Dive Brief:
- Bulletproof 360 has raised more than $19 million in Series B funding for its Bulletproof Coffee, which is blended with grass-fed butter, according to Food Business News.
- The funding round was led by CAVU Venture Partners, an investment firm co-founded by three food and beverage industry veterans with a focus on better-for-you brands. Trinity Ventures, a Series A investor for Bulletproof and an early investor in Starbucks and Jamba Juice, also participated in the round.
- The coffee maker plans to use these funds to expand its presence in e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail locations, and bolster new product launches.
Dive Insight:
Adding butter to coffee isn't a particularly new phenomenon, but once word that Ed Sheeran and players on the L.A. Lakers were blending their morning cup of joe with a serving of butter made it to social media, the practice quickly became a fad in the beverage space.
Bulletproof claims its buttery coffee boosts cognitive function and can help with weight loss by kickstarting the consumer's metabolisms and reducing cravings. Still, some nutritionists don't like the concept, arguing that just because a little butter is healthy, doesn't mean consumers should incorporate too much of it into their diet.
Butter consumption is skyrocketing, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture projecting an 8% increase this year, according to Bloomberg. That amounts to 940,000 metric tons, which is the most in 40 years. The dairy product has found a resurgence among people who not only like the taste but are attracted to its perception as a better alternative to margarine and transfats. Bulletproof is the latest company to jump on this growing trend.
With CAVU Venture Partners co-founded by three food and beverage industry veterans, and one of Starbucks’ early investors, investing in Bulletproof, it seems like these experts don’t see butter-infused coffee as a fad, but as a trend that’s here to stay. Butter's newfound popularity could remain, but given the rapidly changing tastes of the consumer, businesses would be wise to also continue focusing their attention on other healthier fats and oils.