Aura Bora Announces Partnership with Next In Natural

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aura Bora, Inc., the innovative maker of Aura Bora craft sparkling waters, is excited to announce that Next In Natural, a Brooklyn-based investment firm, has acquired a majority stake in the company. This acquisition positions Aura Bora for its next phase of growth as a valued addition to Next In Natural's shared services ecosystem. As part of the transition, Paul Voge, Aura Bora's CEO, will focus on future product innovation. Jeff Lichtenstein, Next in Natural's CEO, will serve as Chairman of the Board.

Aura Bora was founded by Paul and Madeleine Voge in 2019. What began as a kitchen experiment with a home carbonator and some unusually delightful ingredients became a beverage brand with products sold in premium retail locations across the country. The company is proud to be a delicious alternative to alcohol and sugar-filled soft drinks as true ingenuity in the competitive sparkling water category. In addition to core retail flavors like Ginger Meyer Lemon and Lavender Cucumber, the brand has achieved particular notoriety for its limited-time varieties like Blackberry Black Pepper, Peach Honeysuckle, and Green Bean Casserole. In recent years, Aura Bora has also partnered with Graza Olive Oil, Magnolia Bakery, and PF Candle on a variety of innovative product launches. The company has been covered by The New Yorker, Inc, GQ, Forbes, AdWeek, and Rolling Stone.

"I'm very proud of the brand we've built over the past six years," said Paul Voge. "Our products continue to be a welcome change from the norm, in what has traditionally been a boring category. I'm excited for our team to continue to innovate, grow our audience, and release products consumers love. We will benefit greatly from Next in Natural's expertise in scaling efficiently and effectively."

Jeff Lichtenstein's extensive experience includes helping launch and scale brands like Chobani, La Colombe, and Hu as the founder and CEO of Gourmet Guru, an incubator and distributor of cutting-edge food and beverage brands. After years of organic growth, Lichtenstein sold Gourmet Guru to UNFI, one the country's largest wholesalers and manufacturers of natural foods.

"Aura Bora epitomizes what's next – delicious, clean ingredients that are aligned with consumer demand," states Kristine Laurel, the Chief Operating Officer at Next In Natural. Lichtenstein adds, "Paul's story is one of passion for doing the right thing by way of creating better-for-you products with marketing that really resonates with consumers seeking healthy and imaginative products. With Next In Natural's shared services platform, Aura Bora is positioned to thrive with comprehensive support that will strengthen their supply chain and support future innovation."

"The better-for-you beverage category continues to grow, and our partnership with Next in Natural positions Aura Bora to capitalize on this momentum," states Voge. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

About Aura Bora
Founded in 2019 and based in San Francisco, Aura Bora makes premium beverages from herbs, fruits, and flowers. Its line of craft sparkling waters is sold through diversified channels, including grocery stores, ecommerce outlets, and foodservice companies across the country. Aura Bora's sparkling waters are sugar-free, calorie-free, and non-GMO. Cans are filled via cold-force carbonation and reverse-osmosis filtration. The result is a crisp sparkling water free of PFAS and citric acid. Their best-selling, unique flavors include Lavender Cucumber, Ginger Meyer Lemon, Raspberry Vanilla, and Lime Cardamom.

About Next In Natural
Next In Natural is a middle-market investment and cross-functional operating firm focused on scaling better-for-you food and beverage companies via their robust team and ecosystem. Their team of experienced business development, marketing, operations and accounting executives adds value to portfolio companies with a specially tailored approach to meet the needs of emerging brands. Next In Natural strives for a symbiotic relationship with their portfolio companies, customers, and investors. Their mission is to help make the world a better place, organically.

For More Information: 
http://www.aurabora.com/ or follow @DrinkAuraBora
[email protected] visit www.NextInNatural.com or follow @Next In Natural LinkedIn

SOURCE Next In Natural