Drink Labs

Drink Labs is a custom beverage development and manufacturing consultancy headquartered in Simi Valley, California. Founded by Dennis Morales, the company works with startups, entrepreneurs, and established brands to turn a beverage concept into a store-ready product. Its in-house team combines beverage scientists, food scientists, graphic designers, and operations specialists who handle formulation, ingredient sourcing, branding, packaging, and co-packer sourcing under one roof. A defining feature of its model is that clients retain 100% ownership of the formula and brand created together, unlike many manufacturers and co-packers that keep rights to the recipes they develop. The company's service range covers a broad set of beverage categories, including flavored teas, flavored waters, sodas, beer, wine, functional drinks, energy drinks, carbonated drinks, fresh juices, coffees, still beverages, cold-pressed juices, kombucha, sports drinks, protein drinks, workout drinks, electrolyte drinks, alcohol beverages, hard seltzer, cocktails, shots, powdered beverages, and beverage enhancers. Its development process is organized into five stages: ideation, ingredient sourcing, formulation, design, and production. During ideation, the team gathers an initial brief and defines direction, including requirements such as certified organic ingredients or a formula below 100 calories. Ingredient sourcing draws on respected U.S. ingredient vendors and can accommodate organic, kosher, gluten-free, or non-GMO specifications. Formulation includes recommendations on ingredient levels and functionality, with three rounds of formulation to refine the product. The design stage addresses packaging and brand identity, covering packaging options, graphic styles, font treatments, and target consumer considerations. Production begins with selecting the right bottle based on the formula and required processing for shelf life, followed by label selection and co-packer sourcing. Drink Labs is led by CEO Dennis Morales alongside food scientists Ann Natarelli and Marie. The team brings 50 years of combined experience in beverage formulation, sourcing, and production, with hands-on work across energy drinks, functional beverages, ready-to-drink cocktails, sports drinks, and other categories. The company states that many of its clients now sell on Amazon, in retail stores, and through successful product launches backed by commercial results. Its lab is located in Simi Valley, close to top ingredient and packaging suppliers, which supports efficient sourcing and development. Drink Labs positions itself as a complete end-to-end solution for beverage brand creation, emphasizing collaboration, client ownership, and the ability to execute a beverage idea from concept through production.

Drink Labs was founded by Dennis Morales to help entrepreneurs turn beverage ideas into store-ready products. The company established its in-house lab in Simi Valley, California, a location chosen for its proximity to top ingredient and packaging suppliers. From its founding, Drink Labs has operated as a custom beverage development consultancy rather than a traditional manufacturer or co-packer, assembling a curated team of beverage scientists, food scientists, graphic designers, and operations specialists. The team is led by CEO Dennis Morales alongside food scientists Ann Natarelli and Marie, who together bring 50 years of combined experience in beverage formulation, sourcing, and production. Their hands-on background spans energy drinks, functional beverages, ready-to-drink cocktails, sports drinks, and many other beverage categories. The company built its model around end-to-end service and client ownership. Unlike many manufacturers and co-packers that retain rights to formulas, Drink Labs states that it never keeps rights to a client's formula, recipe, brand, or packaging; everything created belongs entirely to the client. This approach is presented as a core differentiator and is intended to give clients complete ownership and control of their beverage business. Drink Labs has helped entrepreneurs turn beverage ideas into successful brands, with many clients now selling on Amazon, in retail stores, and through product launches backed by commercial results. The company continues to offer a streamlined five-stage development process—ideation, ingredient sourcing, formulation, design, and production—handled by its in-house team so clients do not need to coordinate multiple vendors.

• Drink Labs is founded by Dennis Morales to help entrepreneurs turn beverage ideas into store-ready products.

• In-house lab established in Simi Valley, California, close to top ingredient and packaging suppliers.

• Team grows to include food scientists Ann Natarelli and Marie, bringing 50 years of combined experience.

End-to-end custom beverage development consultancy with client-retained formula ownership.

• Custom beverage formulation

  Development of unique recipes tailored to target customer, flavor direction, and functional goals, with three rounds of formulation.

• Ingredient sourcing

  Sourcing from respected U.S. ingredient vendors, accommodating organic, kosher, gluten-free, or non-GMO specifications.

• Branding and packaging design

  Design team leads packaging and brand identity discussions covering packaging options, graphic styles, font treatments, and target consumer.

• Co-packer sourcing

  Selection of the right bottle and label types based on formula and required processing for shelf life, plus co-packer sourcing.

1. 1Custom Beverage Development & Formulation company | Drink Labsthedrinklabs.com
2. 2About Drink Labs | Beverage Development Companythedrinklabs.com
3. 3Beverage Development Process | Drink Labsthedrinklabs.com
4. 4Drinks Lab - Wikidatawikidata.org