Move over, classic soda. A hot, new carbonated beverage is on the scene.
Cute, colorful cans, sleepy girl mocktails and launch parties for new flavors– alternative, “healthy” sodas are on the rise, boasting lower sugar and added benefits.
“Right now, everyone knows what they are,” said journalism sophomore Achira Kurth. “(Even) if you’ve never tried them before, you recognize (them).”
Brands like Olipop and Austin-based Poppi rolled out their healthy sodas almost a decade ago. The founder of Poppi, Allison Ellsworth, had a previous career in oil and gas and was constantly on the road. All the travel began to take a toll on her health, so she searched for a healthy alternative.
“She did what doctors tell you not to do and googled it,” said Farial Moss, a Poppi brand representative, via email.
Ellsworth started taking apple cider vinegar shots in the mornings and appreciated the benefits but hated the off-putting taste.
“Ellsworth took matters into her own hands and created the first iteration of Poppi, originally called Mother Beverage, in her home kitchen by blending apple cider vinegar, fruit juice and sparkling water together,” Moss said.
Poppi soda, and similar brands like Olipop, are advertised as prebiotic beverages that promote better gut health. Prebiotics are non-digestible ingredients found in food that provide healthy bacteria in the gut, typically found in fibrous foods. Probiotics are live microorganisms found in healthy bacteria or yeasts that promote gut health in the body. The slim difference is that prebiotics are the bacteria while probiotics promote the bacteria’s growth.
University of Texas at Austin nutrition professor, Michele Hockett Cooper, said the role of prebiotics is to increase healthy gut bacterial growth, however, there are no formal guidelines from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for the consumption of pre or probiotics. Most often, good prebiotic balance comes from a balanced diet and natural consumption of fermented foods.
“It’s easy to get sucked into this idea that ‘Oh, it tastes good. It has low sugar, and it has this claim of fiber so I can drink it and substitute it for my regular soda, and it’s gonna be good for my health,’” Hockett Cooper said.
She advises eating whole grains to get those essential prebiotics and fibers that many healthy sodas aim to offer. However, she isn’t fully against having a healthy soda.
“Have your Poppi or whatever soda alternative as something that you have in moderation– just for fun. Own it for what it is,” Hockett Cooper said.
Daniella Benson, a sophomore marketing major, subscribes to this policy. Even though she’s not the biggest fan of the taste, when she drinks a prebiotic soda over a traditional soda, Benson said she feels the freedom to have maybe two a day if she wants as opposed to just one because it’s not as bad for her. Kurth said she felt the same way.
“Regular sodas taste better, but when I drink Poppi or Olipop I just feel physically better,” Kurth said. “I don’t feel as guilty.”
Much of the healthy soda craze stems from college students and younger audiences. After Ellsworth posted Poppi’s backstory on Tiktok, the brand took off amongst Gen Z. Now, cans of Poppi line store shelves nationwide.
“We launched in March of 2020 – right when COVID hit,” Moss said. “Because of this, we had to immediately pivot our strategy to be digital first. TikTok was just starting to blow up, so Allison decided to take a risk and get on the platform. Social media was one of the few ways we could still connect with our community and customers.”
Brand partnerships and giveaways have only furthered the reach of healthy soda. Olipop offers subscriptions and affiliate programs that frequently partner with college students to offer its products on campuses. In addition to its college ambassador programs, Poppi took its sodas on the road, dubbing it the World Tour. The brand chose college campuses with intention.
“For the (Fall 2024) back-to-school season, we launched our first multi-pronged marketing campaign focused on college due to the demand coming from this highly engaged group,” Moss said. “It was inclusive of campus sampling, the launch of our college ambassador program and the college tour which made its first stop at UT.”
Their efforts paid off, tying the brand to its perfect audience. Bringing in special guests like influencer Jake Shane and raffling off free Poppi merch drew large crowds at Poppi’s first stop on the World Tour: UT’s very own Victory Lap bar. If you look around campus, you might spot a student sporting Poppi’s cute cherry red ‘I Heart TX’ (with the usual heart replaced by a cherry graphic) shirt or signature sweatshirt from the event.
“I felt more connected to the company if that makes any sense,” Kurth said. “Before the Poppi event, I didn’t drink any Poppi drinks, and I kind of fell in love with them at the event because I was trying all these different flavors.”
Even though they enjoy alternative sodas, both Benson and Kurth agreed that they’d take a regular soda any day. They enjoy having options though and often get Poppi or Olipop for a more aesthetic and unique sweet treat.
The hype around healthy soda doesn’t look like it will go away anytime soon. From color-coordinating outfits with colorful soda cans to crafting mocktails and cocktails with the unique flavors from the two brands, the hype for the products continues to grow with no sign of slowing down.
“We are a brand that moves at the speed of culture, and we recognize that college-aged men and women are huge drivers of culture,” Moss said. “We are proud of our diverse team that is now over 200 strong and 50% female (to) help us achieve our goals from campus to the boardroom.”
