First, she disrupted soda. Then, she sold Poppi to PepsiCo for nearly $2 BILLION
By Aline Meloni · November 10, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
First, she disrupted soda. Then, she sold Poppi to PepsiCo for nearly $2 BILLION. Now, she's coming for Gatorade. 👀💧
It started with a personal insight.
After taking GLP-1 medication and losing 60 pounds, Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth struggled to drink enough water.
But why was hydration so focused on athletes?
What about people working, commuting or simply drinking more water?
Today, the Ellsworths launched JETTY, a functional hydration brand.
🥭 5 flavors
💧 Electrolytes + B vitamins + prebiotics
🍒 6g sugar, 45 calories
🌱 No artificial sweeteners or dyes
🛒 Whole Foods, Amazon and Target.com, targeting 3,200 stores by January.
But the product is only HALF the story.
Here are my takeaways for brands:
1️⃣ THE OPPORTUNITY ISN'T ALWAYS A NEW INGREDIENT. SOMETIMES IT'S A NEW OCCASION.
Electrolytes, vitamins and prebiotics aren't new.
Poppi reframed soda around better-for-you indulgence.
Jetty is reframing hydration around everyday life.
LESS about what's inside. MORE about when, why and for whom.
💡 Are we innovating within category definitions or challenging them?
2️⃣ GLP-1 ISN'T JUST CHANGING HOW MUCH PEOPLE EAT. IT COULD CHANGE WHAT THEY BUY.
We talk about smaller portions, protein and reduced snacking.
But what about hydration? Nutrient density? New routines?
💡 Don't just track what consumers buy LESS of. Find new needs in changing behaviors.
3️⃣ THE CONSUMER IS CHANGING. IS YOUR CATEGORY KEEPING UP?
Sports drinks built their identities around athletic performance.
But only 41% of US sports drink consumers cite athletic performance as their PRIMARY reason for consumption (source: Mintel).
The majority have other motivations!
Jetty is betting on wellness without the sports-drink identity.
💡 Same category. Different needs. Different occasions.
4️⃣ THE PRODUCT LAUNCH IS NOW THE ENTERTAINMENT.
This might be my favorite! 😊
Allison teased Jetty before revealing the product.
She's developing a YouTube series documenting the journey.
She says Walmart even allowed cameras into a retail buyer meeting!
She's turning brand building into content people want to watch.
💡 Big CPG companies spend millions creating relevance. Founders build communities BEFORE products hit shelves.
5️⃣ TRIAL IS EXCITING. REPEAT IS EVERYTHING.
Let's not crown another billion-dollar brand yet.
Gatorade isn't standing still. Hydration powders are booming. And water is a formidable competitor at $0.
Jetty must prove consumers will pay a premium AND build a habit.
💡 Buzz gets you noticed. But it's repeat purchase that builds the business.
They are repeating a playbook:
Find an underserved consumer tension. Challenge assumptions. Reframe the occasion. Build cultural relevance.
Poppi challenged what soda could BE.
Jetty is challenging what hydration is FOR.
And THAT is the innovation I love watching!
CPG leaders: How can you find underserved consumer tensions and reframe an occasion? (Hint: call me! 😉)
I share #innovation insights weekly. Follow for more!