The Plug Drink (The Plug), a leading functional recovery beverage company created by brother duo, Ray and Justin Kim, using Asian-inspired plant-based formula, closed a successful $1.5 Million Seed funding round after gaining massive consumer traction online via direct-to-consumer, along with a major retail presence in Southern California.

Globally renowned entertainer and GRAMMY-nominated rapper, Jack Harlow, has participated in the financing round, joining other new investors, including venture funds Backend Capital (Lucy Guo) and Kaieteur Capital (Nicholas Parasram), and Kevin Gould (Founder of Kombo Ventures & Co-Founder of Glamnetics), Phil Quist (Agent at CAA & Investor at Connect Ventures), Adriana Arce (VP of REBEL & Former Manager of Miley Cyrus), and Kevin Lee (Co-Founder of immi).

The Plug has already attracted a list of high-profile investors, including WISH.com’s co-founder and CEO, Peter Szulczewski; NBA basketball player, Myles Turner; and NFL player, Troy Hill. Other investors in this round include Bagel Boy Equity Group II; The Baine Companies, LLC; JGG Holdings LLC; Estars’ co-founder, David Lee; artist manager at Emagen, Bo Triplett; PLL player, Jack Near; and Richard Blankenship, co-founder of Prizeout and founder of Dream Ventures.

Jack Harlow’s manager, Chris Thomas, says: “The Plug is a true disruptor in the functional recovery beverage space. After getting to know the founders, Ray and Justin, we’ve become strong believers in what they’re building, and it’s one of the main reasons why Jack and I decided to invest in this seed round. The Plug is the first to capture both the hydration and the herbal supplement markets. Very impressive to see how quickly they’ve grown in just a year, and can’t wait to see The Plug skyrocket next year!”

“We are thrilled to have Jack Harlow as our latest investor. His professional career, work ethic, and vision truly resonate with our spirit and mission at The Plug,” Ray and Justin Kim say. “This is an exciting time to be in the functional beverage space as there’s been a lack of truly plant-based recovery products with delicious taste and efficacy. We’re confident The Plug will play a key role in driving the overall health and wellness trend in the broader consumer market.”

The Plug will use this round of funding to scale its growth in both direct-to-consumer and retail, in addition to boosting marketing efforts and onboarding more team members in the areas of sales and social media. The product has expanded across more than 700 retail locations within the past six months, including 7-11, GNC, Southern California stores, along with being state-wide in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and will partner with several key national retail chains and distributors in the coming months. After recently completing successful roadshows with Sam’s Club across its SoCal locations, The Plug will be launching more roadshows across SoCal, including San Diego, as well as Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Michigan, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania over the next three to six months. Most recently, The Plug also partnered with the UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, as an Official Partner for UFC 264 and TAO Group. The company will focus on expanding its offline brand awareness through its brand ambassador affiliate program, weddings, concerts, festivals, hospitality, and other synergistic partnerships.

In October 2021, The Plug onboarded Hayden Fulstone (Co-Founder of Liquid I.V. – acquired by Unilever in 2020) as their 4th Advisor. Mr. Fulstone says: “Ray and Justin have created an exceptional product and brand in such a short period of time. The product itself is a clear leader in the category and one of the main reasons why I’m so happy to be joining the team. I am beyond excited to be working with these two talented entrepreneurs who have grand aspirations like we did when starting Liquid I.V.” Mr. Fulstone will join a star-studded board of advisors which include Ethelbert Williams (Head of U.S. eCommerce at Johnson & Johnson), Thor Richardson (Former Managing Partner of Casamigos Tequila), and John Terzian, Brian Toll, and Tony LaPenna (Founders of h.wood Group).

The Plug aims to optimize every customer’s proactive lifestyle with its scientific formula that rapidly cleanses your liver of toxins, reduces unwelcomed symptoms after a night out, keeps you properly hydrated, and boosts your immune system. Its proprietary plant-based formula consists of 13 plants, flowers, and fruits and has the highest herbal concentration (3.6g) compared with competitors. The Plug’s mission is to educate consumers about the power of plants and to optimize every customer’s time and productivity.

“We want to become a household product, and the first name that comes to consumers’ minds when choosing a liver detox product. Think of us as a rapid-cleanse for your liver.” says Justin Kim. Each mouthwatering and refreshing bottle is Vegan Friendly, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, and FDA compliant, and is also made without added sugar, caffeine, fat, or cholesterol.