Allison Ellsworth (Picture source: Ellsworth’s Instagram)
A homemade drink prepared in a Texas home’s kitchen about a decade ago became a beverage business worth nearly $2 billion. In 2025, PepsiCo acquired the company in a $1.95 billion deal. Allison Ellsworth, was experimenting with fruit, apple cider vinegar and soda water to address her personal digestive concerns. The recipe for her health went on to become Poppi, a business co-founded with her husband, Stephen. The business had modest beginnings. Before Poppi became a recognised soda brand, Ellsworth was selling her drink at farmers’ markets, trying to convince customers to taste something unfamiliar. But her appearance on the television programme Shark Tank while nine months pregnant secured an investment that helped the business move forward.
Poppi recorded annual revenue exceeding $500 million in 2024 and was available at more than 120 retailers, according to Fortune magazine. The business gained wider attention in 2018 when Ellsworth appeared on Shark Tank. On the show, investor Rohan Oza agreed to invest $400,000. Ellsworth was nine months pregnant during her appearance and, according to her podcast account, she gave birth 10 days later. By 2024, Poppi’s annual revenue had crossed $500 million, according to figures reported by Fortune. The following year, PepsiCo completed its acquisition of the company for $1.95 billion, a figure that included an estimated $300 million in cash tax benefits.
The company subsequently built its audience through social media and expanded into major American retail chains. Its acquisition by PepsiCo followed years of expansion. The company has also faced questions over its health-related marketing claims.
Speaking on Adam Mendler’s Thirty Minute Mentors podcast, Ellsworth talked about the decisions that shaped Poppi, including her early attempts to attract customers, her experience with TikTok and the difficulties of managing a business growing faster than she had expected. Her initial intention was not to establish a major beverage company. During the podcast interview, she explained that she wanted to share a product she had created for herself.