Unilever Ventures, the company's investment arm, led the $5 million Series A Funding round for farm-to-face luxury skincare and personal care brand RAS. Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund also participated in the round.

RAS had raised $1.5 million from Green Frontier Capital, a New York-based venture capital firm that focuses on sustainability and climate change, as part of its Pre-Series A Funding round earlier in April 2023.

With an emphasis on exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) and shop-in-shop retail, the proceeds will be used to increase the company's retail footprint. Talent acquisition, R&D for new product lines, marketing and branding initiatives, and technological advancement are additional investment areas.

This round has also seen participation from RAS's current investors, which include Keki Mistry's Family and Sixth Sense Ventures, among other prominent angel investors.

RAS is a beauty and skincare company founded by Shubhika, Sangeeta, and Suramya Jain. The products are made at the startup's exclusive vertically-integrated research facility and farms in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, using natural ingredients and powerful scientific formulations.

The company currently runs two EBOs, and over the next three years, 50 more Pan-India EBOs are planned.

Over the next four years, the company expects to see a 25% revenue contribution from offline channels, with offline retail expansion being one of the focus areas following funding. It is also designed to benefit from expansion in the HORECA sector.

The funds will be used by Raipur-based RAS Luxury to increase its retail footprint, with a particular emphasis on shop-in-shop formats and exclusive brand outlets (EBOs). The company, which currently runs two EBOs, intends to open fifty more throughout India in the following three years.