Chicago-based soluble espresso startup Diamond Brew says it has closed a pre-seed funding spherical reaching “seven figures” with an investor lineup that features NFL gamers and the previous president of Republic Data. The precise quantity of the funding spherical was not disclosed.
Based by Douglas Yu and launched in the USA in August 2024, Diamond Brew describes its core choices as “brewless” espresso pods whereas presenting itself as a luxurious model.
The corporate says it makes use of a proprietary liquid nitrogen flash-freezing course of to create freeze-dried crystals, that are then sealed within the model’s hexagon-shaped pods for single servings. Customers unseal the pods and blend the crystals with sizzling or chilly water.
The brand new funding spherical contains G/7 Enterprise Studio, which can be becoming a member of as a strategic associate. The investor group additionally contains NFL gamers DeAndre Hopkins and Sean Clifford, in addition to music government Charlie Stroll.
Yu, who moved to the U.S. from China and beforehand labored in food-and-beverage journalism and enterprise capital, has constructed the model primarily by direct-to-consumer channels and social media engagement. The corporate mentioned he logged greater than 2,000 hours on TikTok Reside in 2025, utilizing the periods as real-time market analysis.
“These 2,000 hours aren’t only a content material technique, they’re our R&D,” he mentioned within the firm’s announcement. “Our clients don’t simply purchase Diamond Brew, they assist construct it.”
The corporate mentioned the brand new capital will fund further SKUs, enlargement into the army retail channel by the Military & Air Pressure Alternate Service (AAFES) and continued digital-first development.
Diamond Brew’s unique August 2024 launch was backed by GNC CEO Michael Costello, Dream Ventures, Entrepreneur Ventures and the Kali Mata household workplace. None of these buyers are named within the new spherical.
Diamond Brew joins a rising subject of prompt and soluble espresso sellers pitching themselves as premium or higher-quality alternate options to conventional prompt espresso.
Every day Espresso Information archives present that the specialty prompt class has drawn recurring startup exercise for the reason that mid-2010s. Sudden Espresso, an early entrant backed by $2.7 million in funding, ceased operations in 2020. Voila, one other early participant, additionally shut down. Swift Espresso, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 2016, has remained lively, constructing a business-to-business processing operation for specialty roasters alongside its shopper line. Waka Espresso & Tea raised $725,000 in 2022 to develop its freeze-dried prompt lineup.
Different well-established Third Wave specialty espresso manufacturers — together with Blue Bottle, Verve and Intelligentsia — have all performed high-profile prompt espresso rollouts. In the meantime, different manufacturers have provided full reinterpretations of the soluble format, akin to Cometeer’s frozen soluble espresso pucks and even espresso in a tube.
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Nick Brown
Nick Brown is the editor of Every day Espresso Information by Roast Journal.
