Coffee with butter isn't a typical morning beverage. But it's become a craze among biohackers and those looking to add extra energy to their day.
Championed by Dave Asprey, author of "The Bulletproof Diet," the aptly named "Bulletproof coffee" (BPC) is a mix of specially treated coffee, butter from grass-fed cows, and "brain octane" oil, which is similar to coconut oil.
You've never seen these ingredients on a Starbucks menu. But they're staples at the Bulletproof café in Santa Monica, California — and more cafés could be springing up around the country soon.
On Wednesday, Asprey announced that his company, Bulletproof, had raised an additional $19 million from lead investors CAVU Venture Partners.
With the new money, the company said it plans to fuel its retail expansion, including opening up a store in New York City. Last year, I stopped by Bulletproof's café in Santa Monica to see if a coffee and butter concoction could keep me fueled for my drive back to San Francisco. Here's what it was like:
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"The goal is not to be the next Starbucks," says founder Dave Asprey. Yet the company has now taken in over $28 million in venture funding and started opening coffee stores to bring biohacking to the masses. Biohacking is a DIY-movement in which people experiment with various supplements or devices that they believe lead to increased productivity, mental acuity and other benefits. For Bulletproof, this is the first location in downtown Santa Monica.
The sign outside is just one indicator of the differences between your typical coffee shop and Bulletproof. Here I'm told to "Hack every meal."
Bulletproof's messaging continues before you set foot in the store. From the door decals, you can see that this café is gluten-free, doesn't use GMOs, and won't add sugar.
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