TrueStart Coffee, the Bristol-based challenger brand available in major supermarkets including Asda and Morrisons, has announced a substantial Series A investment that will fuel its ambitious expansion plans across the United Kingdom.
Founding Vision and Growth Journey
Established in 2015 by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Helena and Simon Hills, TrueStart Coffee emerged from a personal passion for combining premium, specialty-grade coffee with a health-conscious, caffeine-aware lifestyle. The concept originated during the founders' triathlon training, where they identified a gap in the market for high-quality coffee that supported an active, wellness-oriented routine.
Over the past decade, the company has grown from a bootstrapped startup to a nationally recognised brand with distribution through more than 5,000 points across the UK. Its products are currently stocked by major retailers including Asda, Morrisons, Co-op, Costco, and online grocer Ocado.
Strategic Investment Partnership
The significant funding round was spearheaded by JamJar Investments, the consumer brand business famously associated with Innocent Drinks. The investment consortium also included DLF Venture alongside several strategic angel investors, though the precise financial details remain confidential.
Helena Hills expressed enthusiasm about this new chapter, stating: "After ten years of diligently building our brand through bootstrapped efforts, we have achieved excellent product-market fit, and demand for TrueStart has never been stronger. This strategic investment will enable us to rapidly accelerate our already impressive growth trajectory, allowing us to build a category-defining brand that consistently delivers on taste, health, and energy for our customers."
Investor Confidence and Market Potential
Adam Balon, co-founder of JamJar Investments, highlighted the appeal of TrueStart's proposition: "TrueStart represents exactly the type of brand and team we love to support—one that injects excitement, optimism, and enjoyment into people's daily routines. The coffee category has long needed revitalisation, and TrueStart is delivering exactly that with outstanding products, a distinct perspective, and founders possessing the ambition to create something genuinely exceptional."
He added: "TrueStart has already demonstrated an ability to achieve growth in ways that most challenger brands cannot. We see tremendous potential and are thrilled to participate in their journey as they develop one of the next great consumer brands."
Expansion Strategy and Future Direction
The newly acquired capital will support TrueStart's next phase of development, focusing on several key areas:
- Expanding the brand's core product range to offer more variety to consumers
- Substantial investment in strengthening the direct-to-consumer sales channel
- Scaling operations across retail, out-of-home, and digital platforms
Clément Helinckx, principal at DLF Venture, elaborated on the strategic vision: "This next stage involves scaling across multiple channels—retail, out-of-home, and direct-to-consumer—by introducing innovations that expand the category and activating the brand in ways that attract new consumers while building lasting brand value."
With this significant investment and clear strategic roadmap, TrueStart Coffee is positioned to substantially increase its market presence, bringing its unique combination of quality, health-consciousness, and energy to an even broader audience of UK coffee enthusiasts.
