For years, venture capitalists have beenskeptical of beverage startups, citing thin margins and brutal distribution as reasons most beverage brands never break out. But a new wave of “functional soda” companies has been challenging that assumption, includingPoppi, the prebiotic soda brand that grew from a kitchen experiment into a$1.95 billionacquisition by PepsiCo.
On this episode of TechCrunch’sEquitypodcast, Rebecca Bellan is joined byPoppico-founder Allison Ellsworth to talk about building a beverage startup in a venture world dominated by SaaS and AI. From pitching on Shark Tank while nine months pregnant to scaling a digital-first brand during COVID, and nowreturningas a Shark herself, Ellsworth shares how social media, fast marketing bets, and customer feedback helped turn a niche drink into a category-defining company.
Listen to the full episode to hear about:
- Ellsworth’s Shark Tank return, and how she evaluates founderson the other side of the pitch.
- How Ellsworth turned a personal health issue intoPoppiand built early traction atfarmers’markets.
- Why TikTok and community-driven marketing helped the brand rack up billions of views and loyal fans.
- The risky decision to buy a last-minute Super Bowl ad, and how the team executed it in days.
- Whatit’slike selling a startup to PepsiCo while trying to preserve the brand’s identity.
- Why beverage startupsalmost inevitablyneed acquisition-level distribution to scale.
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