How Poppi Built a Billion Dollar Brand
And what every founder and business should learn from it.
Last week, Poppi - the gut friendly soda brand born in a Texas kitchen, was acquired by PepsiCo for $1.95 billion.
The exit is massive. But more than that, it’s meaningful.
Poppi didn’t just build a product. It built a cultural movement. It redefined what soda could look like, feel like, and mean to a new generation of consumers.
This wasn’t just a win for Poppi. It’s a signal to every brand builder: if you understand identity, content, and community - you can win against giants.
Let’s break it down.
1 - Poppi Rebranded the Idea of Soda, Not Just the Can
Even though the product is considered a healthy alternative to traditional soda, Poppi didn’t enter the market trying to compete on health stats. It entered by reimagining soda itself.
Its original version - Mother Beverage - was a homemade mix of fruit juice, ACV, and fizz sold at farmers’ markets. When it landed on Shark Tank secured funding, and rebranded, it didn’t just clean up its packaging. It rebuilt the narrative.
Most “healthy” drinks lead with science. Poppi led with vibe.
Bright, nostalgic cans.
A Gen Z–native voice.
“Hot girl gut health” as a POV.
A soda brand that felt like skincare or fashion.
Instead of saying “low sugar,” it said, “this belongs in your fridge next to your Glossier.”
Instead of fighting soda culture, it leaned into it - and updated it.
Lesson: People don’t buy macros. They buy aesthetic alignment. Rebrands that win don’t just modernise - they reposition the product in culture.
2 - Content Wasn’t an Add On. It Was the Strategy
Poppi wasn’t built on billboards. It was built on TikTok.
From influencer hauls to playful memes to lo-fi behind the scenes videos, Poppi understood one thing deeply: content is the new distribution.
They didn’t just run ads. They made scroll-stopping media. Their product was designed to look good on camera. Their tone was designed to sound like someone you’d follow.
And the results speak for themselves:
#1 healthy soda on Amazon.
$100M+ in revenue.
Sold in over 120 retailers including Whole Foods, Costco, Target, and 7-Eleven.
Two consecutive Super Bowl ads.
A community that included everyone from Hailey Bieber to Post Malone.
Lesson: If your product doesn’t translate into content, it doesn’t scale. Design with the feed in mind. Your visual identity, tone, and storytelling need to work on reels, carousels, and TikTok first.
3 - The Product Became a Social Object
Poppi was never just a drink. It was a signal.
The can was its own marketing channel.
People took mirror selfies with it.
Fridge stocking videos became product showcases.
Merch drops and influencer events turned the brand into a lifestyle.
Poppi wasn’t selling beverages. It was selling belonging.
Its brand wasn't a static identity - it was living media. Every can, every TikTok, every influencer moment contributed to a sense of shared taste and collective movement.
Lesson: Your product should be postable. Whether you're building a SaaS tool or a consumer good, ask: “Would someone share this because of how it makes them feel?”
Poppi Didn't Just Ride a Trend. It Saw the Market Shift Early
Poppi wasn’t just reactive to the wellness movement - it anticipated where culture was headed.
The rise of “better-for-you” beverages is no longer niche:
Olipop raised $50M at a ~$2B valuation.
Coca-Cola just launched Simply Pop.
Functional drinks hit $134B in market value in 2024, and are projected to reach $231B by 2033.
The biggest players are either acquiring or scrambling to catch up.
And Poppi? It was there first - on the shelves, in the content, and in the conversation.
Lesson: The brands that win tomorrow are the ones that move early, build culturally, and scale visually. Poppi made soda feel new again. That’s what legacy brands can’t do on their own.
Why This Matters for You
Whether you’re launching a CPG brand or scaling a B2B product, the rules Poppi played by are the rules now:
Lead with culture, not features.
Make your brand a community.
Build for the algorithm and the customer.
Make your product beautiful, your story human, and your content useful.
And when in doubt: rethink everything that feels “normal.”
Poppi didn’t just add gut health to soda. It changed soda’s meaning.
At Satellite Labs, we help brands do exactly that - reshape how the world sees them through bold strategy, design, and content that travels.
If you're building something special and want it to hit harder, scale faster, and resonate deeper - we'd love to help.
Let’s talk.
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