In its Series A round, Unilever Ventures, the company’s investment arm, led the $5 million raise for the farm-to-face luxury skincare and personal care brand RAS. Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund also participated in the round.
Green Frontier Capital, a New York-based venture capital firm with a focus on sustainability and climate change, contributed $1.5 million to RAS’s pre-Series A round earlier in April 2023.
The money raised will be utilized to increase its retail presence, with a particular emphasis on shop-in-shop and exclusive brand outlets (EBOs). Talent acquisition, R&D for new product lines, branding and marketing initiatives, and technology advancement are additional investment areas.
Several prominent angel investors, including Keki Mistry’s family, and RAS’s current investors, including Sixth Sense Ventures, have also taken part in this round.
RAS, which was founded by Shubhika, Sangeeta, and Suramya Jain, provides skincare and cosmetic products made with natural ingredients and powerful scientific formulations. These products are produced at the startup’s exclusive vertically integrated research facility and farms located in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Over the next three years, the company plans to open 50 more Pan-India EBOs in addition to its current two.
Over the next four years, the company expects to see a 25% revenue contribution from offline channels, with offline retail expansion being one of the primary focus areas following funding. In addition, it is prepared to see expansion from the HORECA market.
