New Zealand beverage brand Ārepa has closed its latest pre-Series A round at $2.96 million with a range of high profile investors including Zespri CEO Dan Mathieson, Comvita founder Alan Bougen alongside existing investors ex-Zespri CEO Lain Jager, EFTPOS NZ founder Mark Thomson and more.
Ārepa co-founder Angus Brown says the funds will help accelerate global expansion and further the company’s clinical studies.
“This raise will continue to fuel our rapid growth into Australia and New Zealand and support our R&D programme of nine clinical studies across leading universities in both countries,” said Brown.
Ārepa’s brain food range is currently stocked in more than 1,200 Australian retailers including Woolworths, Coles and Harris Farms nationally, and in more than 1,400 outlets in New Zealand including all major supermarkets and petrol stations.
Funds will also go toward supporting the recently launched study backed by Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration at University of Wollongong. The study is investigating the difference in effects of using Ārepa's powder vs a purple food diet in people with mild cognitive impairment.
“Scientists at the University of Wollongong found that our blackcurrant neuroberries have the highest levels of anthocyanins out of all purple foods in New Zealand and Australia and so they believe they may truly help delay neurological decline,” said Brown.
Director and investor Lain Jager says Ārepa’s multifaceted approach and ability to compete on a world stage is what makes the company an enticing investment.
“Ārepa’s strategy is based on premium plant-based ingredients, major investment in science and IP with a strong emphasis on building a community of consumers through its brand and marketing. Ārepa is a food and fibre business, an FMCG business and a Brain Health business at the same time. This sophisticated value chain strategy spans from ingredient genetics right through to human brain health and performance studies, and savvy investors have taken note,” said Jager.
Brown says more is demanded from the human brain than ever before and there are very few products out there that support this demand.
“The World Health Organisation says one in six of the world’s population suffer from neurological concerns. Through our human clinical research, we’re showing that with the right brain food diet including Ārepa, it’s possible to increase attention, support stress and anxiety and positively impact brain health. I’d call this a breakthrough,” said Brown.
