Serendipity2 chiefs invest in Brazilian health start-up

teaSerendipity2 chiefs Pete Flood and Mike Housley have signed a deal to become director shareholders at start-up D’Amazonia, a company dedicated to helping consumers achieve their health and wellbeing goals with scientifically formulated tea blends and health foods.

D’Amazonia was founded in 2020 by Brazilian mother and daughter team, Polly Gomes and Marcela Tupinamba, following a futile search for natural solutions to help increase their own fitness levels and keep their bodies in shape.

The first brand is a mix of natural low caffeine, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories in D’Amazonia Fitness Tea, with the duo pledging to plant a tree for each product sold.

Gomes said: “Being from Brazil, we looked for inspiration in the plants and medicinal herbs used by people from the Amazon rainforest. Our mission is to promote a healthy, nutritious lifestyle by offering natural functional products that make people feel great in mind, body and spirit whilst doing our part for the environment.

“We are delighted to have Pete and Mike on board. They have tremendous experience in the food and drinks sector and will help accelerate our ambitious growth plans.”

Former Market Location and Dudley Jenkins director Flood launched Serendipity2 in 2001 and it now counts Coca-Cola European Partners, Marstons, Coca-Cola GB, Carlsberg, Greene King, Dominos, BBC Good Food, Royal Caribbean, WHSmith and Unilever among its client base.

Housley, the ex-Draft Digital, LBM, and Cyance chief became a non-executive director of the agency in October last year.

Flood said: “I’m very excited to have the opportunity of working with D’Amazonia to help scale the business while applying my long experience of helping major global and progressive SME Food and Drinks brands to achieve success.

“The UK tea market is changing. Since lockdown tea consumption has doubled and the functional tea market is projected to grow by $2.89bn by 2023.

“Consumer tastes have shifted over the past decade with green tea and exotic blends gaining popularity over traditional black tea. Tea lovers are demanding better quality teas at home, in restaurants, cafes, and in coffee/tea shops. They’re no longer satisfied with one or two choices of standard tea bags.”

Housley added: “The opportunity to work with Pete and D’Amazonia was simply too good to turn down. We aim to create a widely recognisable health, fitness and wellbeing brand in D’Amazonia with the emphasis on our exciting portfolio of functional teas.

“Initially we’re growing direct to consumer (D2C) online sales through highly targeted campaigns to key consumer audiences via online and social media channels. The plan is to develop a growing portfolio of functional tea brands to include more blends, organic health foods and accessories.”

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