Ben Goodwin, cofounder of Olipop, discusses how he developed flavors like Vintage Cola, Crisp Apple, and Tropical Punch. They delve into challenges facing beverage founders, including competition and attracting investors. They also touch upon a collaboration with a celebrity and their distribution strategy. Additionally, they talk about their preferences for breakfast, favorite fruit, and experiences shopping at Costco for the first time.
Invest time and effort into creating unique, craveable flavors to stand out in the crowded beverage market.
Ollipop's high-fiber soda contributes to better digestive health and blood sugar stabilization, aiming to address the metabolic epidemic caused by high-sugar, low-fiber diets.
Ollipop faces challenges in a competitive industry, including copycat brands, but remains focused on transforming the soda industry and positively impacting consumer health.
Deep dives
The importance of flavor development and formulation
The podcast episode highlights the extensive process of flavor development and formulation in creating a better-for-you soda. The speaker emphasizes the importance of investing time and effort into creating unique and craveable flavors that stand out in the crowded beverage market. Through personal experience and trial-and-error, the speaker has gained deep conceptual understanding of flavor combinations, allowing them to create innovative and nostalgic flavors for their brand.
The health benefits of Ollipop's high-fiber beverage
The podcast delves into the health benefits of Ollipop's high-fiber soda. The speaker discusses the importance of fiber in the diet and how Ollipop's beverage provides a substantial amount of fiber, contributing to better digestive health and blood sugar stabilization. By incorporating prebiotics and functional ingredients, Ollipop aims to address the metabolic epidemic caused by high-sugar, low-fiber diets. The speaker also highlights ongoing research on the impact of fiber consumption on metabolic and microbiome health.
Challenges and strategies in the competitive beverage industry
The podcast explores the challenges faced by beverage companies in a crowded market and the strategies employed by Ollipop to stand out. The speaker acknowledges the highly competitive nature of the industry, where many well-meaning small-scale producers struggle to navigate distribution and capitalization requirements. Furthermore, the speaker notes the presence of copycat brands with lower standards, which can be frustrating for a brand like Ollipop that prioritizes health and mission impact. Despite the challenges, Ollipop remains focused on its mission to transform the soda industry and positively impact consumer health.
Costco: A Visit to the Bulk Shopping Paradise
The podcast episode discusses a visit to Costco for the first time, highlighting the overwhelming experience, the variety of goods available, and the appeal of buying in bulk. The host recounts buying items like paper towels, sardines, chickpeas, and canned tomatoes, while expressing the challenge of carrying everything back. The low prices of Costco's offerings, including the $5 rotisserie chicken and the popular pumpkin cheesecake, are mentioned along with the bakery section. The episode also touches on the value of Costco for families and the cost-effectiveness of buying meat in bulk.
Costco and the Convenience of Large Quantities
The podcast explores the convenience and benefits of shopping at Costco. It emphasizes the practicality for families and the cost savings associated with purchasing in bulk. The visit to Costco is described as an opportunity to stock up on essential items like canned goods and paper towels. The host mentions the appeal of the $5 rotisserie chicken, the variety of pies in the bakery section, and the good prices for items like pistachios. Despite the overwhelming size of the store, the episode concludes with the potential of returning to Costco in the future, possibly with others to share and split larger quantities of goods.
For over a decade Ben Goodwin, the cofounder of Olipop, has been building a better-for-you soda that aims to change the soda game, disrupting the big boys at Coca-Cola and Pepsi and offering a high-fiber, unusually addictive beverage to discerning millennials. Well, dang, 2023 was most certainly the year of Olipop and Ben joins us in the studio to talk about it all. He details how he developed flavors like Vintage Cola, Crisp Apple, and Tropical Punch, and digs into the challenges facing beverage founders. It’s really fun getting to know Ben. I hope you enjoy this episode.
Also on the show, Aliza shares about her first trip to Costco! Has she been bitten by the big-box bug?
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