Pepsi keeps Poppi's voice
Fortune profiled Poppi after its founder sold the startup for $2 billion and reported that Pepsi plans to let the brand retain its distinctive tone rather than standardise it. (fortune.com) The story quotes the founder saying Poppi grew by doing 'the opposite of what's expected' and notes Pepsi's public stance to 'let Poppi be Poppi' post‑acquisition. (fortune.com)
Pepsi is telling Poppi to keep sounding like Poppi after buying the soda brand for about $2 billion, rather than folding it into a standard corporate playbook. (finance.yahoo.com) Fortune reported on April 12 that founder Allison Ellsworth said Pepsi has been “really big on ‘let Poppi be Poppi,’” even after the sale. PepsiCo announced the deal on March 17, 2025, at $1.95 billion, including $300 million in anticipated cash tax benefits, with possible additional earnout payments tied to performance. (finance.yahoo.com) (pepsico.com) Ellsworth told Fortune that Poppi grew by doing “the opposite of what’s expected,” a line that fits a brand built on TikTok-native marketing, bright packaging, and a casual voice. CNBC reported when the acquisition was announced that Allison and Stephen Ellsworth launched Poppi in 2018, the same year rival Olipop was founded. (finance.yahoo.com) (cnbc.com) The deal gives Pepsi a faster-growing brand in prebiotic soda, a category pitched as a lower-sugar alternative to traditional soft drinks with added fiber-like ingredients. Pepsi said in its acquisition release that Poppi expands its “better-for-you” offerings as it tries to reach newer consumer preferences and younger buyers. (pepsico.com) That hands-off message also arrives after a volatile year for Poppi’s image. Ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl, the brand faced backlash for sending branded vending machines to influencers, and Ellsworth later called it a “learning opportunity.” (today.com) (marketingbrew.com) Poppi also agreed in 2025 to an $8.9 million class-action settlement over claims that its “gut healthy” marketing misled consumers, while denying wrongdoing. The settlement site says it covers U.S. buyers who purchased Poppi for household use between January 23, 2020, and July 18, 2025. (poppisettlement.com) (abcnews.com) Large food and drink companies often buy smaller brands for growth, then risk flattening what made those brands distinct in the first place. Pepsi’s public line with Poppi is the opposite: keep the voice, keep the edge, and learn from the company it just bought. (finance.yahoo.com) (pepsico.com)
