumer categories. For additional information on Prelude Growth Partners, please visit www.preludegrowth.com.
*Accelerated biodegradation based on ASTM D5526-94 testing showing that the treated PET used for the BtrBtl biodegrades 31.7 – 37.0 % after 391 days in active landfill conditions compared to 2% biodegradation of untreated PET
