Olipop
Ben Goodwin grew up viewing "healthy soda" as an impossible contradiction—like jumbo shrimp. But rather than accept this gap in the market, he saw an irresistible challenge: create a beverage that captured the nostalgia of classic colas and root beers while being low in sugar and beneficial for gut health.
After years of painstaking effort and one failed brand attempt, Ben and his partner finally launched Olipop in 2018. The beverage is formulated with fiber and prebiotics, sweetened with Stevia instead of sugar, positioning it squarely in the emerging "functional soda" category.
Olipop launched first in natural food stores, a strategic entry point for health-conscious consumers. The product gained rapid traction and quickly expanded distribution to major retail chains, riding the wave of younger consumers shifting away from legacy soda brands.
Olipop is expected to generate nearly $500 million in sales in the year covered by this profile. Ben believes the brand will continue to grow as the generational shift away from traditional sodas accelerates.
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