Cure Hydration has announced US$2.6 million in seed funding and expansion to 4,200 retail stores nationwide across the US.
The funding round was led by Lerer Hippeau with additional participation from M3 Ventures, Litani Ventures, Andy Roddick, Nas, Matthew Dellavedova, Philip Krim, co-founder & CEO of Casper, Nick Green, CEO of Thrive Market, and others.
The new capital will be used to scale the team, build customer awareness in the market, and develop new functions and flavours.
Cure Hydration is positioned as offering an ‘accessible hydration brand centred around inclusivity and well-being – from marathon runners to those struggling with chronic illnesses.’
With the company’s retail expansion to stores including CVS, Walmart, and Whole Foods, its national US footprint increases notably. Within this rollout, Cure is also launching new flavours variants, including Ruby Riot Grapefruit and Laser Focus Matcha.
Cure claims to be ‘the only organic hydration brand with a science-backed formula, plant-based ingredients, no added sugar and has 4x the electrolytes of leading sports drinks.’
Cure’s drink mix, which is based on the World Health Organization standard for Oral Rehydration Solution, also claims to hydrate as effectively as an IV drip.
‘Made with clean, sustainably sourced ingredients such as organic coconut water and pink Himalayan salt, Cure provides your body with everything it needs for optimal hydration.’
The company’s medical advisory board includes Dr Roshini Rajapaksa (Gastroenterologist), Dr Dana Cohen (General Medicine, Author of Quench), and Brooke Alpert (Nutritionist, Author of The Sugar Detox).
“Whether I was training for a triathlon or sweating it out in hot yoga, recovery was always a challenge,” said Lauren Picasso, Founder & CEO of Cure Hydration. “I decided to create a solution that could hydrate effectively but used plant-based ingredients.”
‘As a female athlete herself, it is also important to Lauren that the company’s CSR strategy focuses on empowering women: 1% of Cure’s 2020 sales are going to SheIS to promote women’s sports.’
“Now, more than ever, consumers are prioritizing health in their daily lives and looking for products that are not only effective, but better-for-you,” said Caitlin Strandberg, Principal at Lerer Hippeau.
“Lauren is an exceptional operator and we’ve been impressed with her ability to bring a WHO-approved formulation to market without compromising on product quality or efficacy. With this cash infusion and retail expansion, we’re excited to see Cure get into even more hands.”
