Ethyl Ambrosia Raises $450K for Its Vegan ‘Boozy Bites’

by Ellen Glover
May 29, 2020
Austin-based Ethyl Ambrosia raised $450K for its vegan 'boozy bites'
Photo: Ethyl Ambrosia / Facebook

Ethyl Ambrosia, an Austin-based edible alcohol technology startup, announced Thursday it closed on its first financing round, raising $450,000. Third Craft, a local private equity firm that invests in craft food companies, led the round and will be partnering with the company as well.

You may be wondering, “what the heck is ‘edible alcohol technology’?” Well, at Ethyl Ambrosia, it comes in the form of “gel bites,” a twist on the classic Jell-O shots that make any college party a little more fun. The brains behind these new shots is Mike Eisenmenger, a food scientist who has also worked with companies like ConAgra and PepsiCo.

The key difference here is that the gel bites are made with seaweed, making them a vegan alternative to gelatin, which is made with animal byproducts. Plus, thanks to the seaweed, the gel bites can’t melt, so no more soupy shots. Ethyl Ambrosia’s product is 15 percent alcohol per shot and comes in popular cocktail flavors like rosé, mojito and Moscow mule.

It doesn’t stop at shots, though. Ethyl Ambrosia’s bites come in a special miniature champagne glass with a stem that twists and pushes the shot up and out, making the days of desperately slurping and licking the bottom of a cheap plastic cup a thing of the past.

Ethyl Ambrosia ships to 12 states and Washington, D.C., and has a tasting room in Austin, which is currently temporarily closed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company says it plans to use this $450,000 to expand its sales, marketing and rebranding efforts.

“The venture firm not only brings capital to ramp up our efforts, but also brings significant strategic counsel in the food and beverage space,” CEO Dee Dee Bryant said in a statement. “We are proud of the food and packaging innovation our team has developed to really disrupt this space. Our goal is to help people celebrate and connect and we are excited to see that, by applying this cutting-edge food technology and package design, we open up this fun and exciting product category to a whole new segment of consumers and higher end celebrations.”

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