Allison Ellsworth’s Poppi soda brand was acquired by PepsiCo for $1.95 billion on May 1, 2025. The Texas‑based company, founded in 2015, grew from a homemade drink to a $500 million‑revenue firm in 2024.
Ellsworth first mixed apple cider vinegar and soda water in her home kitchen in 2015 to soothe digestive troubles. She sold the beverage at local farmers’ markets before landing a $400,000 investment on Shark Tank in 2018, when she was nine months pregnant. Ellsworth told CNBC that the show’s exposure gave her the capital to launch the brand on a larger scale.
Poppi’s pivot to TikTok in 2020 turned a viral recipe video into $100,000 of overnight sales. The brand expanded to 120 retailers and 16 flavours by 2024, employing 250 staff, according to Fortune.
PepsiCo’s purchase, which includes an estimated $300 million in tax‑benefit cash, will integrate Poppi into its health‑drink portfolio. Ellsworth said the deal provides capital to scale production without sacrificing the brand’s wellness narrative. Industry analysts say the acquisition could pressure competitors to innovate healthier options.
Poppi will operate under its name and continue sourcing ingredients locally, Ellsworth confirmed on a podcast. The transaction is slated to close by the end of the second quarter, after regulatory approvals, the company announced. Customers in Texas already taste the new, larger‑scale batches in grocery aisles.