Following his Kind Foods, 11-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul has now invested in , leaders in 100% plant-based nutrition shakes. The Phoenix Suns basketballer and Beyond Meat ambassador continues to grow his plant-based investment portfolio. 

The investment also furthers Paul’s goal of improving access to healthy foods for disadvantaged communities as well as promoting the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. Paul has been vegan since 2019 and has experienced substantial improvement to his overall health, performance, and recovery both on and off the court. He is also the founder of which counts Beyond Meat as an investor. 

Koia produces 100% plant-based, low sugar, health-focused drinks, including protein shakes and smoothies. As part of the new partnership, Paul and Koia will introduce a Koia vending machine program on HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) campuses focusing on campuses with which Paul has relationships. The initial pilot program will take place this year with a broader roll-out in 2022.

The Power of Plant-Based Nutrition

Koia, which generated , was added to the CircleUp Growth Partners portfolio last year, and recently enjoyed record-setting sales in Q2 2021 exceeding a $40M run rate. Koia products are available in over 16,000 stores including and Walmart. 

“My hope for investing in Koia and other changemakers in the industry is that we work together toward a bigger systemic culture shift where underserved communities have access and opportunity to live better, healthier lives,” stated Chris Paul.

“We are thrilled to partner with Chris Paul because he’s an exceptional human being on and off the court, embodying the power of plant-based nutrition,” added Chris Hunter, Co-founder and CEO of Koia.

“We are aligned with Paul around a vision of the future where everyone has access to healthy food and look forward to working together to make that a reality.”

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