Hardware Podcasts

Poppi: Allison and Stephen Ellsworth. From Farmers Market Vinegar Drink to $2B Soda Sensation

How I Built This · 22 Sept 2025 · 1h 06m

What this episode covers

Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, founders of Poppi, explain how they transformed a home-brewed apple cider vinegar drink into a $2 billion prebiotic soda acquired by Pepsi. They detail the pivot from 'Mother Beverage' to Poppi, driven by Shark Tank investor Rohan Oza’s critique that their branding was 'sh*t,' leading to a rebrand with colored cans and a 'functional soda' positioning. The founders describe overcoming early carbonation failures, securing Whole Foods distribution, and leveraging TikTok and Amazon to explode sales during the pandemic, culminating in a Super Bowl ad and eventual acquisition.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Pepsi, Whole Foods, Amazon
Products
Poppi
Also
Shark Tank, Rohan Oza, Expo West, TikTok

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