Ben Goodwin, Co-founder of Olipop, shares his inspiring journey from a challenging childhood to launching a successful prebiotic soda brand. He reveals the chaotic experimentation and innovative fermentation processes behind Olipop, designed to evoke nostalgic flavors while promoting gut health. The talk delves into the importance of resilience, teamwork, and learning from failure. Ben also highlights their strategic pivot from probiotics to prebiotics, aiming to meet the growing demand for healthier beverages.
Ben Goodwin's challenging upbringing and health journey motivated him to create a functional soda that prioritizes gut health and wellness.
Olipop's unique positioning as a low-sugar, prebiotic soda targets health-conscious consumers looking for alternatives to traditional soft drinks.
The brand's rapid growth, projected to reach half a billion dollars in sales, reflects a significant shift in consumer preferences towards healthier beverage options.
Deep dives
The Journey to Healthier Beverages
Ben Goodwin's journey to create a healthier soda began with his experiences in developing a previous probiotic beverage called Obie. After facing challenges with Obie, including a forced exit from the probiotic market, he shifted his focus to creating a prebiotic beverage. This pivot stemmed from the recognition that many consumers were concerned about health and desired options that aligned with their lifestyle, especially ones that did not contain excess sugar. Through extensive research, he developed Olipop, which officially launched in 2018 and quickly gained traction in the competitive beverage industry.
Overcoming Childhood Challenges
Ben Goodwin's childhood was marked by significant hardship, including the loss of his father and an abusive home environment. These experiences shaped his resilience and focus on health, leading him to change his diet at a young age—becoming a vegetarian—and prioritize his well-being. The emotional turmoil he faced also contributed to his understanding of the human condition, leading him to seek ways to positively impact the health of others. Goodwin’s past experiences fueled his motivation to develop a product that complemented a healthy lifestyle, specifically targeting gut health.
The Science of Fermentation and Innovation
Goodwin's initial foray into the beverage industry involved mastering fermentation techniques, which he started during his time with Kombucha Botanica. He then spent four years experimenting in a homemade lab, focused on developing a unique beverage that utilized the benefits of fermentation without the often off-putting vinegar taste associated with kombucha. He aimed to create a delicious, sparkling beverage based on water kefir that was both appealing and healthy. This innovative approach allowed him to explore flavor combinations and health benefits that would differentiate Olipop in a crowded market.
The Market Demand for Health-Conscious Sodas
As consumers became increasingly health-conscious, the demand for alternatives to traditional sodas surged. Recognizing this trend, Goodwin and his team positioned Olipop as a healthier soda option that delivers flavor without the sugar and calories found in conventional soft drinks. By crafting flavors reminiscent of classic sodas, such as root beer and tropical punch, they effectively attracted a diverse customer base while addressing the growing concern about sugar intake. The successful reception of Olipop validated the concept of a health-driven soda, paving the way for continued growth.
Future Growth and Industry Impact
Olipop's growth trajectory is impressive, with projections suggesting the company could reach half a billion dollars in sales. As it expands into mainstream markets, Goodwin envisions positioning Olipop as a leader in the evolving beverage landscape, akin to traditional soda brands. The focus remains on delivering a delicious product that not only tastes good but also contributes to the health and wellness of consumers. By addressing the changing preferences of consumers and the decline in traditional soda consumption, Olipop is poised to redefine what it means to enjoy soda in today’s marketplace.
When Ben Goodwin was growing up, the concept of healthy soda seemed as oxymoronic as jumbo shrimp. But for Ben, that presented an irresistible challenge: to create a beverage that evoked the colas and root beers of his youth, but was low in sugar and good for the gut. After years of painstaking effort and one failed brand, Ben and his partner launched Olipop in 2018. Made with fiber and prebiotics and sweetened with Stevia, it joined the growing ranks of “functional sodas,” launching first in natural food stores and spreading quickly to the big chains. This year, the brand is expected to do nearly $500 million in sales, and, as younger consumers drift away from legacy soda, Ben says Olipop will only get bigger.
This episode was produced by Sam Paulson with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei and Sam Paulson. It was edited by Neva Grant with research by Katherine Sypher. Our engineers were Robert Rodriguez and Kwesi Lee.
