Cleveland Avenue

Cleveland Avenue is a venture capital investment firm established in 2015 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The firm specializes in investing in a range of sectors, including food and beverage companies, lifestyle consumer brands, agricultural technology, and technology firms. As a registered investment adviser, Cleveland Avenue focuses on seed-stage, early-stage, later-stage, and growth-stage opportunities, aiming to support innovative companies that align with its strategic interests.

Matthew Wellington Burns

Senior Associate, Investments

Fernando Carranza

Venture Investor

Harry Coaxum

Managing Partner, Operations

Walker Cullinan

Analyst

Ellen Federbush

Project Manager, Office of the CEO

Keith Kravcik

Chief Investment Officer

Mingu Lee

Managing Partner

Randall Lewis

Managing Partner

Jason Mercer

Principal

Fabian Gosselin

Investor

Veronica Pierce

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Don Thompson

Co-Founder and CEO

Ryan Tlusty

CFO

Robert Wietecki

Senior Associate, Investments

Taylor Williams

Venture Investor

Past deals in Beverages

Somrus

Series C in 2023
SomruS is a producer of cream liqueurs that combines distilled rum, dairy cream, and natural flavors to create a variety of unique beverages. The company's product lineup includes flavors such as bourbon chai, raspberry mango cooler, urban bourbon lift, iced dirty chai latte, mango fizz, chairish toast, mango bean, and mango colada. SomruS aims to deliver rich and flavorful liqueurs crafted from natural recipes, allowing consumers to enjoy their favorite drinks at affordable prices while promoting a sense of indulgence and enjoyment.

Sustainable Beverage Technologies

Series C in 2022
Sustainable Beverage Technologies Inc. is a company that specializes in producing beer and soda concentrates, leveraging a patented brewing process known as BrewVo. This innovative method allows for the efficient production and distribution of carbonators and wine products. The company focuses on enhancing brewing and distribution efficiencies, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts, by offering beer concentrate that can be easily mixed with water and carbon dioxide in a bottle. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Sustainable Beverage Technologies also operates an online store selling branded merchandise such as water bottles, hats, T-shirts, and vinyl stickers.

Bright Cellars

Series B in 2022
Bright Cellars Inc. operates an online wine subscription service that personalizes wine selections for its members. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company employs a questionnaire and customer feedback to understand individual tastes and preferences. Using a machine-learning algorithm, Bright Cellars generates tailored wine recommendations that are shipped monthly to subscribers, helping them discover and refine their wine palate. The service also includes options for gifting wine, making it accessible for users to share their experience with friends. Bright Cellars aims to educate and inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts through a curated and transformative wine experience.

Somrus

Convertible Note in 2022
SomruS is a producer of cream liqueurs that combines distilled rum, dairy cream, and natural flavors to create a variety of unique beverages. The company's product lineup includes flavors such as bourbon chai, raspberry mango cooler, urban bourbon lift, iced dirty chai latte, mango fizz, chairish toast, mango bean, and mango colada. SomruS aims to deliver rich and flavorful liqueurs crafted from natural recipes, allowing consumers to enjoy their favorite drinks at affordable prices while promoting a sense of indulgence and enjoyment.

Somrus

Series C in 2022
SomruS is a producer of cream liqueurs that combines distilled rum, dairy cream, and natural flavors to create a variety of unique beverages. The company's product lineup includes flavors such as bourbon chai, raspberry mango cooler, urban bourbon lift, iced dirty chai latte, mango fizz, chairish toast, mango bean, and mango colada. SomruS aims to deliver rich and flavorful liqueurs crafted from natural recipes, allowing consumers to enjoy their favorite drinks at affordable prices while promoting a sense of indulgence and enjoyment.

Red Bay Coffee

Venture Round in 2022
Red Bay Coffee Company LLC, founded in 2014 by Keba Konte in Oakland, California, operates as a specialty coffee roasting business committed to quality, sustainability, and social impact. The company offers a diverse range of whole-bean and specialty coffee products, which are sourced, developed, and roasted with a focus on environmental sustainability and inclusivity. Red Bay Coffee also provides coffee catering services for events and sells merchandise, including T-shirts and gifts, through its online platform. The company is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the coffee industry, particularly by supporting communities that have been historically marginalized, such as people of color, women, and the formerly incarcerated. Through its mission, Red Bay Coffee aims to create unity and promote economic restoration while delivering high-quality coffee to consumers.

Apologue

Convertible Note in 2022
Apologue, LLC is a Chicago-based company that produces and markets spirited liqueurs crafted from entirely natural, non-GMO ingredients. Founded in 2016, Apologue aims to create liqueurs that reflect the intersection of cocktails, community, and culture, with each product featuring a unique regional ingredient. Their offerings are designed for those who appreciate quality in their beverages, resulting in liqueurs that are both delicious and versatile for various cocktail applications. Through its commitment to natural ingredients and innovative flavors, Apologue seeks to enhance the drinking experience for consumers.

Ten To One Rum

Series A in 2022
Ten to One Rum is a wine company that builds a brand grounded in authentic elements of culture and heritage with a narrative that is both compelling and contemporary. They provide white and dark oak ex-bourbon cask rums.

Bright Cellars

Series B in 2021
Bright Cellars Inc. operates an online wine subscription service that personalizes wine selections for its members. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company employs a questionnaire and customer feedback to understand individual tastes and preferences. Using a machine-learning algorithm, Bright Cellars generates tailored wine recommendations that are shipped monthly to subscribers, helping them discover and refine their wine palate. The service also includes options for gifting wine, making it accessible for users to share their experience with friends. Bright Cellars aims to educate and inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts through a curated and transformative wine experience.

Sustainable Beverage Technologies

Venture Round in 2021
Sustainable Beverage Technologies Inc. is a company that specializes in producing beer and soda concentrates, leveraging a patented brewing process known as BrewVo. This innovative method allows for the efficient production and distribution of carbonators and wine products. The company focuses on enhancing brewing and distribution efficiencies, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts, by offering beer concentrate that can be easily mixed with water and carbon dioxide in a bottle. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Sustainable Beverage Technologies also operates an online store selling branded merchandise such as water bottles, hats, T-shirts, and vinyl stickers.

Bartesian

Series A in 2021
Bartesian Inc. is a Chicago-based company that manufactures a capsule-based cocktail machine, designed to enable users to create customized, bar-quality cocktails at home. Founded in 2014 and originally known as MaxMixology Inc., the company rebranded in 2015. The Bartesian machine operates using pre-mixed ingredient capsules, which include a variety of alcoholic choices, allowing consumers to prepare drinks such as martinis and cosmopolitans at the touch of a button. The system combines specialty pods containing liquors, bitters, extracts, and juice concentrates, making it possible for users to enjoy authentic cocktails without the need for extensive bartending skills.

Red Bay Coffee

Convertible Note in 2020
Red Bay Coffee Company LLC, founded in 2014 by Keba Konte in Oakland, California, operates as a specialty coffee roasting business committed to quality, sustainability, and social impact. The company offers a diverse range of whole-bean and specialty coffee products, which are sourced, developed, and roasted with a focus on environmental sustainability and inclusivity. Red Bay Coffee also provides coffee catering services for events and sells merchandise, including T-shirts and gifts, through its online platform. The company is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the coffee industry, particularly by supporting communities that have been historically marginalized, such as people of color, women, and the formerly incarcerated. Through its mission, Red Bay Coffee aims to create unity and promote economic restoration while delivering high-quality coffee to consumers.

Sustainable Beverage Technologies

Venture Round in 2020
Sustainable Beverage Technologies Inc. is a company that specializes in producing beer and soda concentrates, leveraging a patented brewing process known as BrewVo. This innovative method allows for the efficient production and distribution of carbonators and wine products. The company focuses on enhancing brewing and distribution efficiencies, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts, by offering beer concentrate that can be easily mixed with water and carbon dioxide in a bottle. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Sustainable Beverage Technologies also operates an online store selling branded merchandise such as water bottles, hats, T-shirts, and vinyl stickers.

Bartesian

Convertible Note in 2020
Bartesian Inc. is a Chicago-based company that manufactures a capsule-based cocktail machine, designed to enable users to create customized, bar-quality cocktails at home. Founded in 2014 and originally known as MaxMixology Inc., the company rebranded in 2015. The Bartesian machine operates using pre-mixed ingredient capsules, which include a variety of alcoholic choices, allowing consumers to prepare drinks such as martinis and cosmopolitans at the touch of a button. The system combines specialty pods containing liquors, bitters, extracts, and juice concentrates, making it possible for users to enjoy authentic cocktails without the need for extensive bartending skills.

Bright Cellars

Series A in 2020
Bright Cellars Inc. operates an online wine subscription service that personalizes wine selections for its members. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company employs a questionnaire and customer feedback to understand individual tastes and preferences. Using a machine-learning algorithm, Bright Cellars generates tailored wine recommendations that are shipped monthly to subscribers, helping them discover and refine their wine palate. The service also includes options for gifting wine, making it accessible for users to share their experience with friends. Bright Cellars aims to educate and inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts through a curated and transformative wine experience.

Somrus

Convertible Note in 2020
SomruS is a producer of cream liqueurs that combines distilled rum, dairy cream, and natural flavors to create a variety of unique beverages. The company's product lineup includes flavors such as bourbon chai, raspberry mango cooler, urban bourbon lift, iced dirty chai latte, mango fizz, chairish toast, mango bean, and mango colada. SomruS aims to deliver rich and flavorful liqueurs crafted from natural recipes, allowing consumers to enjoy their favorite drinks at affordable prices while promoting a sense of indulgence and enjoyment.

Bartesian

Seed Round in 2019
Bartesian Inc. is a Chicago-based company that manufactures a capsule-based cocktail machine, designed to enable users to create customized, bar-quality cocktails at home. Founded in 2014 and originally known as MaxMixology Inc., the company rebranded in 2015. The Bartesian machine operates using pre-mixed ingredient capsules, which include a variety of alcoholic choices, allowing consumers to prepare drinks such as martinis and cosmopolitans at the touch of a button. The system combines specialty pods containing liquors, bitters, extracts, and juice concentrates, making it possible for users to enjoy authentic cocktails without the need for extensive bartending skills.

Bhakti

Convertible Note in 2019
Bhakti, Inc. specializes in the production of chai concentrates, iced chai beverages, dry tea products, and ready-to-drink items. Founded in 2002 and based in Boulder, Colorado, the company markets its products to customers through shops, retailers, and online platforms across the United States. Bhakti emphasizes the use of fresh and sustainably sourced ingredients, including Fair Trade, Non-GMO, and Organic components, ensuring an authentic flavor profile in each product. Its iced chai offerings come in six varieties, and concentrate products are available in various sizes, catering to a diverse consumer base. The company prides itself on maintaining high-quality standards, utilizing real ginger, black tea, and spices, and providing options that can be paired with both dairy and non-dairy milk. Bhakti operates under B Corp business practices, focusing on social and environmental responsibility alongside its commercial goals.

Bhakti

Convertible Note in 2019
Bhakti, Inc. specializes in the production of chai concentrates, iced chai beverages, dry tea products, and ready-to-drink items. Founded in 2002 and based in Boulder, Colorado, the company markets its products to customers through shops, retailers, and online platforms across the United States. Bhakti emphasizes the use of fresh and sustainably sourced ingredients, including Fair Trade, Non-GMO, and Organic components, ensuring an authentic flavor profile in each product. Its iced chai offerings come in six varieties, and concentrate products are available in various sizes, catering to a diverse consumer base. The company prides itself on maintaining high-quality standards, utilizing real ginger, black tea, and spices, and providing options that can be paired with both dairy and non-dairy milk. Bhakti operates under B Corp business practices, focusing on social and environmental responsibility alongside its commercial goals.

Red Bay Coffee

Series A in 2019
Red Bay Coffee Company LLC, founded in 2014 by Keba Konte in Oakland, California, operates as a specialty coffee roasting business committed to quality, sustainability, and social impact. The company offers a diverse range of whole-bean and specialty coffee products, which are sourced, developed, and roasted with a focus on environmental sustainability and inclusivity. Red Bay Coffee also provides coffee catering services for events and sells merchandise, including T-shirts and gifts, through its online platform. The company is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the coffee industry, particularly by supporting communities that have been historically marginalized, such as people of color, women, and the formerly incarcerated. Through its mission, Red Bay Coffee aims to create unity and promote economic restoration while delivering high-quality coffee to consumers.

Somrus

Series B in 2018
SomruS is a producer of cream liqueurs that combines distilled rum, dairy cream, and natural flavors to create a variety of unique beverages. The company's product lineup includes flavors such as bourbon chai, raspberry mango cooler, urban bourbon lift, iced dirty chai latte, mango fizz, chairish toast, mango bean, and mango colada. SomruS aims to deliver rich and flavorful liqueurs crafted from natural recipes, allowing consumers to enjoy their favorite drinks at affordable prices while promoting a sense of indulgence and enjoyment.

Bright Cellars

Venture Round in 2018
Bright Cellars Inc. operates an online wine subscription service that personalizes wine selections for its members. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company employs a questionnaire and customer feedback to understand individual tastes and preferences. Using a machine-learning algorithm, Bright Cellars generates tailored wine recommendations that are shipped monthly to subscribers, helping them discover and refine their wine palate. The service also includes options for gifting wine, making it accessible for users to share their experience with friends. Bright Cellars aims to educate and inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts through a curated and transformative wine experience.

Bright Cellars

Convertible Note in 2018
Bright Cellars Inc. operates an online wine subscription service that personalizes wine selections for its members. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company employs a questionnaire and customer feedback to understand individual tastes and preferences. Using a machine-learning algorithm, Bright Cellars generates tailored wine recommendations that are shipped monthly to subscribers, helping them discover and refine their wine palate. The service also includes options for gifting wine, making it accessible for users to share their experience with friends. Bright Cellars aims to educate and inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts through a curated and transformative wine experience.

Sustainable Beverage Technologies

Series A in 2018
Sustainable Beverage Technologies Inc. is a company that specializes in producing beer and soda concentrates, leveraging a patented brewing process known as BrewVo. This innovative method allows for the efficient production and distribution of carbonators and wine products. The company focuses on enhancing brewing and distribution efficiencies, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts, by offering beer concentrate that can be easily mixed with water and carbon dioxide in a bottle. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Sustainable Beverage Technologies also operates an online store selling branded merchandise such as water bottles, hats, T-shirts, and vinyl stickers.

Somrus

Venture Round in 2017
SomruS is a producer of cream liqueurs that combines distilled rum, dairy cream, and natural flavors to create a variety of unique beverages. The company's product lineup includes flavors such as bourbon chai, raspberry mango cooler, urban bourbon lift, iced dirty chai latte, mango fizz, chairish toast, mango bean, and mango colada. SomruS aims to deliver rich and flavorful liqueurs crafted from natural recipes, allowing consumers to enjoy their favorite drinks at affordable prices while promoting a sense of indulgence and enjoyment.

Bhakti

Series B in 2017
Bhakti, Inc. specializes in the production of chai concentrates, iced chai beverages, dry tea products, and ready-to-drink items. Founded in 2002 and based in Boulder, Colorado, the company markets its products to customers through shops, retailers, and online platforms across the United States. Bhakti emphasizes the use of fresh and sustainably sourced ingredients, including Fair Trade, Non-GMO, and Organic components, ensuring an authentic flavor profile in each product. Its iced chai offerings come in six varieties, and concentrate products are available in various sizes, catering to a diverse consumer base. The company prides itself on maintaining high-quality standards, utilizing real ginger, black tea, and spices, and providing options that can be paired with both dairy and non-dairy milk. Bhakti operates under B Corp business practices, focusing on social and environmental responsibility alongside its commercial goals.

Bright Cellars

Convertible Note in 2017
Bright Cellars Inc. operates an online wine subscription service that personalizes wine selections for its members. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company employs a questionnaire and customer feedback to understand individual tastes and preferences. Using a machine-learning algorithm, Bright Cellars generates tailored wine recommendations that are shipped monthly to subscribers, helping them discover and refine their wine palate. The service also includes options for gifting wine, making it accessible for users to share their experience with friends. Bright Cellars aims to educate and inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts through a curated and transformative wine experience.

Drink Simple

Venture Round in 2017
Drink Simple specializes in the production of packaged maple water, a natural beverage derived from the sap of maple trees. This sap, often mistaken for sticky syrup, is actually a clear liquid that undergoes a natural process, allowing it to retain essential nutrients. Harvested in early spring, the water is rich in naturally occurring electrolytes and prebiotics, providing a refreshing and hydrating option for consumers. Drink Simple's products are organic, free from added sugars, and cater to various dietary preferences, including being GMO, gluten, and dairy-free. By offering a unique, tree-based hydration solution, the company aims to promote health and wellness among its customers.

Drink Simple

Venture Round in 2015
Drink Simple specializes in the production of packaged maple water, a natural beverage derived from the sap of maple trees. This sap, often mistaken for sticky syrup, is actually a clear liquid that undergoes a natural process, allowing it to retain essential nutrients. Harvested in early spring, the water is rich in naturally occurring electrolytes and prebiotics, providing a refreshing and hydrating option for consumers. Drink Simple's products are organic, free from added sugars, and cater to various dietary preferences, including being GMO, gluten, and dairy-free. By offering a unique, tree-based hydration solution, the company aims to promote health and wellness among its customers.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.