VEA has invested in US premium coffee brewer Ratio’s latest funding round to capitalise on the at-home coffee experience that gained prominence during the pandemic
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The Oregon-based Ratio machine range includes the Ratio Six, launched in January 2020, and Ratio Eight | Photo credit: VEA
VEA, a holding company investing in coffee industry innovation, has announced that it has invested in US premium coffee brewer Ratio’s latest funding round to catalyse an increasing demand for convenient home coffee-brewing solutions.
The Oregon-based Ratio machine range includes the Ratio Six, launched in January 2020, and Ratio Eight. The Ratio Six, which was recently awarded the Gold Cup Certification from the SCA, achieved considerable sales growth in the first year of the pandemic.
Sales of premium home espresso machines have rocketed over the last 18 months as consumers have adopted
new home coffee rituals during the pandemic.
The undisclosed VEA investment is the first from a coffee-equipment entity, following several investment rounds by private investors.
“Not everything that can be automated should be automated. As Ratio prepares to integrate tech-enabled features in our expanding lineup, we’re looking forward to collaborating with their knowledgeable and passionate team. Our mission has always been to bring an elevated coffee experience to the home. Now we’re looking at other contexts where good coffee is needed but barista training is hard to maintain, such as hotels, restaurants, and the office,” said Mark Hellweg, CEO of Ratio.
The investment follows VEA’s acquisition of the German prosumer espresso machine brand
Belezza. Its portfolio also includes the Carimali, Elektra and Heylo coffee machine brands.