THE FRENCH STARTUP BREWING A NEW RITUAL WITH CHICORY AND €1M IN FRESH FUNDING

One year after its launch, Paris-based startup CHERICO is shaking up the hot drink industry — and investors are taking note. The company has just raised €1 million from a strong lineup of French entrepreneurs including Augustin Paluel-Marmont (Michel et Augustin), Thibaut Hug de Larauze (BackMarket), and Gary Anssens (Alltricks), to fuel its expansion across France and beyond.

Founded by Guillaume Roy, Jacques Ferté, and Doriane Leleu, CHERICO is on a mission to bring chicory — a forgotten ingredient with deep French roots — back into the modern consumer ritual. Not as a substitute for coffee, but as an entirely new experience for a new generation of drinkers.

From Beer to Chicory

Roy and Ferté, co-founders of the Gallia brewery (acquired by HEINEKEN in 2021), were looking for their next challenge. Enter chicory: a naturally caffeine-free, gut-friendly plant grown in Europe, with a rich, roasted flavor and a carbon footprint five times smaller than coffee. With Leleu’s branding and innovation acumen, CHERICO turned this humble root into a sleek, functional drink made for cafés and modern kitchens alike.

A Love Brand for the Post-Coffee Era

You may have seen CHERICO on M6’s Qui veut être mon associé? or stocked in one of the 500+ coffee shops, grocers, and specialty stores where it’s now available. The startup’s growing popularity signals a real shift in consumption habits: more flexible, more mindful, and more flavor-driven. Whether it’s a pure chicory brew, a mocha latte, or a guarana-infused blend, CHERICO’s drinks are designed to be enjoyed all day, with or without plant-based milk.

And the data backs it up: according to Kantar, visits to coffee shops in France surged by 40% between 2023 and 2024, with consumers increasingly seeking out alternative beverages that combine taste, health, and ethics.

What’s Next? Global Expansion

CHERICO is already testing international waters, with early traction in the UK, Korea, and Taiwan. The founders aim to hit €1M in revenue by the end of 2025 and are eyeing additional markets where coffee culture is strong but evolving.

With stylish packaging, sustainable sourcing, and a refreshing message, CHERICO is more than a trend, it’s part of a larger redefinition of the modern hot drink experience.

🛒 Products range from €5.99 to €6.99 and are available in cafés, supermarkets, and online at cherico.fr