A former investment banker who quit the City rat race to start a soft drinks business is hoping to raise more than £250,000 with a crowdfunding appeal.

Sarb Bhangle, co-founder of Longfield and Dartford- based ViVA, is using the crowdfunding platform Angels Den to take his business to the next level.

ViVa has developed a brand of drinks using fruit juice, water and botanical extracts, a product which the company believes will be a fast-emerging market.

Paul Fellowes, ViVA’s marketing and social media executive, said that while on holiday in America, he noticed a range of functional and healthy drinks was available, unlike the UK. “This was most definitely a market that was going to make its way over to the UK soon, and we thought we¹d capitalize on that trend ­ so here we are with ViVA Drinks.”

The company, formerly based on Medway City Estate, makes four drinks with a range of flavours, including watermelon and raspberry, mint and lemon and white peach and melon.

The crowdfunding target has been set at £251,836, with just over £65,000 pledged by the middle of August.

Mr Bhangle said:”Our product is already stocked in more than 200 UK stores and we export to Sweden, Africa and the Middle East. We have won two Great Taste awards and have received recognition from the beverage industry. Our target is to sell three million bottles by 2018. We aim to break even by 2016 and from that point onwards we will see rapid growth.”

“We hope the finance raised from Angels Den will allow us to take VIVA to the next level.”

Mr Bhangle, who left his job in 2013 to launch the business, is confident the UK functional drinks market is set for rapid growth.

The company hopes eventually to persuade the UK’s supermarket giants to stock its products.