NEW YORK – VIDE Beverages Inc., a New York-based premium canned cocktail brand, announced today that Olivia Culpo is joining the team as creative director and investor alongside David Adelman, CEO of Darco Capital.
VIDE is a ready-to-drink vodka soda with a hint of natural fruit flavor that comes in two varieties, Cranberry and Watermelon. Made with only three ingredients, the ABV beverage is 99 calories, gluten-free, and contains zero sugar and zero carbs. The new fundraising round for VIDE comes off the heels of a stellar 2020 year with plans for expansion, new products and more hires in 2020 and 2021.
Culpo, who has gained success as an esteemed model, actress and business entrepreneur, is eager to enter the canned cocktail space. She was impressed by VIDE’s rapid growth within a competitive category and thought that the brand complemented her active, health-conscious lifestyle.
“I grew up in the restaurant business and have always been passionate about the sense of community built around amazing food and drink. It’s a part of my DNA and what I associate with companionship and making memories with friends and family,” says Olivia Culpo. “After opening our family restaurant, The Back40, I knew I needed to do more in the hospitality space which is why I am so happy to have discovered VIDE. It is a high quality and health-conscious beverage which is exactly what I’ve been looking for in the hard seltzer space. I am so excited to work with Ryan and Sal to continue to grow this amazing business.”
Culpo now joins notable investor David Adelman, CEO of Darco Capital, a leading CPG family investment office, as a lead investor for VIDE’s most recent fundraising round. Darco has invested in other beverage companies including Beatbox Beverages, Beach Whiskey, Recess, and Rise Brewing Co. Culpo and Adelman will work closely with VIDE co-founders, Sal Campisi and Ryan Laverty, to oversee the next round of financing.
“When I met Sal and Ryan, I knew they had a winning formula both in the can and in each other as entrepreneurs,” said Adelman. “Their ability to bring an elevated elegance to this rapidly growing beverage category through a commitment to a healthy formula and high-quality ingredients shows a fundamental understanding of modern-day consumer values.”
Campisi and Laverty created the brand when they realized there was a gap in the market for a ready-to-drink product made with real spirits. Together, the duo shared a vision to deliver convenience and clean ingredients to the modern drinker.
“We’re ecstatic to have Olivia and David lead this round. They both have such a keen sense of the opportunity within our space and a vast understanding of changing consumer preferences,” says Laverty.
Campisi adds, “Olivia perfectly aligns with our brand. We’re so excited that she shares the same vision Ryan and I have had since we started this. We’re humbled to have Olivia and David on our team as business partners.”
VIDE is priced at $11.99 (for a 4-pack of 12-ounce cans) and can be shipped to 30 states. To find if shipping is available in your state, please visit: https://drinkvide.com/order-online. To learn more about VIDE, follow along on Instagram at @drinkvide or visit https://drinkvide.com/.
ABOUT VIDE BEVERAGES INC.
VIDE is a conveniently packaged, pre-mixed vodka soda with a hint of natural fruit flavor that comes in two varieties: Cranberry and Watermelon. Made with only three ingredients – carbonated water, six times distilled gluten-free vodka, and a dash of natural cranberry/watermelon flavor – VIDE is crisp, refreshing, and light. The 5% ABV beverage is 99 calories, gluten-free, and contains zero sugar and zero carbs. VIDE was founded in 2019 by college best friends Ryan Laverty and Sal Campisi. The pair, who are both 26 years old, came together to create VIDE when they realized there was a gap in the market for a ready-to-drink product made with real vodka and shared a vision to deliver convenience and clean ingredients to the modern drinker.
ABOUT OLIVIA CULPO
Olivia Culpo began with a Miss Universe title and turned that into a wildly successful career which includes modeling, acting, philanthropy and entrepreneurial endeavors, reaching a career milestone when she was chosen as a cover model for the prestigious Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and Maxim top 100. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Olivia used her business acumen to launch “More Than A Mask,” a line of non-surgical, non-medical face masks which donates a portion of sales from each purchase to charitable organizations such as Feeding America and Color of Change. Expanding even further, Olivia and “More Than a Mask” partnered with Express to launch a short-run exclusive #ExpressTogether collection of masks which also donated partial profit to charity. Olivia continues to serve as a global ambassador and board member for Best Buddies, an over eight-year long relationship she has fostered since entering her first pageant for Miss Rhode Island. Alongside her family in Rhode Island, Olivia co-owns the acclaimed Back 40 restaurant. On the acting front, Olivia’s credits include: indie film Venus as a Boy; TV series Paradise City; Lionsgate’s The Swing of Things; Amy Schumer helmed I Feel Pretty.
ABOUT DARCO CAPITAL
Darco Capital is the family office investment vehicle of David Adelman. A self-made entrepreneur, David made his first investment more than 30 years ago when he decided to invest $2,000 in a student housing business called Campus Apartments. David is now the CEO of that company and one of the leading experts on university-affiliated real estate development. When he’s not leading the team at Campus Apartments, David serves as an active private investor and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and Vice Chairman of FS Investments, a leading manager of alternative investment funds, with $24 Billion of Assets Under Management. Adelman also serves as the lead investor and Lead Director of Wheels Up.