San Diego, CA, June 1, 2022 – Lively Root, the leading horticulture lifestyle brand, announced today the close of $4 million in seed funding. This round will contribute to the expansion of Lively Root as it builds out an extensive supply network of growers and nurseries throughout the country.
Participants include top San Diego investors with extensive industry backgrounds, such as Jake Goodall (Former CEO of Jack In the Box), CJ Stos (Original Investor in Vuori), and Ken Cook (Founder McKenzie Farms, the Largest Christmas Tree Farm in the US), along with a diverse group of landscape and gardening professionals.
Founded in July 2020 by current Chairman Jon Ewing, George Skegas, Steve Pyle, and Jerry Halamuda, Lively Root is a company on a mission to inspire green spaces by connecting people with plants.
“Becoming a modern garden center is truly the essence of why we started Lively Root and the growth we envisioned,” said Ewing. “This funding will allow us to grow our community, improve our offerings, optimize geographical locations and utilize technology to be the best resource for our partners and customers.”
Since 2020, the company has created numerous collections and connected with growers all over the country. This raise comes on the heels of its recent Culinary Line launch and over 150% year-over-year growth.
“Lively Root is modernizing the garden center with a brand that speaks to today’s consumers with fun and fresh products, education, inspiration, and the fastest ecommerce delivery available,” said Lively Root CEO Colin Barceloux. “This financing will allow us to continue partnering with incredible local nurseries and expand operations beyond the west coast. We could not be more excited about the expansion opportunities and pushing the industry online with our proprietary platform and demand generation.”
An MBA Graduate from Stanford’s GSB, Barceloux is previously known for founding BookRenter.com (the first online textbook rental company), Techmate (YC S16), and Axius from Stanford’s StartX accelerator. Barceloux comes from a rich heritage of horticulture and a 100-year history of Loam Ridges, a family orchard known for its farm-to-table olive oil in Orland, CA.
“As a 55-year nursery entrepreneur in all facets of the industry, consumer product fulfillment is changing to meet the needs of the younger generation from brick and mortar of yesterday to the convenience of your front door,” said Cook. “With its unique product sourcing, broad selection, a caring and knowledgeable staff, and a never compromising on quality and service, Lively Root is a refreshing and welcomed concept. My investment in Lively Root was based on my passion for the nursery industry, the unique strategy, and a management team with over 300 years of experience; I know I have picked the right horse!”
The company currently works with partners in California, Oregon, and Florida. Lively Root allows nurseries to plug into the Lively Root platform as a fulfillment distributor to enable orders by multiple locations while at the same time expanding their sales. This year, Lively Root will also extend into new categories like outdoor plants, holiday items, and plant care accessories. Lively Root plans to kick off their Series A fundraising later this year and continue to capitalize on the extensive market opportunity and disrupt this $60 Billion per year industry.
About Lively Root: Lively Root Technologies, Inc. is the leading horticulture lifestyle brand based in San Diego, CA. They guarantee the healthiest and happiest plants: lovingly grown, hand-selected, and carefully packed from the nursery to the customer. Lively Root is a resource that offers a curated selection of plants, Plantade™, care guides, and more. Their vision is for every plant to have a name, building a bond between people and plants. Lively Root is committed to sustainability and inspiring the modern gardener to create their own green spaces. To learn more, visit www.livelyroot.com or on social media @livelyroot.
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