Free-from brand Livia’s secures £1m in funding

UK free-from brand Livia’s has raised £1 million in a funding round, prior to the campaign’s public launch on crowdfunding platform Seedrs today.

The round is said to have already attracted over 400 new investors, as well as met its £1 million investment target, and will now continue into overfunding.

According to Livia’s, the new funds will help the brand to launch new products, develop its direct-to-consumer platform, grow its marketing and sales teams, and scale its operations.

Livia’s offers a range of cookies, dips, and other ‘treats’ catering for those with allergies and intolerances.

Lest year, Livia’s unveiled a new brand positioning, created in response to growing consumer demand for better-for-you indulgence, as well as to appeal to a more mainstream audience. As part of this, strong visuals and brighter graphics were introduced to create greater stand out on shelf.

Commenting on the brand’s latest funding push, founder and CEO Olivia Wollenberg said: “I’ve always wanted to bring our customers and community on board as we continue to grow.

“From day one, our community has been at the heart of everything we do, and every decision we make, and now is the time for them to be involved in a more meaningful way.

“With this raise, we will be able to accelerate our growth in the UK and beyond while continuing to revolutionise sweet snacking through product innovation.”

Among the private investors backing the brand are Andy Weston-Webb, who was previously president at Mars, and Vegetarian Butcher founder Jaap Korteweg.

“Livia’s combination of fabulous tasting free-from sweet treats with a genuinely values-led business rightly has a passionate consumer following,” said new investor and advisor, Weston-Webb

“The growth to date has been impressive enough to capture the attention of the UK’s key retailers. Still, the brand has huge headroom with store expansion, further exciting innovation and by building on the existing fanbase. I’m looking forward to helping Olivia and her impressive team further unlock this.”

By 2025, the brand aims to be distributed throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US, as well as to almost quadruple its product range.