Working to go from TikTok and DTC to IRL brick-and-mortar, better-for-you energy drink brand Gorgie announced today that it has closed a $24.5 million funding round led by Notable Capital.
According to the company, the new capital brings Gorgie’s lifetime funding to $37 million since its launch in 2023. Existing investor Notable Capital is joined in the round by Coefficient Capital and board members Jason Cohen and Yossi Nasser.
With a focus on female consumers, Gorgie’s core line of functional energy drinks are made with 150 mg of caffeine from green tea, B vitamins, L-Theanine and biotin in each 12 oz. can.
Initially launched online with an aggressive influencer and social marketing strategy, Gorgie has been building out its DSD distribution network since last year and has landed in major distributors like New York’s Big Geyser, as well as wholesalers UNFI and KeHE. The brand is available in retailers such as Kroger, Albertsons, Sprouts, Erewhon, H-E-B and Whole Foods.
Last year, founder and CEO Michelle Cordeiro Grant told BevNET that Gorgie’s Amazon business was “bringing in about ‘five figures a month’ with little to no effort and attention,’” suggesting the brand was ready to make the extension into retail.
In a press release today, the company said that it achieved 5x growth last year with customer reorders coming every eight days on average.
Alongside the new funding, the company said it will add 1,900 Target stores nationwide this summer, which the financing will support.
“This is what disruption looks like,” Cordeiro Grant said in the release. “We built GORGIE to change the way people think about energy—something functional, yes, but also joyful, healthy, and community-powered. Our rapid growth proves the demand for a brand that brings together performance and wellness without compromise and puts community at the forefront.”
Cordeiro Grant told Fortune this week that Gorgie has marketed itself like a fashion brand to create a stronger emotional connection with consumers – which, as a former Victoria’s Secret executive, is in her area of expertise.
The funding comes at a time where the energy drink category has greatly expanded its reach with women via brands like Celsius and Alani Nu, while legacy players like Monster have sought to soften their hyper-masculine portfolio with lines like Reign Storm. Following its $1.8 billion acquisition by Celsius earlier this year, Alani Nu reported this week that it had surpassed $1 billion in annual retail sales for the 52-weeks ending April 13.