Vital Drinks scores £1m to back Harry Kane push ahead of World Cup

Harry Kane-backed startup Vital Drinks has scored a fresh £1m in funding ahead of a major brand push for this summer’s Fifa World Cup.

The functional drinks challenger will use the money to support further retail expansion after winning listings in Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Ocado, as well as expanding into foodservice through Brakes.

Vital is also planning a big brand activation behind its partnership with Harry Kane as the England striker prepares to face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the group stages of the World Cup in June. The push is aimed at accelerating trial and penetration of its sparkling vitamin, energy and gut health drinks.

“This raise is about building the category,” said Al Duffield, who founded Vital in 2024.

“Functional drinks should be bigger, more accessible and establish themselves as the leading force within soft drinks. Our focus is on driving recruitment, trial and awareness at scale. With a World Cup year ahead, activating Harry Kane in-store gives us a powerful platform to bring new shoppers into functional drinks and accelerate that shift.”

New investors in the latest round include Alex von Behr, former Unilever global chief commercial officer, Thatchers Cider non-exec Lance Moir, Dan Murray, co-founder of supplements brand Heights, and Kate Walton, a finance director with experience at Costa Coffee and Moonpig.

They join existing backers Barney Mauleverer, co-founder of Fuel10K, Peter Littlewood, a former senior vice president at Mars, ex-chairman of Bulldog Skincare, and investor and advisor to Jubel and Pip & Nut, and Michael Saunders, the founder of wine distributor Bibendum.