Poppi
Poppi is an American low-sugar prebiotic soda brand built around fruit-forward flavors, added fiber, and a modern better-for-you positioning.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Poppi is an American carbonated soft-drink brand positioned at the intersection of soda, functional beverages, and wellness-oriented consumer products. Its drinks are marketed as prebiotic soda and are generally formulated with low sugar, modest calories, and added soluble fiber from inulin. The brand presents itself as an alternative to conventional full-sugar soda while retaining familiar carbonation and recognizable flavor profiles. The business began in Houston in 2018 under the name Mother Beverage. Allison Ellsworth had initially experimented with apple-cider-vinegar beverages and sold them at local farmers' markets. She and her husband, Stephen Ellsworth, developed the concept around raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, including the naturally occurring material commonly referred to as the vinegar's “mother.” The couple later appeared on the television investment program Shark Tank under the Mother Beverage name. They received a reported $400,000 investment from investor Rohan Oza, which supported the company's rebranding and growth. In 2020, the company adopted the name Poppi. The change was intended to give the beverage a shorter, more contemporary identity and to make the product more accessible to younger consumers. The rebranded line emphasized bright packaging, approachable flavors, and a more conventional soda experience than many earlier apple-cider-vinegar drinks. Although the brand continued to use apple cider vinegar in its formulation and communications, its core public identity shifted toward “gut healthy” soda rather than a niche vinegar tonic. Poppi expanded through retail distribution, product marketing, and partnerships with entertainment and sports personalities. Its drinks are described as containing no more than 35 calories per serving, with relatively low sugar compared with traditional soft drinks. The company raised a $13.5 million Series A round in 2021 and a $25 million Series B round in 2022. In 2023, the company reported sales above $100 million and distribution through more than 120 retailers, although those figures were reported in connection with the brand's own growth narrative rather than a public-company filing. Marketing became a major part of Poppi's differentiation. The 2023 “Soda's Back” campaign framed soda as culturally relevant again while presenting Poppi as a lighter, wellness-compatible option. The brand also used music, celebrity partnerships, influencer activity, and sports sponsorships to reach younger consumers. Reported collaborators and public-facing partners have included Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner, Billie Eilish, Charli xcx, Russell Westbrook, Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Munn, Lucas Cruikshank, and Post Malone. Poppi also announced a sponsorship involving the Los Angeles Lakers and used high-profile Super Bowl advertising in 2025 and 2026. The brand expanded into Canada in 2024. PepsiCo announced in March 2025 that it would acquire Poppi for $1.95 billion, and the transaction was completed on May 19, 2025. The acquisition placed Poppi within one of the world's largest beverage portfolios and gave PepsiCo ownership of a rapidly growing brand in the better-for-you soda category. In 2026, PepsiCo's British bottling partner Carlsberg Britvic introduced Poppi in the United Kingdom and Ireland through retailers including Tesco and Pret a Manger. The British and Irish product was not marketed as a prebiotic soda because its fiber content did not meet the relevant threshold for that positioning. Poppi has also faced scrutiny over its health-related claims. A California class-action lawsuit filed in 2024 alleged that the brand overstated the digestive or gut-health benefits of its beverages and that the amount of inulin fiber in a can was insufficient to produce the implied benefits. The company agreed to an $8.9 million settlement in July 2025, with a final hearing scheduled for November 20, 2025. The dispute illustrates the regulatory and reputational risks associated with…
History
Poppi originated in Houston, Texas, in 2018 as Mother Beverage, a business founded by Allison and Stephen Ellsworth. Allison Ellsworth had developed apple-cider-vinegar drinks and sold them at local farmers' markets before turning the idea into a formal beverage company with her husband. The early product used raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and was associated with the vinegar's naturally occurring “mother.” This origin gave the business a functional and natural-health orientation, but the initial identity was closer to a specialty wellness drink than a mainstream soda brand. The Ellsworths appeared on Shark Tank in 2018 under the Mother Beverage name and received a reported $400,000 investment from Rohan Oza. The investment helped fund a rebranding and broader commercial development. In 2020, the company changed the product name to Poppi, using a shorter and more youthful identity intended to make the beverage more approachable to mainstream soda consumers. The new branding emphasized colorful packaging, carbonation, familiar flavors, low sugar, and a “gut healthy” proposition. Poppi's business developed alongside the expansion of the functional-beverage category. Its products were promoted as prebiotic soda and included inulin, a soluble fiber. The drinks generally contained no more than 35 calories per serving, allowing the brand to occupy a space between traditional soft drinks and wellness products. The company raised $13.5 million in Series A financing in 2021 and $25 million in Series B financing in 2022. By 2023, the brand reported sales above $100 million and distribution through more than 120 retailers. Marketing and cultural visibility were important to Poppi's growth. Its 2023 “Soda's Back” campaign presented soda as a culturally relevant product while associating Poppi with lighter consumption and wellness. The company used music, celebrity endorsements, influencer relationships, and sports marketing. Reported partners included Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner, Billie Eilish, Charli xcx, Russell Westbrook, Jennifer Lopez, Olivia Munn, Lucas Cruikshank, and Post Malone. Poppi also announced a partnership involving the Los Angeles Lakers. The brand appeared in a 2023 television spot featuring music by Jane & The Boy and ran a 2025 Super Bowl advertisement featuring Jake Shane and Alix Earle. A later Super Bowl advertisement starring Charli xcx and Rachel Sennott was reported for 2026. Poppi began distributing some products in Canada in 2024. Its rapid growth attracted strategic interest from major beverage companies, and PepsiCo announced in March 2025 that it would acquire the brand for $1.95 billion. The transaction closed on May 19, 2025, making Poppi a PepsiCo-owned brand. The acquisition gave Poppi access to the resources and distribution infrastructure of a global beverage group while allowing PepsiCo to participate more directly in the growing prebiotic and better-for-you soda segment. The brand's health positioning also generated legal scrutiny. A California class-action suit filed in 2024 alleged that Poppi's advertising misled consumers about the gut-health effects of its products. The plaintiffs argued that the approximately two grams of fiber in a beverage were not enough to create the meaningful benefits implied by the marketing. In July 2025, Poppi agreed to an $8.9 million settlement, with a final hearing scheduled for November 20, 2025. The case highlighted the distinction between including a functional ingredient and proving broad health outcomes. In June 2025, Poppi announced a reformulation of its Root Beer flavor after complaints that the product's taste was too weak. In 2026, Carlsberg Britvic, PepsiCo's British bottling partner, introduced Poppi in the United Kingdom and Ireland through Tesco and Pret a Manger. The brand was not presented as prebiotic soda in those markets because the formulation did not contain enough fiber for that claim. Poppi therefore entered its PepsiCo era as an active brand with a strong United States base, expanding international distribution, and an ongoing need to balance wellness claims with regulatory and consumer expectations.
- 2026
United Kingdom and Ireland launch
[1]Poppi enters the United Kingdom and Ireland through Carlsberg Britvic, with products sold through Tesco and Pret a Manger.
- 2025
PepsiCo acquisition closes
[1]PepsiCo completes its acquisition of Poppi on May 19, 2025, following the acquisition announcement in March.
- 2024
Canadian distribution begins
[1]Some Poppi products begin distribution in Canada.
- 2023
Sales surpass $100 million
[1]The brand reports sales above $100 million and distribution through more than 120 retailers.
- 2022
Series B financing
[1]Poppi raises a reported $25 million Series B round.
- 2021
Series A financing
[1]Poppi raises a reported $13.5 million Series A round.
- 2020
The brand is renamed Poppi
[1]Mother Beverage adopts the Poppi name to pursue a younger, more modern mainstream-soda identity.
- 2018
Mother Beverage is founded in Houston
[1]Allison and Stephen Ellsworth establish the company behind Poppi and begin developing apple-cider-vinegar-based carbonated drinks.
- 2018
Mother Beverage appears on Shark Tank
[1]The founders present the business on Shark Tank and receive a reported $400,000 investment from Rohan Oza.
Products and positioning
A colorful, low-sugar soda alternative that combines familiar soft-drink flavors with a wellness-oriented prebiotic and gut-health proposition.
Functional carbonated soft drink · 2018
Poppi Prebiotic Soda
Poppi's core product line consists of carbonated soft drinks marketed as prebiotic soda. The range uses fruit-forward and familiar soda flavor profiles, includes apple cider vinegar and inulin, and is promoted as a lower-sugar alternative to conventional soft drinks. Individual products are generally described as containing 35 calories or fewer per serving. The line's principal differentiation is the combination of soda familiarity with a wellness-oriented gut-health message.
Carbonated soft drink
Poppi Root Beer
Root Beer is one of Poppi's named soda varieties. In June 2025, Poppi announced a reformulation after consumer complaints that the flavor was weaker than expected. The change illustrates the brand's willingness to adjust established products in response to taste feedback while retaining the broader low-sugar and functional-beverage positioning.
Controversies
2024
California lawsuit over gut-health claims
A California class-action lawsuit alleged that Poppi's marketing overstated the gut-health benefits of its beverages. The complaint argued that the approximately two grams of inulin fiber in a drink were insufficient to support the implied benefits and that the advertising was misleading under California law.
Marketing campaigns
- 2026Super Bowl campaign featuring Charli xcx and Rachel Sennott
United States
A Poppi advertisement starring Charli xcx and Rachel Sennott premiered during the Super Bowl, continuing the brand's use of music and entertainment personalities.
- 2025Super Bowl advertising featuring Jake Shane and Alix Earle
United States
Poppi ran a second consecutive Super Bowl advertisement featuring Jake Shane and Alix Earle, extending its influencer- and celebrity-led approach to national brand awareness.
- 2023Soda's Back
United States
Poppi used the “Soda's Back” campaign to present carbonated soft drinks as culturally current while positioning its own low-sugar, prebiotic products as a more wellness-compatible choice. The campaign was supported by music-led advertising and broader retail activation.
Outcome. The campaign was associated with increased brand visibility and in-store momentum, and the company reported sales above $100 million in 2023.
Brand decisions
2025
PepsiCo agrees to acquire PoppiM&ABackground
Poppi had grown rapidly in the better-for-you and prebiotic soda category, with reported sales above $100 million in 2023 and distribution across more than 120 retailers.
Action taken
PepsiCo announced a $1.95 billion acquisition in March 2025 and completed the transaction on May 19, 2025.
Aftermath
Poppi became part of PepsiCo's beverage portfolio and gained access to the resources and distribution capabilities of a global beverage company.
Announced acquisition value. $1.95 billion (Announced March 2025; completed May 19, 2025)
2025
Root Beer reformulationGeneration changeBackground
Consumers complained that Poppi's Root Beer flavor had a weaker taste than expected.
Action taken
Poppi announced a reformulation of the Root Beer product.
Aftermath
The reformulation was intended to respond to taste feedback; broader sales effects were not specified.
2025
Settlement of California advertising litigationOtherBackground
The lawsuit challenged the strength and substantiation of Poppi's gut-health marketing claims.
Action taken
The company agreed to an $8.9 million settlement in July 2025.
Aftermath
A final hearing was scheduled for November 20, 2025. The case underscored the compliance risk of making broad health claims for functional beverages.
Settlement amount. $8.9 million (Agreed July 2025; final hearing scheduled November 20, 2025)
2020
Rebrand from Mother Beverage to PoppiStrategyBackground
The original Mother Beverage identity was closely tied to apple cider vinegar and the ingredient's traditional “mother” terminology.
Action taken
The company adopted the shorter Poppi name and repositioned the drinks for a younger, more mainstream audience.
Aftermath
The rebrand helped establish the colorful, modern soda identity used in the brand's later retail and marketing expansion.
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