How Poppi went from a Shark Tank pitch to a $1.95B exit
On TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth discusses how the prebiotic soda brand grew from a kitchen experiment into a $1.95 billion acquisition by PepsiCo. The episode covers her Shark Tank pitch, scaling a digital-first brand during COVID, and her return to Shark Tank as an investor. It frames Poppi within a wave of functional soda companies challenging skepticism about beverage startups.
Key Takeaways
- Allison Ellsworth joins Equity to talk about her journey from creating Poppi in her kitchen to pitching it on Shark Tank and selling to PepsiCo for nearly $2 billion.
Rebecca Bellan , Theresa Loconsolo Mar 11, 2026 Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify For years, venture capitalists have been skeptical of beverage startups , citing thin margins and brutal distribution as reasons most beverage brands never break out.
- From pitching on Shark Tank while nine months pregnant to scaling a digital-first brand during COVID, and now returning as a Shark herself, Ellsworth shares how social media, fast marketing bets, and customer feedback helped turn a niche drink into a category-defining company.
Listen to the full episode to hear about: Ellsworth's Shark Tank return, and how she evaluates founders on the other side of the pitch.
- The risky decision to buy a last-minute Super Bowl ad, and how the team executed it in days.
What it's like selling a startup to PepsiCo while trying to preserve the brand's identity.
- Rebecca Bellan Senior Reporter Rebecca Bellan is a senior reporter at TechCrunch where she covers the business, policy, and emerging trends shaping artificial intelligence.
Her work has also appeared in Forbes, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, and other publications.
- Through candid fireside chats and high-impact networking, you'll walk away with valuable insights and new connections.
Stats & Key Facts
- #On TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth discusses how the prebiotic soda brand grew from a kitchen experiment into a $1.95 billion acquisition by PepsiCo.
- #Allison Ellsworth joins Equity to talk about her journey from creating Poppi in her kitchen to pitching it on Shark Tank and selling to PepsiCo for nearly $2 billion.
- #But a new wave of "functional soda" companies has been challenging that assumption, including Poppi, the prebiotic soda brand that grew from a kitchen experiment into a $1.95 billion acquisition by PepsiCo .
Allison Ellsworth joins Equity to talk about her journey from creating Poppi in her kitchen to pitching it on Shark Tank and selling to PepsiCo for nearly $2 billion. Rebecca Bellan , Theresa Loconsolo Mar 11, 2026 Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify For years, venture capitalists have been skeptical of beverage startups , citing thin margins and brutal distribution as reasons most beverage brands never break out. But a new wave of "functional soda" companies has been challenging that assumption, including Poppi, the prebiotic soda brand that grew from a kitchen experiment into a $1.95 billion acquisition by PepsiCo .
On this episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan is joined by Poppi co-founder Allison Ellsworth to talk about building a beverage startup in a venture world dominated by SaaS and AI. From pitching on Shark Tank while nine months pregnant to scaling a digital-first brand during COVID, and now returning as a Shark herself, Ellsworth shares how social media, fast marketing bets, and customer feedback helped turn a niche drink into a category-defining company. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Ellsworth's Shark Tank return, and how she evaluates founders on the other side of the pitch.
How Ellsworth turned a personal health issue into Poppi and built early traction at farmers' markets. Why TikTok and community-driven marketing helped the brand rack up billions of views and loyal fans. The risky decision to buy a last-minute Super Bowl ad, and how the team executed it in days.
For more details please read the original article at TechCrunch M&A.
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