CORRECTING and REPLACING Pouches, Minus the Nicotine: Ultra Raises $11 Million to Build a Clean, Non-Addictive Pouch for High Performers
A “good-for-you” pouch defines a new category for performance-minded consumers seeking focus without the compromise.
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#SeriesA–First paragraph, last sentence of release dated January 20, 2026 should read: The round was led by Left Lane Capital, with participation from top CPG founders such as Harry’s, Grüns, and Rockstar Energy.
The updated release reads:
POUCHES, MINUS THE NICOTINE: ULTRA RAISES $11 MILLION TO BUILD A CLEAN, NON-ADDICTIVE POUCH FOR HIGH PERFORMERS
A “good-for-you” pouch defines a new category for performance-minded consumers seeking focus without the compromise.
Ultra, a nicotine-free, functional pouch brand built for clean, sustained focus, today announced its $11 million Series A to expand product development, grow distribution, and build its team. The round was led by Left Lane Capital, with participation from top CPG founders such as Harry’s, Grüns, and Rockstar Energy.
Launched in May 2025, Ultra has scaled at a pace rarely seen in modern CPG — 1,000,000 cans sold within 6 first months of launch, making it the #1 nicotine-free pouch brand in the world. The company is offering a “good-for-you” alternative to nicotine and energy products at a time when the broader “Zyndemic” trend has become mainstream and consumers are looking for guilt-free focus in a pouch.
“This business started with my own story — like many of my friends, I switched to pouches after listening to Huberman and learning about the research on nicotine’s cognitive benefits,” said Eric Drymer, Founder and CEO of Ultra. “But nicotine is still so addictive, and I didn’t want to sacrifice my long-term health for short-term focus. Ultra exists to give consumers a clean, guilt-free focus in the form factor they love.”
Ultra’s pouches are designed to support top performers whenever they need a tactical boost — during deep work, travel, training, or evenings — without addiction, heart problems, or mystery chemicals. The brand is deliberately not anti-nicotine, but recognizes that while nicotine may have some benefits, excess and dependence come with real downsides.
From a market standpoint, oral pouches are emerging as one of the fastest-growing CPG categories in modern convenience and e-commerce, driven by consumer demand for discreet, portioned functional products. The category’s rapid rise has been led by the nicotine segment, which analysts estimate reached about $5.4B in global sales in 2024 and could reach roughly $25B by 2030 — nearly 30% CAGR. This scale and velocity have transformed oral pouches from a niche product into a mainstream habit, opening the door for an entirely new delivery system for functional benefits.
“Ultra is tapping into a powerful shift: consumers want cleaner performance habits in formats that fit real life,” said Harley Miller, CEO and Managing Partner at Left Lane Capital. “While some customers use Ultra as a step-down option as they reduce nicotine intake, Ultra is also attracting consumers who never used nicotine products in the first place. Eric and team have built an early brand people return to, defining what functional pouches look like at scale.”
In early customer surveying, Ultra noted that roughly 30% of buyers reported they had never used nicotine products, underscoring demand for functional “focus rituals” beyond traditional nicotine substitution.
Ultra’s formula centers on paraxanthine, a metabolite of caffeine, delivered through Enfinity®, alongside functional ingredients such as L-theanine, Alpha GPC, B vitamins, and ginseng extract. They are also plant-based and sugar-free, and intentionally avoid nicotine and caffeine.
The company plans to use proceeds to expand hiring across the United States, broaden distribution into retail, and advance their product roadmap, including new formats and strength/profile extensions over time.
About Ultra
Ultra is a nicotine-free, caffeine-free functional pouch brand designed to support clean, sustained focus in a discreet, portable format. Built for moments of deep work, training, travel, or winding down, Ultra delivers a modern alternative to energy drinks, coffee spikes, and nicotine-based products. Learn more at takeultra.com.
About Left Lane Capital
Founded in 2019, Left Lane Capital is a New York and London-based venture capital and growth equity firm investing in high-growth internet and consumer technology businesses globally. Left Lane’s mission is to partner with extraordinary entrepreneurs who create category-defining companies across growth sectors of the economy. Select investments include Bilt Rewards, Holy, Olipop, Talkiatry, Blank Street, Kings League, Smalls, and more.
For more information, visit www.leftlane.com.
Contacts
Jack Taylor PR
Eric Witmer
eric@jacktaylorpr.com
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