Minority-owned, female-founded Apothékary closed a seed funding round to support its plant-based natural farmacy's next stage of growth.
WHO: Apothékary was founded in 2020 by second-time founder Shizu Okusa, and has amassed a devoted consumer following for its plant-based farmacy that delivers clean, natural alternatives to traditional over-the-counter drugs and supplements. Apothékary is rooted in Eastern medicine and over 5,000 years of science and tradition.
WHY: The funds will enable the brand to accelerate retail expansion with partners in UK and Canada, grow their team, and execute on their robust product innovation pipeline and double down on their brand and customer experience.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: "When thinking of this next stage of the business and all that we want to accomplish to better serve our customers, I thought to myself, 'Why shouldn't a founder lead and invest in their own company?'" said Shizu Okusa, founder, CEO, and Chief "Wellth" Advisor of Apothékary. "We have tapped into consumers' desires to swap pills for plants, and we are just getting started. It was important to me that this round of funding be founder-led to provide true value-add to our business as we also scale, build an incredible team and deliver exceptional results to customers. Having such incredible founders in our corner will enable more one-on-one interactions and true partners that have also gone through the extreme highs and lows of entrepreneurship. In my first company, I learned the hard way how important mental health and support from fellow entrepreneurs is and I'm so honored to have these incredible investors back Apothékary."
“Apothékary is so exciting to me, personally, because they're building a unique lane in the holistic care space," said Alex Elle, a bestselling author, certified breathwork coach, creator of the hey, girl. podcast, and Apothékary investor. "Shizu is paving the way in how we use supplements and relate to wellness. It is amazing to see the brand grow as rapidly as it has, but unsurprising because consumers want and need brands like Apothékary. I am thrilled to lend support in this next chapter of development for the brand."
“Shizu is a force of nature," said Kiran Bhatraju, CEO of Arcadia and Apothékary investor. "She intimately understands that food is medicine and that consumers desire to take care of themselves and the planet. I can't wait to see how Apothékary grows in the future.”
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