May 30, 2017

CAVU Venture Partners has led a Series B exceeding $19 million for Bulletproof 360 – a maker of high-performance foods and beverages. The company’s Bulletproof Coffee which mixes single-origin Rainforest Alliance Certified black coffee with grass-fed butter. Joining CAVU Venture Partners in the round is Trinity Ventures – a repeat investor that participated in Bulletproof’s Series A in 2015, and an early investor in Starbucks and Jamba Juice.

Founded in 2013 by bestselling author and self-proclaimed biohacker Dave Asprey, Bulletproof 360 develops food and beverages from a platform of science-based information that can provide consumers with techniques, tools, increased focus, and the enhanced energy for a better life.

“Since inception, Bulletproof’s performance-based approach has had an enormous impact on the health and wellness industry,” said Dan Scholnick, general partner at Trinity Ventures. “Similarly, CAVU and Rohan have consistently championed products that disrupt the beverage segment with more nutritious and ‘better for you’ alternatives. Bulletproof is all of that and more – so this partnership is not only natural, but also quite powerful. We’re excited to see this latest investment propel the brand and the company to new heights.”

Asprey has successfully built a following after losing 100 pounds by spending $1 million of his own money on ‘body hacking’ trials, according to Tech Crunch. From his experiences, Asprey developed a lifestyle brand that includes a coffee that the company states is free of mycotoxins – a mold that can cause serious illness when ingested – something that Asprey claims 75 percent of the coffee brands on the market contain.

Tech Crunch notes that while coffee producers are well aware of the presence of mycotoxins (which are also found in grain, meat, and other foods and are only harmful at significantly high levels, according to the National Institutes of Health), they employ a special wet processing technique to eliminate the mold. Asprey counters however, that this process is insufficient compared to his company’s proprietary technique.

Another key product in Bulletproof 360’s lineup is FATwater – water fortified with Brain Octane® oil – an oil distilled from 100 percent coconut oil that is supposed to help the body burn fat, support cognitive performance, and provide energy without added sugar, according to the company website. Other products include supplements, Collagen Bars, and Collagen Protein.

“Dave Asprey is a visionary and creative disruptor, and we’ve long admired his commitment to bringing high quality food, beverage and supplement products to consumers via the Bulletproof platform,” said Rohan Oza, partner at CAVU. “We feel Bulletproof has created a whole new category around products that fuel human performance. We’re excited to partner with Dave and the Bulletproof team to continue the company’s growth momentum.”

The capital secured through this Series B will be used by Bulletproof 360 to fund the growth of the brand through both e-commerce and retail channels. It will also be used to expand beyond its two Bulletproof Cafes in southern California into New York City and other unnamed cities, while also providing the capital needed for the launch of new products and innovations.

“We raised this round of funding from CAVU Ventures, one of the world’s most innovative investors in the consumer space, to continue leading the way in the performance nutrition revolution,” Asprey told Food Business New. “This injection of capital will ensure that people get faster, easier access to the world’s highest performing coffee and food.”

-Lynda Kiernan

Lynda Kiernan is Editor with GAI Media and daily contributor to GAI News. If you would like to submit a contribution for consideration, please contact Ms. Kiernan at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.com.