Actor, model, and professional skateboarder Evan Mock shot to stardom last summer with his breakout role on the HBO revival of Gossip Girl.
And at 24 years old, the Hawaii native is also an investor, starting with hard kombucha maker JuneShine. The liquor industry has been a hotspot for celebrity investors, and “hard” versions of popular mixers (notably seltzer) are especially popular among investors and consumers alike right now.
With only three grams of sugar and a 6% ABV level, JuneShine’s kombucha is touted as being free of artificial coloring, GMOs, pesticides, or processed corn rice or syrup. Flavors include Prickly Pear Margarita and the new Passion Orange Guava being released this month and advertised as 100% organic, including real passion fruit, orange, and guava.
Mock recently shared more with Fortune about why he invested with JuneShine.
- Startup: JuneShine
- Location: San Diego.
- Year founded: 2018
- Valuation: Declined to disclose
- Investment level: Declined to disclose
- Number of employees: 106
- Other major investors: Litani Ventures (Peter Rahal and Jared Smith), Amberstone, Red Light Management, Chris Hollod, Trail Post Ventures, Whitney Cummings, Cody Ko, Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris, Mark Wystrach, Ty Haney, Sage Kotsenburg, Austin Keen, and Nora Vasconcellos
Why he invested, in his own words
Hard kombucha pairs perfectly with my on-the-run lifestyle. JuneShine gives me a perfect buzz without the headache in the morning so I can perform at the highest level at whatever I’m doing.
Growing up in Hawaii and spending every day in the ocean and outside surrounded by nature gave me a unique appreciation for the environment and how important it is for me.
Having the opportunity to invest and be a co-owner in something I believe in is something I’ve been looking for at this stage of my career, and I’m stoked to be a part of JuneShine’s growth.
This is an installment of Why I Invested, a series featuring famous investors from all different backgrounds and industries, revealing what inspired them to invest their own money in a new business.