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Meet the team behind The Naked Collective, the natural Irish drinks company crowdfunding its way to the top
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By Shayna Healy
14th Apr 2021
14th Apr 2021
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Move over soft drinks, The Naked Collective is bringing a healthier alternative to the Irish drinks market.
Health enthusiasts Catherina Butler and Niall Phelan founded Co Kildare-based The Naked Collective in 2019 with two priorities in mind: people and planet.
Nowadays, shop shelves are lined with colourful, sugary drinks aimed towards children. Catherina and Niall wanted to create a better option for their kids, a sparkling drink that was not only low in sugar and calories but that was actually made with all-natural ingredients, vitamins and minerals.
That’s how The Naked Company was born. Not only does their brand of MUDE drinks tick all these boxes, but the company is sustainably-focused as well. They are vegan, carbon-neutral and work in collaboration with non-profits preserving Peruvian wildlife, restoring global ecosystems and promoting worldwide recycling.
Alongside MUDE drinks, the company has also launched a range of non-alcoholic lagers called So.Beer, which is also all-natural, packed with vitamins and minerals and infused with Beta Glucan – a molecule that improves general immune health and combats the effects of stress, as proven in 50 clinical studies.
Crowdfunding its way up
The Naked Collective is looking to raise €2.5m through Crowdcube, Europe’s leading equity crowdfunding platform that’s hosted companies like Brewdog and Revolut, as part of its next round of fundraising. The investment will help fund the innovative Irish wellness brand’s expansion into North America and Europe.
The company has already launched their drinks in over 1,000 stockists in the past number of months in Ireland, with further retail listings secured in the US, UK and Italy. And, North America is firmly in their sights due to a groundbreaking deal with the giant Acosta, a sales and marketing company that will distribute their drinks throughout Canada and the US.
The fundraising drive will take place throughout April and is expected to appeal to everyone, from ordinary people to investors, that are interested and passionate about the company’s principles and supporting its sustainable initiatives that are building towards a regenerative economy.
“It’s a business that feels right at home in the current environment. We felt that there was a gap in the market for healthy drink alternatives that speak to what is now a more educated and informed consumer who values health and wellness activities,” says Catherina.
“It’s something echoed by consumer behaviour globally,” adds Niall. “We can see it in every market we go into, consumers are becoming more educated and aware of the environmental, social and physical impacts of the products they are buying.”
Feature image: Tony Gavin
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