Born from factory closures and economic displacement, the launch of barley water brand Graasí was about more than creating another functional beverage – it was a hail mary to revive a community and elevate health and sustainability.
From industrial decline to functional design
Founder Chris LaCorata began his journey in his wife’s hometown of Fredonia, New York, a community hit hard by factory closures and the resulting job losses. After witnessing firsthand the devastating impact of outsourcing on American towns – and facing the planned shutdown of the factory where he worked, which forced his own family to relocate – Chris saw the toll on both livelihoods and local economies. As a manufacturing executive in the years that followed, he had a front-row seat to the decline, as over 5 million jobs and more than 70,000 factories disappeared across America.
Determined to make a change, Chris left corporate life in 2017 with a mission to drive economic revitalization. His first initiative, Empire State Brands, aimed to launch a modern food processing facility projected to inject $90 million into the local economy and create more than 400 jobs. Unfortunately, when COVID-19 struck, the project – slated for Dunkirk, New York, in the same county as Fredonia – was put on hold.
Rather than fold, LaCorata pivoted.
“We decided to take what we learned and pivot to a line of healthy certified organic brands,” LaCorata recalls. That insight–and an appreciation for the health potential of barley–led to the creation of Graasí, an organic barley water powered by barley grass juice powder and infused with essential vitamins like D, C, and Zinc.
What is functional wellness?
At its core, Graasí is LaCorata’s answer to what he calls functional wellness: beverages that go beyond hydration to offer tangible health benefits, delivered in a clean, minimally processed, low-calorie and low-sugar format.
“We wanted to be a low-calorie and low-sugar drink to address the obesity and diabetes epidemics in the country today. Today’s soft drinks can have 40 grams of sugar or more. Graasí has just 4 grams, lower than the 8 grams touted as a low-sugar option,” Chris explains.
Its formula relies on barley grass juice powder, a detoxifying superfood rich in amino acids, paired with immune-boosting micronutrients. Every bottle is USDA Certified Organic, non-GMO, plant-based, vegan and gluten-free.
Standing out in a saturated market
One of the company’s biggest hurdles? Education.
Barley is not a go-to ingredient in the hydration space – yet. But LaCorata is betting that today’s wellness-aware consumers will lean into Graasí’s unique proposition. And the timing couldn’t be better. A 2025 McKinsey & Company report pegged the U.S. wellness market at more than $500 billion, with interest growing across all age groups–especially among Gen Z and Millennials.
Graasí’s differentiator lies not just in ingredients, but in the depth of its certifications and supply chain integrity.
“Certified organic means oversight from the soil to the packaging,” LaCorata explains, noting that quality systems like HACCP and SQF underpin every step of production. This holistic approach allows Graasí to stand out not just as a functional drink, but as a brand that consumers can trust.
What’s next for Graasí
As the hydration category continues to evolve, LaCorata sees it moving toward “beverages with benefits.” Functional waters, low-sugar energy alternatives, and wellness-focused RTD teas are all on the horizon. Graasí already is preparing for this shift, with plans for bold new flavors, line extensions and powder formats to meet changing tastes and usage occasions.
But scaling will not come at the cost of Graasí’s values.
“It’s about choosing the right partners who share our commitment to quality and wellness,” LaCorata says. With expansion in mind – both in SKUs and retail reach – Graasí is positioning itself not just as a product, but as a platform for change in the beverage industry.
The name Graasí – a nod to the word “thanks” in Italian and Spanish – reflects the brand’s roots in community and renewal. It’s a small but intentional detail that hints at LaCorata’s broader vision: one that ties personal values to business strategy.
As Graasí expands, it aims to align with growing consumer demand for transparency, health-driven formulations and sustainable practices, while continuing to evolve within a competitive and fast-moving functional beverage market.
