GAYA: From an Idea in New York to the Next Generation of Functional Beverages

OOMNIUM: Mark, the idea for GAYA emerged during a trip to the US. What did you experience or discover that inspired you to start GAYA? And why do you believe now is the right time for functional beverages as an alternative or complement to coffee?

Mark Zahran: I was in New York in connection with YASAI’s exit when I met someone from the Oetker family. While preparing for the meeting, I was exploring the SoHo neighbourhood and stepped into a store called The Alchemist’s Kitchen, hoping to find something refreshing for the day. There was no coffee, but instead a wide range of functional beverages, many of them containing functional mushrooms.

After trying one, I felt focused and energised throughout the day. I immediately thought this was something I would love to make part of my everyday life back in Switzerland.

We live in a world where we are constantly exposed to stimulation through our digital devices and the fast pace of urban life. Many people feel overstimulated, and coffee does not always help. Instead, it can sometimes intensify that feeling. People are increasingly looking for relaxation, balance, recovery and better rest to counterbalance modern life.

We believe the beverages we consume every day need to evolve, offering energy without negatively affecting sleep or relying on excessive sugar. That is why we founded GAYA: to promote preventive health through everyday rituals.

OOMNIUM: The team brings entrepreneurial experience from previous startups such as VAY and YASAI. What have you learned from those experiences that helps you build GAYA today? And what makes your team the right one to scale the brand over the long term?

Mark Zahran: Through YASAI, VAY and WITWINKEL, we have learned how to build brands from scratch, attract investors and turn ideas into businesses that can make a difference. Startups bring energy to the economy, challenge the status quo and drive innovation. That energy is essential to changing outdated structures.

At YASAI, we gained a holistic understanding of the food system. With VAY, we learned more about what genuinely benefits the body. WITWINKEL has expanded our expertise in building a brand from the ground up, from packaging to advertising campaigns.

One of our team's greatest strengths is its diversity. We all bring different backgrounds, areas of expertise and personalities to the table. This can sometimes lead to constructive tension, but we believe that is necessary to find the best solutions. And importantly, we enjoy building GAYA together.

OOMNIUM: GAYA has already brought its first products to market and works with distribution partners such as Swiss Post and BRIDGE. What have you achieved since launch, and what insights from customer feedback and repeat purchases reinforce your strategy?

Mark Zahran: Our first year has taught us a great deal about product-market fit. Feedback from thousands of customers has helped us continuously improve our product in terms of taste, perceived effects and regulatory requirements in Switzerland and the EU.

We have also attracted our first investors, with whom we are developing entirely new formats, including ready-to-drink beverages, as well as new products in our powder range, such as GAYA Beauty Sleep.

So far, customers have responded particularly positively to the taste, and many have integrated our products into their daily routines. Some use them as a replacement for coffee, while others enjoy them alongside their usual coffee routine or as an afternoon alternative.

Working with a variety of B2B customers, including cafés, pharmacies, offices and boutique stores, has also helped us identify which sales channels are commercially attractive and which are better suited to building brand awareness.

We see growing interest in alternatives to conventional caffeinated drinks. Women, in particular, often tell us they are looking for ways to reduce the effects they associate with caffeine and are struggling with sleep. This is one of the reasons we are developing GAYA Beauty Sleep, for which we also aim to initiate studies with ETH.

OOMNIUM: With Mushroom Matcha, Beauty Sleep and a planned ready-to-drink line in the pipeline, what role do these products play in your growth strategy? Which new customer groups and sales channels do you want to reach?

Mark Zahran: Our goal is to address three pillars of preventive health through our products: energy, sleep and movement. We are developing different products around these areas.

Our powder format is currently aimed more at an older target audience, partly because of its price point. With ready-to-drink beverages, we believe we can reach a much broader audience thanks to greater convenience and a lower entry price. The aim is to offer a drink that supports focus and provides fibre without excessive caffeine or sugar.

Ready-to-drink products would also be easier to distribute through channels such as kiosks, vending machines and major retailers.

With GAYA Beauty Sleep, we also see opportunities in the spa and travel sectors. For example, we could imagine the product being offered on overnight long-haul flights to destinations such as Singapore or in hotels such as Bürgenstock after a spa visit.

OOMNIUM: How important are your existing distribution partners and your strategic partner from the beverage industry for GAYA’s next stages of development? Where do you currently see the greatest opportunities to expand your market presence?

Mark Zahran: Our existing distribution partners and strategic partner from the beverage industry serve as sparring partners for some of our more unconventional ideas, while also helping us assess how to bring them to market realistically.

We see the greatest opportunity to expand our market presence through the ready-to-drink format, as it will make our products more accessible to a wider audience.

For our powder business, we also plan to open up the EU market in 2027. We believe the Swiss origin of our brand can be a valuable asset internationally. Competitors such as KA-EX, AVEA and BeePeople illustrate the potential of Swiss brands in this space.

Switzerland is an excellent starting point, with strong purchasing power and a complex market environment. For our powder products, we see significant opportunities to scale internationally.

OOMNIUM: Where do you want GAYA to be in the next two to three years, and which key milestones do you aim to achieve? How will the current financing round help you get there?

Mark Zahran: We want to establish a strong presence in our home market with products that have a positive and lasting impact on both preventive human health and the health of our planet through circular business practices. That is also the idea behind the name GAYA.

Beyond Switzerland, we aim to enter new markets through cross-border sales and by working with selected local strategic partners.

By 2028, we want to reach EBITDA break-even and use the profits we generate to fund the development of new products and actively support biodiversity conservation projects in the regions where we source our raw materials.

As a team, we want to grow organically and make the most of the opportunities offered by AI, while building long-term partnerships.