Bristol-based Truestart Coffee was founded more than a decade ago by husband-and-wife team Helena and Simon Hills
Helen and Simon Hills founded TrueStart Coffee(Image: handout)
A Bristol-based coffee company has secured a “significant” Series A investment and is planning to use the money to expand, it has announced. TrueStart Coffee was founded in 2015 by husband-and-wife duo Helena and Simon Hills. The pair came up with the idea for the business while triathlon training and deciding they wanted to combine speciality grade quality coffee with a caffeine-conscious, healthy lifestyle proposition.
The funding round was led by JamJar Investments, the consumer brand business behind Innocent Drinks, while DLF Venture and a group of strategic angel investors also took part.
It is understood the investment – the details of which have not been disclosed – will support TrueStart’s next phase of growth, including expanding the brand’s core range and investing further in its direct-to-consumer channel.
The brand is already sold by Asda, Morrisons, Co-op, Costco and Ocado, and has more than 5,000 UK distribution points.
Mrs Hills said: “After 10 years of diligently building our brand bootstrapped, we have fantastic product-market fit and the demand for TrueStart has never been higher.
“This strategic investment will enable us to rapidly accelerate our already explosive growth, to build a category defining brand that always delivers on taste, health & energy for our customers. The future is super bright and we are just getting started!”
Adam Balon, co-founder of JamJar Investments, said: “TrueStart is exactly the kind of brand and team we love to back… one that brings excitement, optimism and a bit of fun to people’s everyday routines.
“Coffee is a huge category that’s been crying out for a shake-up, and TrueStart is doing exactly that with brilliant products, a clear point of view and founders with the ambition to build something genuinely special.
TrueStart has already proven they can unlock growth in a way most challengers can’t. We see massive potential and are excited to be part of the journey as TrueStart builds one of the next great consumer brands.”
Clément Helinckx, principal at DLF Venture, added: “This next stage is about scaling across retail, out of home and direct to consumer, by launching innovation that grows the category and activating the brand in ways that recruit new consumers and build long-term brand value.”