Aura Bora
Aura Bora is a San Francisco-based craft sparkling water company that makes zero-sugar, zero-sweetener, zero-citric-acid beverages flavored with herbs, fruits, and flowers, selling via D2C e-commerce, Amazon, and wholesale to grocers, targeting health-conscious consumers, mixology enthusiasts, and special-diet buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Aura Bora does
Aura Bora is a San Francisco-based craft sparkling water company that produces beverages flavored with herbs, fruits, and flowers rather than conventional fruit-only or synthetic profiles. Founded in 2019/2020 by Paul Voge (CEO) and Madeleine Voge, the company manufactures in California and offers a core line of seven permanent flavors (Lime Cardamom, Strawberry Basil, Lavender Cucumber, Cactus Rose, Grapefruit Elderflower, Ginger Meyer Lemon, Raspberry Vanilla) alongside rotating seasonal SKUs. The product is built on a clean-label platform: zero sugar, zero sweeteners, zero citric acid, zero calories, zero sodium, and zero artificial flavors, with water purified by reverse osmosis to remove PFOS, fluoride, and contaminants, packaged in BPA non-intent, PFAS-free aluminum cans and certified Whole30, Kosher, Non-GMO, Vegan, and Gluten-Free. The company is a member of 1% for the Planet, donating more than 1% of sales to climate and conservation non-profits.
The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market. Direct-to-consumer e-commerce is the primary engine, running on Shopify at aurabora.com, with cases sold at $33 per 12-pack (approximately $2.75 per can) and a monthly subscription program offering 10% recurring discounts and free shipping on the 1st Tuesday of each month. A free membership program layers on cash-back and referral incentives to drive word-of-mouth retention. Core SKUs are listed on Amazon Marketplace, and a wholesale program serves independent grocers, natural food retailers, and brick-and-mortar chains, supported by a Buy 1 Get 1 Free in-store rebate promotion. Marketing centers on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter (@drinkaurabora), an 80+ recipe library positioning Aura Bora as a cocktail/mocktail mixer, and earned media including Forbes 30 Under 30 (Paul Voge, 2022) and a Shark Tank appearance with Kevin O'Leary.
The company is venture-backed private, having raised an early $2 million seed round in 2021 and a Series A of over $10 million in September 2022 led by Siddhi Capital with participation from Consumer Ventures, Gaingels, Seaside Ventures, and Simple Food Ventures. Headcount is reported at 11-50, consistent with a growth-stage CPG startup. Distribution is currently domestic (USA) only, with manufacturing centralized in California.
Aura Bora firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aura Bora
- Legal name
- Aura Bora, Inc.
- Website
- https://aurabora.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aura Bora is a San Francisco-based craft sparkling water company that makes zero-sugar, zero-sweetener, zero-citric-acid beverages flavored with herbs, fruits, and flowers, selling via D2C e-commerce, Amazon, and wholesale to grocers, targeting health-conscious consumers, mixology enthusiasts, and special-diet buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aura Bora industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Sparkling Water
- NAICS
- Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111)
- SIC
- Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bottled Water (Still, Sparkling, Enhanced) (CRADAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production (AFAFACAE), Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte) (AFAFACAF)
Keywords
Where Aura Bora is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aura Bora business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales (E-commerce): Revenue from selling sparkling water cases and variety packs directly to consumers through the aurabora.com e-commerce platform. Products sold as individual cases (12 cans) or through curated variety packs. One-time purchase model with optional subscription.
- Subscription Program: Monthly auto-delivery subscription offering 10% discount on every case plus free shipping. Delivered on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Customers can swap, skip, or modify orders anytime. Drives recurring revenue and customer retention.
- Amazon Marketplace Sales: Revenue from sales through Amazon.com where core SKU flavors are listed and sold to Amazon's customer base. Third-party marketplace channel for broader reach.
- Wholesale Distribution: Revenue from selling products in bulk to retail stores, grocery chains, and natural food retailers through the wholesale program. Retailers apply for wholesale pricing and purchase cases for resale.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including hats, totes, bumper stickers, and t-shirts. Limited product line featuring branded apparel and accessories with hedgehog mascot and brand imagery.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard case pricing for direct consumers |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly subscription with recurring discounts |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Wholesale pricing for retail partners |
| Freemium | Annual | Free membership with cash back rewards |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Aura Bora product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aura Bora manufactures and sells craft sparkling water made from herbs, fruits, and flowers, with no added sugar, sweeteners, citric acid, or artificial ingredients. Its core product line includes seven permanent flavors (Lime Cardamom, Strawberry Basil, Lavender Cucumber, Cactus Rose, Grapefruit Elderflower, Ginger Meyer Lemon, Raspberry Vanilla), supplemented by seasonal/limited flavors, branded merchandise, and a monthly subscription program. Products are sold direct-to-consumer, on Amazon, and through wholesale to retail stores.
Product overview
Aura Bora is a sparkling water company offering a core line of uniquely flavored sparkling waters made from herbs, fruits, and flowers. The main product line includes seven permanent flavors: Lime Cardamom, Strawberry Basil, Lavender Cucumber, Cactus Rose, Grapefruit Elderflower, Ginger Meyer Lemon, and Raspberry Vanilla. The company also sells branded merchandise including hats, totes, and bumper stickers, and offers subscription and membership programs for recurring orders. The products are sold directly through their website and on Amazon, with wholesale options available for retailers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lime Cardamom Sparkling Water Spicy, citrusy, zesty sparkling water featuring juicy limes with warm herbal notes of cardamom. Zero sugar, zero sweeteners, zero calories, zero sodium, and no artificial ingredients. Sold as a 12-can case for $33.
- Strawberry Basil Sparkling Water Herbaceous, bright, fruity sparkling water combining fresh strawberries with basil. Zero sugar, zero sweeteners, zero calories, zero sodium, and no artificial ingredients. Available on Amazon and the Aura Bora website.
- Lavender Cucumber Sparkling Water Soothing, floral, cool sparkling water combining soft lavender with ultra-hydrating cucumber notes. Zero sugar, zero sweeteners, zero calories, and no artificial ingredients. Available on Amazon and the Aura Bora website.
- Cactus Rose Sparkling Water Fresh, aromatic, floral sparkling water featuring fresh prickly pear and aromatic rose for a balance of bright and floral notes. Zero sugar, zero sweeteners, zero calories, and no artificial ingredients.
- Grapefruit Elderflower Sparkling Water Fruity, sweet, aromatic sparkling water pairing rich grapefruit with sweet and aromatic elderflower. Zero sugar, zero sweeteners, zero calories, and no artificial ingredients. Available on Amazon.
- Ginger Meyer Lemon Sparkling Water
- Raspberry Vanilla Sparkling Water
- Blueberry Wildflower Sparkling Water Seasonal/new sparkling water flavor combining juicy blueberries with sweet chamomile blossoms, made with Aura Bora's no-sugar, no-sweetener, no-citric-acid base.
- Tangerine Blossom Sparkling Water Seasonal/new sparkling water flavor featuring tangerine and blossom notes on Aura Bora's clean, no-additive base.
- Honey Pumpkin Sparkling Water Seasonal honey pumpkin sparkling water flavor in Aura Bora's limited-edition rotation.
- Chai Cran Sparkling Water Seasonal chai and cranberry sparkling water flavor in Aura Bora's limited-edition rotation.
- Green Bean Casserole Sparkling Water Seasonal green bean casserole-inspired sparkling water flavor in Aura Bora's limited-edition rotation.
- WTF Bumper Stickers 3-pack of adhesive bumper stickers featuring Aura Bora brand imagery (water, frogs, Michael Cera themes), each 9 in x 3 in.
- "Taste and See" Hat The original Aura Bora hat, khaki-colored with high-quality embroidery of a shimmery lavender eye patch and an adjustable fit.
- Herb Green Hat Nylon snap-back hat in herb green with high-quality embroidery featuring Aura Bora branding.
- Bad Review Tote High-quality reusable cotton tote bag (16.5 in. x 16.5 in.) featuring a real 1-star review, sourced from Residency Apparel, a non-profit helping women transition into permanent housing.
- Heavenly Baggu (Lavender Tote) Lavender reusable nylon tote bag made with 40% recycled nylon, created in collaboration with Baggu. Functions as a reusable shopping bag, parachute, or butterfly net.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500+ 5-star reviews on individual products (e.g., Cactus Rose has 680 5-star reviews)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Aura Bora
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aura Bora technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Aura Bora partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- 1% for the PlanetcoreAura Bora is an official member of 1% for the Planet, donating more than 1% of annual sales to non-profits devoted to climate action and conservation. This partnership reflects the brand's environmental mission.
- ShopifycoreE-commerce platform powering Aura Bora's online store at aurabora.com. Handles online sales, payment processing, and order management.
- BagguminorCollaboration on Heavenly Baggu product - a lavender reusable nylon tote bag made with 100% recycled materials. Baggu creates sustainable and reusable products to minimize waste.
- Residency ApparelminorNon-profit organization sourcing partner for Bad Review Tote merchandise. Helps women transition into permanent housing.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aura Bora competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spindrift: Spindrift is a leading DTC and retail sparkling water brand flavored with real squeezed fruit — the closest direct analog to Aura Bora in terms of premium, better-for-you, clean-label sparkling water positioning and similar multi-channel distribution.
- Waterloo Sparkling Water: Waterloo is a Texas-based flavored sparkling water brand selling across D2C, Amazon, and grocery/retail channels with a comparable mid-size, independent CPG profile and similar price-per-can positioning to Aura Bora.
- Olipop: Olipop is a fast-growing better-for-you sparkling tonic brand emphasizing clean-label, botanical/prebiotic formulations — directly comparable to Aura Bora in positioning (function-first, naturally flavored, premium-priced) and channel mix (DTC + grocery).
- Sound Sparkling Tea: Sound is a craft sparkling beverage brand using herbs, botanicals, and fruit flavors with a similar premium, design-forward brand identity and D2C-first GTM motion aimed at health-conscious consumers.
- Töst Beverages: Töst is a premium, non-alcoholic sparkling beverage (wine alternative and sparkling tonic) positioned in the better-for-you occasion-based drinking space, overlapping with Aura Bora's cocktail/mocktail mixology use case.
Broad incumbents
- LaCroix (National Beverage): LaCroix is the dominant mass-market flavored sparkling water brand in the U.S., defining the category at lower price points and far broader distribution — a benchmark incumbent Aura Bora competes against on shelf and on consumer mindshare.
- Bubly (PepsiCo): Bubly is PepsiCo's national sparkling water brand with massive marketing spend and distribution — a key incumbent competitor shaping category pricing, promotion cycles, and shelf dynamics.
- Perrier (Nestlé Waters): Perrier is a globally established sparkling water brand owned by Nestlé, serving the premium sparkling water occasion that Aura Bora also targets — relevant as a broader incumbent with overlapping customer occasions.
- Topo Chico (The Coca-Cola Company): Topo Chico is Coca-Cola's hard seltzer-adjacent premium sparkling mineral water, increasingly competing for the same younger, lifestyle-oriented consumers Aura Bora targets, with significantly larger distribution.
- Polar Seltzer: Polar Seltzer is a long-standing regional-to-national U.S. flavored sparkling water brand with broad retail distribution and a deep flavor portfolio — comparable as an established incumbent in the flavored sparkling water category.
Market position
Strengths6 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aura Bora social profiles
Digital presenceAura Bora compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Aura Bora financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aura Bora leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Aura Bora funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aura Bora M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aura Bora
What does Aura Bora do?
Aura Bora manufactures and sells craft sparkling water made from herbs, fruits, and flowers, with no added sugar, sweeteners, citric acid, or artificial ingredients. Its core product line includes seven permanent flavors (Lime Cardamom, Strawberry Basil, Lavender Cucumber, Cactus Rose, Grapefruit Elderflower, Ginger Meyer Lemon, Raspberry Vanilla), supplemented by seasonal/limited flavors, branded merchandise, and a monthly subscription program. Products are sold direct-to-consumer, on Amazon, and through wholesale to retail stores.
Is Aura Bora a public or private company?
Aura Bora is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Aura Bora founded?
Aura Bora was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aura Bora based?
Aura Bora is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aura Bora make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales (E-commerce) is the primary driver. The others are subscription Program, amazon Marketplace Sales, wholesale Distribution and merchandise Sales.
Who are Aura Bora's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spindrift, Waterloo Sparkling Water, Olipop, Sound Sparkling Tea and Töst Beverages. Broad incumbents are LaCroix (National Beverage), Bubly (PepsiCo), Perrier (Nestlé Waters), Topo Chico (The Coca-Cola Company) and Polar Seltzer.
Does Aura Bora have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aura Bora.
What industry is Aura Bora in?
Aura Bora's product category is Craft Sparkling Water. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAHAC, Bottled Water (Still, Sparkling, Enhanced), with a secondary code of AFAFACAE, Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production. Its NAICS code is 312111 and its SIC code is 2086.