Latest news with #VintageCola
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Olipop doubles down on health claims as Pepsi, Coke enter better-for-you soda space
This story was originally published on Food Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Food Dive newsletter. The co-founder of Olipop built the seven-year-old brand around disrupting the $97 billion soda space with a healthier offering. Now, as beverage giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo amass a deeper presence in the better-for-you category, he's spending big bucks to back up his company's nutritional claims. Ben Goodwin, Olipop's CEO, said health and wellness brands charging people a premium for their products have a responsibility to prove their claims. So far, this transparency has been largely missing from the better-for-you soda sector, where positive attributes are a major selling point in attracting consumers. Olipop claims to have bucked that trend after publishing a company-funded study in June showing its Vintage Cola resulted in a better blood sugar response compared to leading traditional cola. The soda maker is conducting additional longer-term assessments to gauge Olipop's effect on blood sugar and digestion. It has plans for more studies and partnerships going forward. 'That should be the expectation if a consumer is going to pay a premium for something that they believe is going to benefit their health,' Goodwin said. 'It's a reality that no other player in the functional soda, modern soda space has done any empirical research whatsoever.' Olipop was founded in 2018 by Goodwin and David Lester to create healthier, better-tasting soda options for consumers watching what they eat and drink. The offerings, which come in flavors such as Strawberry Vanilla, Cream Soda and Crisp Apple, contain up to 5 grams of sugar, fewer than 50 calories and are loaded with prebiotic fiber to promote gut health. But Goodwin is aiming to do more than tout the product's health attributes. The studies, he said, not only add credibility to the offering but also provide another way to differentiate it from competitors beyond its taste profile. 'At the end of the day, people are willing to spend money on things that they resonate with and that they perceive as valuable,' he said. The studies also help insulate Olipop from any potential enforcement from regulators or lawsuits challenging the claims made by the beverage manufacturer. Goodwin is hopeful the data will eventually provide enough support to show the health benefits of Olipop so that one day the soda can be offered by doctors and insurance plans as a preventative measure. But even without the additional data, the fast-growing California company sits in an enviable place in the beverage sector. As people look to curtail their sugar intake and increase their consumption of better-for-you offerings and products that contain functional ingredients, Olipop and competitor Poppi have thrived. Olipop turned profitable in 2024, with sales doubling to more than $400 million year-over-year, according to the company. Earlier this year, it was valued at nearly $2 billion after raising $50 million from investors to expand marketing, add flavors and increase availability in spaces traditionally dominated by legacy sodas. Roughly half of its growth is from legacy carbonated soft drinks such as Pepsi and Coke, with the rest coming from new shoppers entering the category and current soda drinkers adding Olipop to their carts. The fast-growing better-for-you soda space has been dominated for several years by Olipop and Poppi, the latter of which was purchased earlier in 2025 by beverage and snacking maker PepsiCo for $1.95 billion. PepsiCo rival Coca-Cola entered the space in February behind its own launch of Simply Pop. Goodwin said the PepsiCo deal and Coke's presence in the space served to validate the growth potential of the healthier soda category. Olipop continues to post 'strong double-digit' growth, running counter to the broader carbonated soft drink space that has dropped 5% this year. Despite the presence of the beverage giants and other smaller startups, Goodwin remains confident that Olipop will continue to thrive. Six years ago, 'people thought this was a crazy idea,' he said. 'We are the creators of the category and the most authentic player with the most long-term vision."
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
LAST CHANCE: Visit Olipop's virtual drive-thru today for mocktails, DIY summer drinks
LAST CHANCE: Visit Olipop's virtual drive-thru today for mocktails, DIY summer drinks If you missed Olipop's first-ever drive-thru experience in Los Angeles, don't fret, you can still enjoy it virtually. However, you'll need to act fast as today is the LAST day for your chance at a DIY mocktail starter kit or a case of the newest Olipop flavor for free. The Virtual Drive-Thru opens for one final time from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM PST, with the final batch of winners selected to get the sweet taste of Olipop for free! Since it opened last week, by the end of Monday, 1,000 customers will have been selected. Olipop lovers can even enjoy 20% off their next order. More on that below. So act fast, because the sweet taste of Olipop viral healthy soda at the Virtual Drive-Thru is driving away today! When is the Olipop Virtual Drive-Thru? From Monday, May 12 to Monday, May 19, Olipop will host a Virtual Drive-Thru at open daily from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM PST. More Olipop Drive-Thru: Visit Olipop's retro Drive-Thru today and enter to win fun bubbly for summer 🍊 How do you enter to win Olipop freebies? Simply enter your name and email. Olipop will notify you within 48 hours if you're one of the selected winners. Winners will win one of the following freebies: Olipop Drive-Thru Mocktail Kit: In partnership with KOIA, Olipop is bringing the sparkle home with all the ingredients you need to create your own Dirty Protein Soda featuring the new Olipop Orange Cream flavor. You can also create the internet's most viral drink right now, the Sleepy Girl Mocktail, in partnership with Pomona Organics and Moon Juice. Olipop 12-Pack of Orange Cream: Don't miss your chance to get a 12-pack of the new Orange Cream flavor delivered right to your doorstep. See Official Rules for full details on how to enter, eligibility requirements, odds, prize descriptions and limitations. Void where prohibited. Enter to win here To continue the bubble celebrations, Olipop is offering a 20% discount when shoppers use coupon code DRIVETHRU20 at checkout at The coupon can be applied to all purchases sitewide. What is Olipop? Olipop launched in 2018 as an alternative to regular soda. The functional beverage was formulated by the brand's CEO, Ben Goodwin, and a group of scientists to create a flavorful soda that supports digestive health. Today, Olipop flavors include Vintage Cola, Classic Root Beer, Lemon Lime, Strawberry Vanilla, Watermelon Lime, Tropical Punch, Ginger Ale, and more. Olipop is non-GMO, paleo, vegan, and gluten-free. Each can of Olipop has nine grams of fiber, two to five grams of sugar, and is packed with prebiotics and plant-based fiber for supreme digestive health. Does Olipop soda have caffeine? Some Olipop flavors have caffeine. Right now, the only Olipop flavors that contain caffeine are Vintage Cola, Cherry Cola, and Dr. Goodwin. The rest are caffeine-free! The caffeine in those three Olipop flavors consists of 50mg of caffeine derived from green tea extract.
