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From Burnout to £10M: Ancient + Brave’s Wellness Blueprint

Ancient + Brave is a UK-based wellness brand pioneering functional nutrition rituals rooted in collagen, nootropics, MCTs, and ancient adaptogens. Its flagship products—like the True Collagen, Coffee + Collagen, and Radiant blends—merge modern biohacking with traditional wellness.

What sets the brand apart? Its clinical-grade formulations, carbon-neutral certification, and a unique ethos: beauty, brain, and body rituals that support longevity and female health. Ancient + Brave didn’t just ride the collagen trend—it helped define it.

In 2023, the brand crossed into major retail expansion (Planet Organic), Selfridges), tripled its DTC base, and launched internationally. All without aggressive VC pressure.

Are They Funded or Bootstrapped?

Ancient + Brave started out bootstrapped, but in 2023, raised £7 million in growth capital from Piper Private Equity. The raise was split £3M primary and £4M secondary—offering early shareholders some liquidity while funding next-phase growth.

That followed serious traction:

• 2022 revenue: £1.3M

• 2023 revenue: £10.2M

• 2023 pre-tax profit: £2.6M

Their Origin Story

Founder Kate Prince launched Ancient + Brave in 2018 after burning out from her career as a media lawyer. Struggling with hormonal imbalances, she leaned on adaptogens, collagen, and fasting to heal—and saw a market gap for a premium, female-forward supplement line that merged clinical rigor with elegance.

She partnered with co-founder Annelie Whitfield, a Hollywood naturopath, to bring the vision to life—pairing East-meets-West formulations in functional blends targeting beauty, cognition, and energy.

Core Customer Base

Ancient + Brave’s core audience is wellness-forward women aged 30–55, including:

• Creatives, executives, and mothers

• Focused on skin longevity, hormone balance, and mental performance

• Familiar with biohacking and sustainable beauty rituals

They aren’t selling powders—they’re offering premium daily rituals with both science and soul.

How Did They Grow So Sustainably? (P&L View)

• Low CAC via Ritual Education: Used the Brave Method (a daily 3-step framework) and fasting guides to drive content-led conversion.

• High Retention SKUs: Collagen is daily-use by nature, boosting subscription value.

• Smart DTC Infrastructure: Built Shopify stack with LTV-focused bundles, clean UX, and conversion content.

• Retail Sequencing: Launched retail after proving DTC scale—starting with Planet Organic, then Selfridges.

• Selective Hiring: Lean ops with ~50–58 employees (The Times).

Key Milestones

• 2018: Launched with True Collagen

• 2019: Added MCT Coffee + Collagen

• 2020: Became a certified B Corp

• 2021: Won Beauty Shortlist Wellness Awards

• 2023:

  • Entered Selfridges

  • Launched EU-wide DTC shipping

  • Hit £10.2M turnover with £2.6M profit

  • Raised £7M from Piper

Influencer Marketing Mix

Ancient + Brave works with:

• Wellness creators like Pip Hobbs and Sophie Hellyer

• Functional medicine nutritionists

• Sustainable beauty influencers

• Longform partners (e.g. podcast hosts, ritual bloggers)

Rather than mass influencers, they opt for authentic, aligned voices embedded in wellness culture.

Their Marketing X-Factor

Ancient + Brave turns product use into an aspirational daily ritual via the Brave Method:

1. Collagen

2. MCTs

3. Adaptogens or nootropics

This structure helps customers feel the brand’s intention—and builds retention. Their website and visuals echo the experience: apothecary minimalism, soft femininity, clean trust-building UX.

Takeaways for Wellness Operators

1. Ritualise, Don’t Just Sell: Build frameworks that guide daily use = retention boost.

2. DTC First, Retail Later: Control margin, data, and messaging before expanding.

3. Blend Clinical + Emotional: Especially effective for female-forward wellness products.

4. Bootstrap with Focus: High-frequency SKUs and lean ops = margin to grow.

5. Educate to Convert: Content lowers CAC and increases LTV when founder-led and actionable.

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