From maxed-out cards to billion-dollar bubbles: how poppi’s founders turned grit, TikTok, and shark tank into soda gold

Launching Poppi demanded extraordinary personal financial sacrifices from founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, who invested $90,000 by maxing out credit cards and selling a car to fund early operations and open a manufacturing facility. This high-stakes commitment was underscored by moments of acute financial strain, such as when a tax refund for their first child coincidentally matched their mortgage payment, highlighting the precariousness of their startup phase. Despite these pressures, the Ellsworths’ gamble paid off early, with the brand generating half a million dollars in revenue within 18 months before their 2018 Shark Tank rebranding.

The founders overcame significant manufacturing and compliance hurdles without prior experience by leveraging online resources, networking, and relentless determination. As Allison Ellsworth reflected, “Google’s a beautiful thing... you ask people, you network, you call, you beg... we just muscled through. It was just pure grit at that point.” This resourcefulness was crucial in navigating complex retail environments like Whole Foods, where the local forager program provided hands-on support during a lengthy 10- to 11-month process to get Poppi on shelves.

Balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with family life was a defining challenge for the Ellsworths, who intentionally embarked on marriage, child-rearing, and business growth simultaneously. They accepted sacrifices in traditional relationship rituals, instead building trust through shared commitment and mutual support, with Allison noting that having a co-founder who was also her spouse made the highs more exhilarating and the lows more bearable. This intertwined personal and professional journey required embracing chaos and sacrificing work-life balance, a tradeoff Allison candidly described as necessary for success.

Poppi’s early validation came from consistent sellouts at farmers markets, where real-world customer feedback extended beyond friends and family, fueling confidence to invest life savings and scale locally. The founders personally pitched to each of the 14 Whole Foods stores in Dallas, often juggling babies strapped to their backs, exemplifying their hands-on approach and relentless hustle during Poppi’s formative years.

In 2018, Poppi's cofounder Allison Ellsworth made a memorable Shark Tank pitch while nine months pregnant, securing a $400,000 deal for a 25% stake with investor Rohan Oza. This strategic partnership was not just about capital; it provided crucial guidance and a powerful endorsement that accelerated Poppi's brand recognition and scaling opportunities, ultimately contributing to the brand's valuation soaring to $2 billion.

Poppi's founders deliberately chose Shark Tank over an $800,000 local investment offer, seeking more than just funds—they wanted strategic expertise, a robust network, and the iconic 'as seen on Shark Tank' credibility. This calculated risk paid off, as the exposure and resources gained enabled Poppi to execute innovative marketing strategies, including viral TikTok campaigns that generated $100,000 in sales within 24 hours and a last-minute Super Bowl ad, helping the brand break through the crowded functional beverage market.

Poppi’s meteoric rise during the COVID-19 pandemic was anchored by an innovative digital-first marketing strategy that leveraged TikTok and e-commerce platforms to disrupt traditional beverage marketing. Launching in early March 2020, Poppi capitalized on the surge in Amazon shopping and consumer demand for immunity-boosting products, growing Amazon sales from $9,000 in March to $250,000 in April. The brand’s viral TikTok content, including a deeply authentic video from founder Allison Ellsworth that amassed over 300 million views and generated $100,000 in sales overnight, exemplified how storytelling could rapidly build community and drive direct-to-consumer growth amid lockdowns.

By prioritizing TikTok and influencer partnerships over traditional advertising channels like Google or Meta, Poppi allocated nearly its entire marketing budget for the first two years to building brand awareness through social media. This savvy focus enabled the brand to break through the crowded functional beverage market, even securing a last-minute Super Bowl ad, and stand out with an authentic voice that resonated nationally. The strategic use of TikTok not only propelled viral sales—such as $100,000 within 24 hours—but also fostered a strong community that extended beyond coastal hubs to unexpected markets like Fargo, North Dakota and Cincinnati, Ohio, challenging conventional geographic biases in better-for-you beverage marketing.

Poppi’s digital-first approach was further enhanced by an innovative e-commerce funnel that combined TikTok ads directing consumers to a branded website for data capture, before completing purchases on Amazon through affiliate links. This seamless integration allowed Poppi to leverage Amazon’s fulfillment infrastructure while retaining valuable customer contact information for remarketing efforts, effectively turning Amazon into both a sales and marketing partner. The airing of an updated Shark Tank episode during the early lockdown weeks acted as a powerful national commercial, catapulting Poppi onto Amazon’s hot new product list and amplifying its viral momentum, even outpacing cultural icons like Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump in trending status.

Poppi’s breakthrough into major retail channels, particularly Whole Foods, marked a pivotal shift from a grassroots startup to a serious market contender. This transition was catalyzed when a Whole Foods buyer discovered Poppi at a farmers market and encouraged the founders to pursue retail placement, a process that took nearly a year and involved redesigning packaging to stand out on shelves. The founders’ hands-on approach—personally selling to each of the 14 Dallas stores—combined with support from Whole Foods’ local forager program, helped Poppi generate early revenues of $500,000 and firmly establish its retail footprint.

Poppi’s bold marketing strategies, including leveraging TikTok for viral buzz and executing a last-minute Super Bowl ad just four days before kickoff, dramatically elevated its brand visibility in the crowded functional beverage space. Their quirky, standout campaigns—such as bright packaging at NFL games and a memorable Super Bowl spot—were instrumental in differentiating Poppi and solidifying its disruptive digital-first soda identity. PepsiCo’s acquisition further empowered the brand to maintain its innovative marketing ethos, allowing Poppi to ‘be Poppi’ rather than conform to traditional corporate controls.

In a landmark deal finalized in May 2025, PepsiCo acquired Poppi for approximately $1.95 billion, a testament to the brand's meteoric rise and disruptive impact on the soda category. This acquisition not only marked a monumental exit for founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth but also underscored the power of resilience and creative marketing in transforming a niche prebiotic soda into a mainstream contender within the consumer packaged goods industry.

Following the acquisition, Allison Ellsworth seamlessly transitioned from startup founder to mentor and investor by returning to Shark Tank, where she shares hard-earned wisdom on building category-defining brands and navigating entrepreneurial success. Meanwhile, both Ellsworths are embarking on new ventures, signaling a deliberate evolution from their Poppi origins toward fresh challenges, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit of starting over even after a blockbuster exit.

Despite the corporate takeover, PepsiCo has notably embraced Poppi's authentic and unpolished brand ethos, allowing the company to 'be Poppi' by preserving its innovative spirit and unique marketing philosophy. Allison Ellsworth continues to influence the brand’s direction by championing innovation over imitation, a principle Pepsi respects and upholds, ensuring that Poppi maintains its original identity and mission within the larger corporate structure.