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LONDON — Specialist investment firm The Equity Studio is banking on wellness, and taking a multimillion-pound stake in the fast-growing British brand Trip, which creates vitamin and plant-powered beverages and supplements.
Trip, which was founded in 2019 by the married couple Olivia Ferdi and Daniel Khoury, is the fastest-growing U.K. beverage brand with omnichannel distribution in Europe and the U.S.
Its gluten-free, vegan drinks, supplements and oils have been formulated to deliver a sense of calm and to support mental and physical well-being.
The brand’s most recent launches include magnesium gummies and a collection of drinks called Mindful Blends, formulated with ingredients including lion’s mane, a type of mushroom; magnesium; ashwagandha, and L-theanine, an amino acid found in green and black tea.
Trip’s bestsellers include CBD-infused products and naturally flavored powders and drinks containing magnesium, which is meant to boost energy and enhance sleep.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Anna Sweeting, founder of The Equity Studio, described Trip as “more than just a beverage brand — it’s a movement toward a more balanced, mindful future.” She added that Trip’s team is “deeply connected to their community, and truly understands their ‘daily chaos’ and how it evolves. This sensitivity has set Trip on an unmatched growth trajectory,” she said.
The Equity Studio made the investment in a boom time for wellness brands.
According to the investor, sales of wellness products are expected to reach an estimated $9 trillion by 2028, while the functional product category in particular has experienced dramatic growth.
According to The Equity Studio, the global functional beverage market specifically is projected to hit $449 billion by 2032, driven by a compound annual growth rate of 7 percent.
Trip is also growing thanks to its ambassadors and partners. It recently teamed with the mindfulness app Calm to deliver a first-of-its-kind product collaboration that looked to bridge the gap between digital experience and physical retail. The Trip team also collaborated with Ashley Graham to further amplify the Calm launch.
Sweeting said another reason for investing in Trip was its blend of influence and innovation.
“Our philosophy at The Equity Studio is built on the idea that capital is only part of the equation. We believe true, lasting impact for brands comes from creating meaningful connections between the audiences they inspire and the wider cultural landscape.
“Trip embodies this approach and with our shared belief in merging influence with innovation to fuel impactful growth, we are so excited to come together with Olivia and Daniel and the whole Trip team,” Sweeting said.
Ferdi said that she and her husband founded Trip in a bid to “create calm in the everyday chaos, using the power of plants to help people feel their best. Partnering with The Equity Studio is a natural and timely step toward realizing our vision of Trip as a global wellness brand.”
She added the investment will allow Trip “to meet the growing demand for our products, while always staying true to our mission. The Equity Studio was the standout partner for us.”
The Equity Studio partners with growth-stage consumer brands and technologies across beauty, wellness and lifestyle in the U.K., Europe and the U.S.
It looks to partner with companies “that have a proven track record, exceptional profitability and strong growth potential that will benefit from its strategic support to scale to the next level.”
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, left, and Anna Sweeting at The Equity Studio’s first Power Lunch in London late in 2024.
The Equity Studio’s team and advisers include operators, founders and creators in the consumer sector.
As reported, The Equity Studio welcomed Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as partner last year, and launched with a principal investment vehicle backed exclusively by Sweeting and Huntington-Whiteley. Since then, the two have been putting their muscle behind brands in the U.S., U.K. and Europe.
Huntington-Whiteley said The Equity Studio is taking “a transformative approach to investment, focusing on amplification that prioritizes authenticity and collaboration, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come.”
Sweeting has also formed an advisory board made up of international business leaders, strategists and entrepreneurs who will press their diverse skills into action advising founders and helping to scale businesses.
As part of her mission to nurture a community of entrepreneurs, investors and managers, Sweeting has also started a Power Lunch series of events, with the first taking place late last year at Mount Street restaurant in Mayfair.
Sweeting said the lunch series is a “modern take on the ’90s Wall Street classic, inspired by the premise that the best deals don’t happen behind desks.”
Guests included Huntington-Whiteley and a host of founders, creators and makers across the beauty, wellness and lifestyle categories.
Among them were Ferdi of Trip; Jess Hunt, cofounder and creative director of the clean beauty brand Refy; Hyrum Cook of Adanola, the activewear brand, and Sabrina Elba of S’Able Labs Skincare.
Sweeting said the Power Lunch series will continue this year in cultural hubs around the world, with editions planned in places including Los Angeles, New York and the United Arab Emirates.
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