Anyone who has ever tasted fresh-squeezed orange juice knows there isn’t anything better. The vibrant flavor and regenerative powers of fresh juice are like drinking a cup of sunshine. Now, imagine capturing that quality, taste, and nutrition without the hassle of squeezing fruits yourself. Enter CUBO, a modern company revolutionizing the beverage industry with its innovative frozen pods and self-cleaning beverage machine.
CUBO’s freezing technology not only ensures the premium quality of the ingredients in their beverage pods but also does it without the addition of preservatives, sugar, or food dyes. CUBO also delivers a superior taste and nutrient profile that supports better overall health and well-being.
Developed by a team of innovators with expertise in mechanical and electrical engineering, food tech, consumer goods, and more, CUBO was created with the highest quality standards through its rigorous development and production processes. Handcrafted in small batches with people’s wellness in mind, CUBO beverages feature ingredients like functional mushrooms, vegan protein, and probiotics while leaving out the added sugars, food dyes, and preservatives. Each of the CUBO pods used with the convenient patented appliance produces a 12-ounce beverage and contains an RFID chip that prevents counterfeit pods.
With over 40 combined years of shared experiences in tech startups and leadership, CEO Grichka Frachisse, Founder and President Nicolas Blatt, and Co-founder and COO Denis Fonseca are fueling the company’s remarkable growth and success.
Blatt is a serial entrepreneur with over $1 billion in revenues throughout his career. As a mechanical engineer, he is passionate about solving problems. He is a firm believer in CUBO and has bootstrapped the company to ensure its success. Fonseca brings over 20 years of experience in the tech, telecom, and consumer goods industries. He also impressively holds an LSS Black Belt, is an electrical engineer, and has an MBA in management and supply chain.
Grichka Frachisse rounds out the trio of leaders at CUBO. An entrepreneur and startup advisor with a background in food, tech, logistics, and biomedical fields and a former banker with a master’s degree in financial markets and an MBA in international management, he brings a wealth of expertise in financial markets and international management to drive strategic growth and innovation within the company. He also co-founded Company Pasta Inc.
The Impetus of CUBO
Fonseca and Blatt’s professional journey began over a decade ago when Fonseca worked for one of Blatt’s tech-device companies in Brazil. Fonseca impressed Blatt with his technical acumen and dedication that has led to a long and fruitful working relationship. After ideating CUBO, Fonseca demonstrated his belief in their product and his dedication to building an impactful machine by relocating with his whole family to China. During the three years, Fonseca spearheaded the development of CUBO’s hardware and production line from scratch.
Blatt met Frachisse through a mutual connection. “We immediately clicked, not only on values, but career profiles were also very aligned,” Frachisse explains. By bringing the product to his immediate network, Frachisse was quickly impressed by CUBO’s potential after listening to focus groups with Chefs, tech experts, and retailers. “I saw their amazing reactions even with the initial recipes, and I said, ‘I love the product, I love the team, but the first action is to change all the recipes.’ They were a good way to showcase the value of the product, but not so good at delivering what people really want.” Frachisse has been instrumental in helping with product development as well as strategic positioning and devising their go-to-market strategy.
What’s Next?
The founders and CEO of CUBO are looking beyond fresh, natural juices. “We’ve gotten very positive feedback on the quality of our beverages and on the value of our beverages, but I would say what is a huge differentiator for us is the soup category. People want to see more SKUs,” Frachisse notes. This unique category not only distinguishes CUBO but also offers their clients substantial profit margins. Selling their soup pods for approximately $3.50, CUBO’s partners often retail them for $12, which is a reasonable price for a healthy, delicious, fast lunch.
Looking further ahead, CUBO also sees substantial potential in customizable beverages and large partnerships with food manufacturers. “With our RFID encrypted chip design on our pods, we will be able to license our pods tomorrow. We have already been having conversations with some of the largest consumer beverage brands about co-branding their own recipes. That’s something that we’re ready for because we have the infrastructure that has been built since the beginning.”
The team at CUBO blends convenience and wellness with their futuristic and ultra-cool technology. Driven by a passionate and experienced team with a clear vision for the future, CUBO is not only on its way to providing healthy beverage options to every office, school, hospital, (and everything in between), but they are changing the way we eat lunch, too.
