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Functional hydration brand Cure has raised $5.6 million in Series A funding and announced that its retail footprint now extends to over 15,000 stores across the US. The round was led by Lerer Hippeau, an early-stage venture capital fund based in New York. Cure – which claims to be the “only female-founded electrolyte brand” – says that the investment will support accelerated retail expansion and the development of new products. CEO and founder, Lauren Picasso, said: "In the past four years, Cure has seen explosive growth as consumers look for better-for-you functional beverages that really work and aren't full of added sugar". She added: "Cure is on a mission to create healthy and effective products that provide the ultimate foundation for health and wellbeing". Cure’s plant-based electrolyte powders are based on the World Health Organization's ORS (oral rehydration salts) formula – a sodium and glucose solution – and are made with non-GMO ingredients, with no added sugar or erythritol. Caitlin Strandberg, partner at Lerer Hippeau, commented: "We continue to invest in Cure because the team has proved that they can scale beyond direct-to-consumer to become an omnichannel brand with a national footprint. We are excited to see Cure's continued retail distribution and disruption of the hydration category." This year has already seen Cure introduce additional electrolyte flavours, including Lemonade and Strawberry Kiwi, as well as a new bulk jar format.