Lucky Energy Raises $25M and Assembles an All-Star Beverage Board

What’s happening:
Lucky Energy, one of the fastest-growing clean energy drink brands in America, just closed a $25 million Series B led by Paine Schwartz Partners. The round brings in new investors North Fifth Services, Sequel, Joyance Partners, and strengthens support from existing backers.

Lucky’s momentum is undeniable: the viral sellout of its Black Label line, massive retail growth, and distribution in 15,000+ stores nationwide — with Walmart, Sheetz, and Cumberland Farms joining next month.

The company also added beverage legends James Brennan (Enlightened Brand Ventures) and Bob DeBorde (Suja, Promix, former Coca-Cola SVP) to its board, teaming up with longtime advisor Dan Ginsberg, former CEO of Red Bull North America.

Why it matters:
The energy drink market is shifting — fast. Consumers are choosing clean, simple formulas over the hyper-sugary legacy options. Lucky Energy’s 5-ingredient blend of caffeine, maca, beta-alanine, ginseng, and taurine hits the sweet spot: functional performance without the crash, the chemicals, or the clutter.

But what truly separates Lucky Energy isn’t just the formula — it’s the story.
Founder Richard Laver isn’t creating another trendy beverage. He’s building a brand rooted in survival and purpose.

Laver is the youngest survivor of Delta Flight 191, the 1985 crash that killed 136 passengers — including his father. He was 12 years old. What should have ended his story became the beginning of something bigger.

His mantra shaped the brand’s DNA:
“When you survive the impossible, you stop fearing the odds.”
Lucky Energy is built on perseverance, rebellion, and the belief that life is too short not to go all in.

The Playbook Take:
There are great beverage brands — and then there are brands with a heartbeat.
Lucky Energy has one of the most powerful founder stories in the entire industry, and it shows in everything from its formula to its philosophy.

This $25M raise, paired with a board full of beverage titans, sets the stage for Lucky to become the next major force in the clean energy category. With a mission fueled by purpose — and a founder who defied 1-in-400-trillion odds just to be here — Lucky Energy isn’t just another drink.

It’s a reminder to bet on yourself, embrace the moment, and fly anyway.