AUSTRALIA. Posca Hydrate, the zero-sugar sparkling hydration drink co-founded by former Beam Suntory International Global Travel Retail Global Marketing Director Ed Stening and Australian broadcaster/comedian Merrick Watts, has opened its investment round on OnMarket, initially through a private window for investors who registered interest.
The move marks the next chapter for the business, whose launch was reported by The Moodie Davitt Report in October 2024.
The business is seeking A$5 million-A$7 million (US$3.5 million-US$4.9 million) to accelerate Australian growth and support entry into the US market. Travel retail forms part of the roll-out plan.
Announcing the opening on LinkedIn today (5 November), Co-Founder and CEO Stening said capital had already been received. He outlined plans to fund stock and working capital, support retail sales, build consumer demand and finance the next product roll-out.
The non-alcoholic soda combines a red grape vinegar base with four electrolytes and prebiotic fibre, adapting a drink consumed by ancient Roman soldiers for today’s functional beverages market.
Posca Hydrate has sold more than 800,000 cans and generated over A$2.5 million (US$1.76 million) in gross revenue since its October 2024 launch, according to Stening. The company reports distribution across more than 3,000 locations, with a next-generation product scheduled to launch this month.
“Getting onto a shelf is a milestone. Building a business means getting people to pick up the can, enjoy it and come back for more,” Stening wrote. “That’s where we’re putting our energy.”
Australian stockists include IGA, Foodland, FoodWorks and 7-Eleven, complemented by the brand’s online store.
Stening outlined ambitions for the travel retail channel when he spoke to The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie at launch. He identified health-conscious travellers as a target audience for its sugar- and stimulant-free proposition.
The company’s wider expansion plans include a geographically targeted US entry. Stening previously told The Australian Financial Review that potential launch markets include cities in California or Austin, Texas, citing warmer weather and consumers receptive to new products.
According to the media title, Posca Hydrate’s sales increased +50% last year. Watts and Stening retain a combined holding of approximately 75%, with around 25 shareholders in the business.
The investment round follows a wave of media coverage and an investor webinar hosted with OnMarket.
“This started on Merrick Watts’ kitchen bench, with an ancient Roman recipe and a determination to make something people would love drinking,” Stening wrote.
“Now we’re inviting more people to consider becoming part of the business.”
Chief Financial Officer Laurel-Lyn Rubio also emphasised the importance of disciplined growth in an earlier LinkedIn post.
“The future: there’s real work ahead, and my focus is making sure we build it the right way, with discipline behind the ambition,” she wrote.
Prospective investors can access the offer information and next steps here. ✈
