RTD Cold Brewer High Brew Coffee Inks $4 Million VC Investment

High Brew Coffee photo

Austin, Texas-based RTD cold brew maker High Brew Coffee has announced a $4 million investment from CAVU Venture Partners, as well as a new distribution deal with Dr Pepper Snapple Group that will initially bring High Brew products to the markets of New York, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Austin.

Led by partners Rohan Oza, Clayton Christopher and Brett Thomas, CAVU Venture Partners is a relatively young VC fund that launched last fall after raising $156 million, according to a Fortune report. Other beverage brands in the fund’s portfolio include Wtrmln Water, Austin Eastciders, and Health-Ade Kombucha.

Christopher and High Brew Cold Brew founder David Smith co-founded the Sweet Leaf Tea company in 1998, before the company was eventually acquired by Nestlé in 2011. Smith launched High Brew Coffee in 2014.

“It has been great working with Clayton, Brett and Rohan and I look forward to what this partnership will help us accomplish in the months and years to come,” Smith said in a company announcement of the investment and distribution deal yesterday. “I’m also very excited about our new relationship with Dr Pepper Snapple. With the resources and support they bring to the table, we remain confident our strong growth will continue as we deliver premium, on-the-go, cold brew functionality to our customers.”

High Brew’s RTD cold brew products are made with 100-percent Fair Trade-certified arabica coffees, with individual products including Double Espresso, Mexican Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate Mocha and Black & Bold. The company last month unveiled a canned latte line with products including Creamy Vanilla, Caramel Pecan and Toasted Coconut.