Signal trace · beverage (protein milkshakes)
GROUNDED
Every press hit, ad, BSR data point, Instagram metric, and Claude thesis the pipeline used to score GROUNDED. Click any signal to inspect the source.
At a glance
Founded
2016
HQ
London, UK (with US offices in LA & NY per LinkedIn)
Total raised
$1.2M
Last round
Seed · Dec 2022
Founders
Gabriel Bean · Co-Founder,Bryn Ferris · Co-Founder
Retailers
Whole Foods MarketSproutsFoxtrot MarketGopuffSelfridgesPlanet OrganicSoho HouseNuffield Health
Instagram
TikTok
Rhymes with
OWYN
Both are plant-based RTD protein shakes built on a 'clean label / no junk' wedge that scaled via Whole Foods and Sprouts before going mass.
Jeff's verdict
Your vote biases future scoring. Hot = +8. Pass = -15.
Composite score
51/100
-1 vs prior run
Score label
Research
83% confidence
Signals captured
121
7 sources live
Scoring runs
6
since 8/3/2026
Rubric breakdown
Traction & velocity17/25
Team pedigree10/20
Authenticity / fit6/20
Capital signal (pre-raise)8/15
Category timing7/12
Defensibility3/8
Scoring rationale
WATCH — GROUNDED is a London-founded plant-based protein milkshake brand (founded 2016 per Tracxn/LinkedIn) that closed a $1.23M seed round led by Rianta Capital in Dec 2022 and is executing a credible US expansion: nationwide Sprouts launch announced 7/16/2026 for a new 8.5oz 'Pocket Protein' SKU (BevNET), on top of an earlier Whole Foods launch (BevNET, 11/1/2024) and Foxtrot/Gopuff placements. Amazon signal is nascent (best BSR ~153k on the 16.6oz chocolate SKU, -1 reviews indicating essentially no review base) and social is thin (TikTok @grounded shows only 6 followers, likely not the brand's real handle; Instagram is @groundedshakes per BevNET). At pre-Series A with real US retail doors and rising Google Trends (avg90d 65, peak 100), this warrants tracking, but the 2022 seed vintage means they are likely mid/late-seed extension or approaching A — capital timing is the key question. Traction: 11 press · 30 ads · BSR Δ28% · TikTok 6 → 17/25 Authenticity: IG — · TT 6 · -4 Amazon reviews · 4 subreddits → 6/20 Capital: 0 funding press (penalty 3) · TM sweet-spot no · 30 ads → 8/15 (higher = pre-raise) Category timing: beverage (protein milkshakes) trend flat · brand trend rising → 7/12 Out of food+bev scope — will not surface on pipeline.
Score history
- Aug 31, 03:11 AM51
- Aug 24, 03:11 AM52
- Aug 17, 03:10 AM55
- Aug 10, 03:08 AM51
- Aug 3, 10:12 AM45
- Aug 3, 03:08 AM44
Signal sources
Press signal
- The best vegan snacks at Trader Joe's this fall
- Deakin and Bellarine Foods target wellness from marine waste
- What Is Clear Protein, And Is It Better for You? RDs Explain
- Drinks brand GROUNDED launches ‘pure’ protein m*lkshakes in Whole Foods Market
- Grounded to launch plant-based protein milkshakes
- Top 8 Ready-to-Drink Protein Shake Brands Riding India’s On-the-Go Nutrition Trend
- Top 100 Food Trends in March: From Scent-Inspired Cakes to After-Hours Lifestyle QSR Meals
- UK-based natural CPG brands secure investment, scale in the US
- GROUNDED Introduces New 8.5 fl oz “Pocket Protein” M*lkshakes + Launches Nationwide at Sprouts
- We Tested Over 100 RD-Recommended Protein Drinks — These Are the 10 We Loved
- What Is Clear Protein, And Is It Better for You? RDs Explain
- Danone tackles the big question for GLP-1 users: What should they eat?
Ad activity
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- TrybelloPlease STOP trying to regrow your hair. I know that sounds crazy, but I’m a board certified dermatologist and most products just make your hair loss worse!! I finally found a product that actually works for menopausal hair loss and blocksBrandFashion
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- Water2Filter jugs seem convenient… until you’re constantly refilling them, waiting for water to filter, replacing cartridges and losing half your fridge space. There’s an easier way to get filtered water. The way that over 200,000 UK homes uProduct/serviceService Business
- Vlada GarmashПерша частина присвячена всім речам на рейлі 🙌🏼СМИ/информационное агентствоOther
- PlixSee how Our Customer transformed his skin in just 12 weeks! Introducing the Plix Pineapple De-Pigmentation Facewash +De-pigmentation Serum Combo with a unique formula of Fruit + Actives. A refreshing & fruity skin-brightening facewash andVitamins/supplementsHealth/Wellness
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Amazon traction
- Best BSR 63464 · 90d improvement 28%
- Best BSR 119019 · 90d improvement 11%
- Best BSR 48185 · 90d improvement 47%
- Best BSR 48246 · 90d improvement 5%
- Best BSR 45811 · 90d improvement 41%
- Best BSR 46657 · 90d improvement 42%
No instagram signals captured.
TikTok
- @grounded: 6 followers · 0 hearts · 0 videos
- @grounded: 6 followers · 0 hearts · 0 videos
- @grounded: 6 followers · 0 hearts · 0 videos
- @grounded: 6 followers · 0 hearts · 0 videos
- @grounded: 6 followers · 0 hearts · 0 videos
- @grounded: 6 followers · 0 hearts · 0 videos
USPTO trademarks
No uspto trademarks signals captured.
Reddit organic
- 8 Reddit mentions across 4 subreddits (organic)
- 8 Reddit mentions across 3 subreddits (organic)
- 8 Reddit mentions across 3 subreddits (organic)
- 8 Reddit mentions across 4 subreddits (organic)
- 8 Reddit mentions across 3 subreddits (organic)
- 8 Reddit mentions across 3 subreddits (organic)
Google Trends
- Google Trends for "GROUNDED" — rising, avg90d 65, peak 100
- Category trend "beverage (protein shake)" — rising, avg90d 20
- Google Trends for "GROUNDED" — rising, avg90d 57, peak 100
- Google Trends for "GROUNDED" — rising, avg90d 50, peak 100
- Category trend "beverage (protein shake)" — rising, avg90d 27
- Category trend "beverage (protein drink)" — rising, avg90d 25
- Google Trends for "GROUNDED" — flat, avg90d 46, peak 100
- Category trend "beverage (plant-based protein milkshake)" — falling, avg90d 0
- Google Trends for "GROUNDED" — flat, avg90d 27, peak 100
- Google Trends for "GROUNDED" — flat, avg90d 27, peak 100
AI thesis
- WATCH — GROUNDED is a London-founded plant-based protein milkshake brand (founded 2016 per Tracxn/LinkedIn) that closed a $1.23M seed round led by Rianta Capital in Dec 2022 and is executing a credible US expansion: nationwide Sprouts launch announced 7/16/2026 for a new 8.5oz 'Pocket Protein' SKU (BevNET), on top of an earlier Whole Foods launch (BevNET, 11/1/2024) and Foxtrot/Gopuff placements. Amazon signal is nascent (best BSR ~153k on the 16.6oz chocolate SKU, -1 reviews indicating essentia
- WATCH — GROUNDED is a UK-founded (2016) plant-based RTD protein milkshake brand with real food & beverage relevance, but it's likely past Jeff's pre-Series A sweet spot: it closed an oversubscribed seed round in Feb 2023 (Rianta Capital-led, with Lever VC, Veg Capital, Artesian VC per Tavily) and has already secured national US doors including Whole Foods (Oct 2024) and Sprouts nationwide (BevNET, 07/16/2026), plus Foxtrot and Gopuff NYC. Amazon signal is early — ASIN B0D321QT87 (16.6oz chocolat
- WATCH — GROUNDED is a UK-founded (2016) plant-based protein milkshake brand that just launched nationwide at Sprouts in July 2026 with a new 8.5oz 'Pocket Protein' format, adding to prior Whole Foods (Oct 2024) and Foxtrot distribution. However, the brand already closed a seed round in Dec 2022 ($1.23M per Tracxn, with a follow-on 'Series unknown' event Feb 2023 per LinkedIn), and Amazon velocity on the shake SKU (ASIN B0D321QT87) is flat at BSR ~176,485 with reviewCount unavailable — the 47% BS
- WATCH. GROUNDED is a UK-founded (2016) plant-based protein milkshake brand that has quietly built a real US retail footprint — nationwide launch at Sprouts (BevNET, 07/16/2026) on top of a 2024 Whole Foods rollout and Foxtrot placement — but the capital stack is already past Jeff's pre-Seed sweet spot with $1.23M raised across a 2022 seed led by Rianta Capital and a follow-on round dated 2023-02-01 per LinkedIn. Amazon signal is thin (single ASIN at BSR 158K, +5% 30d trend, effectively no review
- WATCH — GROUNDED is a UK-founded (2016) plant-based protein milkshake brand that fits Jeff's F&B lens, with real retail proof (Whole Foods Market launch 10/28/2024 per BevNET, plus Waitrose, Selfridges, Foxtrot, and Gopuff per LinkedIn/IG), an Amazon BSR that improved 41% (from 183,858 → 107,669 on the chocolate 12-pack ASIN B0CY3KNJ33), and ~10.7K Instagram followers on @groundedshakes. However, they closed a seed round in Dec 2022 (The Grocer) with a follow-on 'Series unknown' in Feb 2023 per
- WATCH — GROUNDED is a UK-founded (2016) plant-based protein milkshake brand that landed in Whole Foods US in October 2024 and shows a 42% 30-day Amazon BSR improvement on its chocolate 12-pack SKU (ASIN B0CY3KNJ33, current BSR ~107,669 in Grocery). However, the brand has already run 6 funding rounds per LinkedIn (last round Feb 2023, 'Series unknown'), suggesting it may be past Jeff's pre-Series A entry point, and social velocity is thin (TikTok @grounded has just 6 followers, 0 videos; Instagra