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Non-alcoholic adaptogenic beer Collider gets £720k funding boost
Collider Brew Co has secured £720k in pre-seed funding for its mood boosting adaptogenic non-alcoholic beer brand.
The 0% ABV brew, named Collider, is the world’s first non-alcoholic beer infused with adaptogens and functional mushrooms, to build the brand’s direct-to-consumer business and increase presence in the on-trade in the UK.
The business, which launched at the start of 2024 by drinks entrepreneur Harry Cooke who also co-founded Prosecco brand Pale Fox, exceeded its first seed funding target of £600k.
Initially, the business secured pre-seed funding in a round led by consumer venture capital company DMG Ventures and was supported by super angel fund Syndicate Room.
Other angel backers included former head of Google UK and co-founder of Clearscore, Dan Cobley, co-founder of Onfido and Isometric, Eamon Jubbawy, founder of ComplyAdvantage Charles Delingpole and founder of Beam, Alex Stephany.
Speaking about the funding and why the venture has been so well supported, Cooke explained: “Collider is about offering the non-drinker something more exciting than what is currently on the market, something that offers at least part of the sensory experience of an alcoholic counterpart but without the downsides.”
Regarding plans for the future, Cooke told db that “the aim is to be the largest independent non-alcoholic beer in the UK” and said: “I don’t see our product as part of a different category to regular non-alcoholic beers, we are just ‘non-alcoholic beer plus’”.
Cooke revealed: “We have some big plans for the rest of the year and 2025 as we look to be at the forefront of the growing non-alc plus movement and bring mood boosting beer without the alcohol to the masses. This fundraising round enables us to do this.”
Describing why Collider is worth backing, Rachel Muzyczka, partner at DMG Ventures inisted that “the functional drinks category is an exciting place to invest in” and said “we believe Collider stands out as a genuinely disruptive and scalable player with an enormous market opportunity in front of them”.
Collider contains a blend of adaptogens that purportedly work in a variety of ways to produce anti-anxiety and calming effects on the brain and body. These include: Ashwagandha to reduce the stress hormone cortisol; L-theanine to increase dopamine and modulate serotonin production to promote relaxation and improve cognitive function and Lion’s Mane to enhance production of nerve growth.
The brand’s fundraising comes at a time of growth for both non-alcoholic beer and adaptogenic ingredients and functional mushrooms. According to the business, the combined global market value of both currently stands at more than US$60billion and is set to increase to over US$120 billion by 2030.
Cooke told db that “Collider is contract brewed according to recipes and adaptogenic infusion processes developed in-house” but “an NDA prevents either party from disclosing the name of the brewery” however he did hint that its contract brewery “isn’t in London, but it is within the UK”.
Collider Unwind Lager and Unwind Pale are both available to buy via the Collider webshop.
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