Chris LaCorata is a visionary, values-driven leader and innovator who is making waves with GRAASI, the U.S.’s first certified organic barley water brand. With a career over 30 years in manufacturing and nearly 25 years in the beverages industry, he is driven by a personal touch and community-driven approach to his work.
Seeing firsthand the devastating effects of factory shut downs in his wife’s hometown over 30 years before LaCorata was deeply affected by what he witnessing in communities across the U.S. during his manufacturing career. With this in mind, LaCorata hung up his corporate hat and set out on his entrepreneurial journey with a mission: create new manufacturing here at home. What followed was the development of a business model that was estimated to create 400 jobs, help 250 farmers, and but when the pandemic hit, he pivoted to GRAASI.
Today, his purpose-driven leadership inspires others, reflecting that businesses can fulfill both individual potential and collective success.
From Corporate Leadership to Entrepreneurship
LaCorata’s beginning in entrepreneurship was more than just a career transition; it was a call to action. With decades of experience in corporate manufacturing, he noticed the huge impact of factory closures and outsourcing on the US communities. “I saw the harm and wanted to do something to help people over it,” he says.
Besides his own experiences inside corporations, he had a front-row seat to the effects of factory shutdowns and outsourcing. “Manufacturing matters. A single factory is an economic force multiplier like no other business sector. American manufacturing workers, farmers and the small businesses that support them are some of the hardest working and dedicated people in the country. These people are the backbone of any community. I wanted to help create a new manufacturing enterprise that could provide new jobs, help farmers and empower the community” he explained. This vision led him to GRAASI, where purpose meets business and success is not just about profits but about building something meaningful.
Purpose Born During Struggles
For LaCorata, the shift to creating a purpose-driven brand was quite clear. Top of mind over the years was always his wife’s home town and all the communities he saw firsthand that was affected by factory closures and the many years of subsequent challenges they had to suffer through.
Logically LaCorata felt the start point should be his wife’s home town, the very town they left for opportunity some 30 plus years earlier. LaCorata made a call to the local Industrial Development Agency and introduced himself. What followed was a two year collaboration spanning community stakeholders, elected officials, town boards, consultants and an Ivy League University. Together they built a business model that was estimated to drive over $90 Million in local economic activity. With the advent of the pandemic the project experienced immense headwinds. Seeing no other alternative and listening to consumers desires for cleaner healthier brands he took what they learned and pivoted to GRAASI www.graasi.com.
This experience shaped LaCorata’ s vision for GRAASI – a distinguished brand to help consumer health and wellness, while supporting farmers, create work opportunities, promoting U.S. manufacturing and give back to the community.
GRAASI: Redefining Hydration with Purpose
LaCorata introduces GRAASI as a game-changer in the beverage industry. GRAASI is a functional wellness drink. It stands as a perfect healthy alternative among the numerous processed and surgical products. The core philosophy behind the brand is “hydrate with benefits”—because your body needs more than just empty calories. The objective is to deliver a product that is as good for you as it tastes.
LaCorata adds, “We believe hydration should fuel your body’s potential, instead of holding it back. With GRAASI, we are not just offering a product but promoting a lifestyle where wellness meets taste.”
GRAASI’s Unique Edge
GRAASI is the only USDA-certified organic barley water in the U.S., and that’s just the beginning. GRAASI packs barley grass juice powder—a “superfood” with all 8 essential amino acids and 11 of the 16 nonessential ones. It is known for detoxifying the bloodstream and gastrointestinal tract, and it is then infused with vitamins D and C and Zinc for natural immunity boosting. The focus on barley grass juice powder’s benefits makes it stand out. “We are not just another drink; we are a functional beverage with a purpose,” LaCorata adds.
The Functional Beverage Boom: Key Trends
LaCorata points to post-pandemic awareness as the primary driver. Consumers are still mindful of health risks, and this is pushing the wellness trends. Beyond that, there is more to it—the U.S. faces alarming chronic disease rates: 39 million Americans with diabetes, and according to the CDC, some 115 million Americans are considered pre-diabetic. This is more than the entire population of Canada. One in four children is considered obese. The industry has to step up.
The wellness revolution’s gaining traction, with functional beverages leading the charge. “Obesity, gut health, and mental health are taking center stage,” he explains.
Building Trust with Clean Choices
LaCorata recalls that the pandemic era sparked a shift. There is a growing consumer desire for healthier products, especially as it relates to immunity. This was also a period when people’s trust in mainstream products was shaken. GRAASI leaned into this, opting for USDA organic certification. “We dug into barley’s history—from gladiators to modern wellness—and knew we would hit gold”, LaCorata explains.
It resulted in a low-calorie, low-sugar drink with clean, organic ingredients, and LaCorata felt he had a winner!
The focus on transparency shaped GRAASI’s presence. People want to know what is in their drinks, and the brand happily tells them. With organic certification and an ingredient list, GRAASI builds trust among consumers.
Innovating with Purpose
LaCorata keeps innovation focused and approaches it through the lens of his mission: to offer a healthy alternative with wellness, trust, and clean ingredients. This is the starting point for innovation for LaCorata Beverage. Whether it is exploring new flavors or benefits, GRAASI actively balances innovation with simplicity and transparency.
Pandemic Launch: GRAASI’s Test of Resilience
LaCorata recalls the initial journey and the challenges in launching GRAASI during the pandemic. Cutting through the noise of that period and building awareness of the benefits of barley and GRAASI as a product was the biggest challenge.
“As a start-up during that period in the hyper-competitive beverage industry, for us it meant staying the course even in the darkest of days”. Shares LaCorata. He even got advice from industry experts to dilute his brand and make it a me too like the big players. But he resisted and stayed true to his vision. Over the years, the perseverance paid off, and GRAASI carved its niche.
Throughout the journey, LaCorata learned resilience and the benefits of staying focused on your why.
Scaling with Integrity
LaCorata explains, “Our USDA organic certifications set a high standard—every ingredient supplier and our co packers should be certified and audited from time to time.” Such a strict process ensures traceability from soil to shelf.
LaCorata also focuses on building strong partnerships. The team works closely with suppliers, sharing the same commitment to quality and sustainability. This hands-on approach enables the brand to maintain its standards as it scales.
“Being a beverage industry operation guy and having run bottling plants in the past, I have the benefit of knowing what to look for. It helps me sleep at night. From a scaling standpoint, we partnered with the top brand management company in Cascadia Managing Brands www.cascadiafoodbev.com to help with expansion,” LaCorata further explains.
The Future of Functional Beverages
According to LaCorata, there is a huge potential in the functional beverage category, offering an exceptional opportunity before brands like GRAASI. As the wellness revolution is just getting started, it will spread further and affect other market channels like convenience stores. On the brand side, using the basic human need for hydration as a base, different brand formulations can address a whole host of health-related issues, helping to address chronic disease.
As the market grows, there will be more targeted formulations addressing specific health needs. In the near future, people will grab drinks to fuel their workouts, boost immunity, and even mental clarity. With the upcoming shifts, GRAASI will play a significant role in general health and well-being. As consumers want more from their drinks, the latest technology and innovation will focus on introducing formulas made of clean ingredients and science-backed benefits.
Upcoming Product Categories and Launches
GRAASI is all set to launch products that address the range of lifestyle events. From simple hydration to workouts, hikes, yoga, and family parties. “Creating healthy brands that fit life’s occasions seems the most exciting to us, and we are all about building healthy brands that vibe with how people live”, LaCorata says.
“Life is full of moments that need fuel—we make them. GRAASI makes them healthier,” he adds.
Starting with clean energy, LaCorata and his team are also excited to expand their relationship with athletes. After connecting with an MMA agency, they are now sponsoring the Kill Cliff FC www.killclifffc.com a world class MMA training center in Florida. Supporting these athletes is a win-win; they push limits, and the brand fuels their grind.
With this association, GRAASI successfully taps into the high-energy world of combat sports, building products perfectly matched with athletes’ intense requirements.
