DENVER — Rasa, a maker of caffeine-free coffee alternatives, raised $3.25 million in a community investment round. More than 2,000 retail investors contributed to the round through Wefunder, an online crowdfunding service.
Founded in 2018, Rasa’s products use herbs instead of caffeine to energize. Its herbalist-formulated blends contain 1,600 mg to 9,700 mg of adaptogens per cup. Featuring ingredients like cordyceps, lion’s mane mushroom, ashwagandha, dandelion root and more, the coffee alternatives provide steady energy with no burnout, crashes or jitters, according to the company. The products are available direct-to-consumer through Rasa’s website, on Amazon and in more than 700 retail stores.
Rasa plans to use the capital to release five new products in 2022, expanding its line to 14 caffeine-free blends. Expansion into national grocery chains also is on the horizon.
Lopa van der Mersch, founder of Rasa, has bootstrapped the business to $10 million in cumulative revenue and more than 10 million cups served, according to the company’s Wefunder pitch. The community investment round is open to both accredited and non-accredited investors for a limited time, with a minimum investment of $100 and perks at the $250, $500 and $2,500 investment levels.
