The truth about electrolytes...

CPG and Retail news from the week of 7/21/25

and

Jul 28, 2025

Hello hello!

This week, a friend introduced me to what might be the coolest e-commerce tool I’ve ever seen: It tells you when a VIP customer places an order—celebrities, influencers, even buyers from major retailers. You can see exactly who’s buying and their social following.

Most brands have no idea when these game-changing customers are ordering. But knowing if your customer is Brad Pitt, a Walmart buyer, or a big investor? That’s pure gold.

I was so impressed, I became an affiliate partner. My buddy is offering Express Checkout readers some free credits to try it out live. Just reply to this email and I’ll connect you! - Nate

Now, let’s get into the news of the week →

News From the Week

This week, the New York Times dropped a reality check on the $38 billion electrolyte market that had us questioning...well, everything.

The TL;DR? Unless you're running marathons in Death Valley or experiencing severe diarrhea (sorry), you probably don't need that $4 electrolyte powder. Water and a banana work just fine.

So why are people so obsessed with electrolyte powders? The answer, in our opinion, is two-fold:

People simply like flavored drinks. Drinking water? Boring. But drinking a Watermelon Salt or Popsicle Firecracker flavored bev with little to no sugar? Fun.
1. This isn’t just speculation: This week, Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) announced its acquisition of Dyla Brands, a manufacturer of powdered drink mixes and “liquid water enhancers” like Stur that focus solely on flavor.
2. In KDP’s 2025 State of Beverage report, the company found that 59% of Americans rate ‘new flavors’ as the winning attribute that motivates new beverage trials.
And the real kicker: People like to feel like they’re doing something good for their bodies—without needing to put in the work. Call something a “Hydration Multiplier” (Liquid IV) or “Weekend Recovery” (Waterboy), and consumers will run to it faster than you can say “IV Drip.” This industry is obsessed with “functionalizing” just about everything, and for good reason: it’s what consumers want (more on that in this fantastic article).

There’s nothing wrong with tossing LMNT or Waterboy into your Stanley cup. Americans are chronically dehydrated, so if it takes a TikTok-viral flavored powder to get someone to drink 64 ounces a day, who are we to judge?

The real lesson from this electrolyte exposé isn’t that “hydration multiplier” powders shouldn’t exist (though perhaps that language could go…). It’s that brands shouldn’t rely on function alone to sell their products.

Eventually, a functional “benefit” will get challenged, debunked, or simply fall out of fashion. The adaptogens might not adapt. The mood boosters stop boosting. And then what happens? What will these brands have left to stand on?

The smart ones are already building beyond the powder. Take Taste Salud, for instance:

With flavors like Horchata, Hibiscus, and Tamarind, it’s not just another electrolyte brand—it’s a celebration of Mexican beverage traditions, bringing agua frescas to the wellness aisle.
The company recently partnered with Jarritos, a beloved Mexican soda brand, on three exclusive flavors.
It’s showing serious promise: The brand has skyrocketed from $0 to over $20M in sales in just 3 years. And just this week, it launched its first major product expansion: Greens + Superfoods powder.

In other words, even if the hydration hype dies down, Taste Salud will still have heritage, bold flavors, and community—all markers of a strong, scalable brand, and one that can outlast even the toughest of functionality takedowns.

So yes, that electrolyte powder might be overpriced flavored salt. But if it comes with a side of culture, a dash of community, or just makes your afternoon water break feel special?

Maybe that's function enough.

CPG & Consumer Goods

Making moves in cultivated meat. Cultivated meat producer, Believer Meats, just became the fifth cell-based meat startup to get FDA clearance—just as it completes a major North Carolina production facility (which it claims to be the first mass-production cultivated meat facility). With operations in Israel, Chicago, North Carolina, and Dubai, and $347M raised, Believer is moving closer to commercialization in the US.
- For context: Cultivated meat = real meat grown from animal cells in a controlled environment. Scientists take a small sample of animal cells, feed those cells nutrients so they multiply, and grow them into muscle and fat tissues—just like what you'd find in traditional meat.
- Believer uses a unique, non-GMO technology that could lower production costs and improve efficiency—bringing cultivated meat prices closer to organic chicken. This would be huge, as lower costs are key to making this meat widely available and competitive with traditional meat.
The non-alc boom continues. Hiyo, a leading non-alcoholic drink infused with adaptogens and nootropics, just expanded nationally to Whole Foods along with a new flavor drop.
- Hiyo has become a standout in the non-alcoholic beverage scene, posting +212% YoY retail sales growth, selling 500,000+ cases annually, and expanding to 3,000+ US retail points including Target, Whole Foods, and Sprouts. Backed by nearly $19M in funding and a February 2025 minority stake from Constellation Brands, Hiyo is fueling and leading the explosive functional beverage category.
Pepsi Prebiotic. Yea, you read that right. Just four months after acquiring the prebiotic soda Poppi, for $2 billion, Pepsi released their own prebiotic soda under the Pepsi name. It’ll be launching with two flavors: Cola and Cherry Vanilla.
- I actually got to try this early. And they taste like classic Pepsi without any aftertaste, which could be the perfect gateway for skeptical consumers who might otherwise never try a prebiotic soda. By leveraging the familiarity and trust of the Pepsi brand, this extension could actually help grow the entire prebiotic soda category—including Poppi—because sometimes familiarity is the gateway to innovation. - N
Wellness retail boom! Ulta is doubling down on the $1.8 trillion global wellness opportunity
- Ritual, the clean-label supplement brand, is expanding into 300 Ulta stores, marking a significant milestone after surpassing $250 million in 2024 revenue.
- ARMRA is also launching its colostrum products at 1,400 Ulta Beauty stores
Mental wellness….skincare? Well apparently, mental wellness company Amare is launching a skincare brand called Skin to Mind, which uses neurocosmetic technology (okay?!) to enhance both skin appearance and mental wellbeing.
Time for an oatervention. Oatly reported a 6.8% revenue drop in North America—a stark contrast with a 12% surge in its European segment. The brand is now exploring a potential carve-out of its China business.
A slip-on showdown. Kizik, a slip-on shoe company, is taking Skechers to court, alleging that the giant stole its innovative hands-free shoe technology. Kizik aims to reclaim its place in a $9 billion market and protect over 200 patents, spotlighting the ongoing battle for originality in footwear.
“Mexican Coke” (or Kosher for Passover Coke) for the masses. Coca-Cola is set to introduce a cane sugar version in the U.S., amid ongoing debates about sweeteners and Trump’s public push for a “REAL cane sugar” Coke.
Have we gone too far with fiber? Hero Bread officially moved past the bread aisle and entered pasta with the launch of Hero Penne, a low-carb pasta (AKA low net carb, which is calculated as carbs - dietary fiber), that somehow boasts 32g of fiber per serving—114% of your daily value.

eCommerce

Let AI run your business. Pietra, an ecomm AI ops platform, just launched AI Assistants, which automates tasks from product design to marketing, reportedly saving founders 40+ hours weekly.

Retail

The in-between play. Walmart is betting big on tweens with its new "Weekend Academy" clothing line, aiming to capture the attention of this challenging demographic with affordability and “on-trend” styles—a competitor to Target’s Cat & Jack line.
and speaking of Walmart… it’s launching a company-wide AI strategy featuring four "super agents" aimed at streamlining operations for its 900,000 associates. This move, designed to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency, consolidates AI tools to avoid confusion and boost productivity, while rival Target accelerates its own AI initiatives.

Funding news

Body care is the new skincare. Premium body care brand Uni secures L'Oréal BOLD investment and announces Ulta Beauty retail expansion. The ocean-inspired line aims to accelerate growth in the prestige body care market with this strategic funding round.
First NA steps. Rémy Cointreau is stepping into the growing non-alcoholic spirits market with a minority stake in French NA brand JNPR (get it? Juniper, like an ingredient in gin).
Consumer is back baby! Sugar Capital, an early-stage VC firm from Brian Sugar (of PopSugar), is set to close it’s $75 million Fund III by early fall. They plan to invest ~$2 million on average into 25 companies with half of the fund allocated to follow-on investments.
- Brian Sugar recently penned a piece on consumer being back, and boy do we agree.

After years of uncertainty and disruption, the consumer economy is steadily improving. Stabilizing inflation, renewed consumer sentiment, and technological advancements have created a foundation for growth. - Brian Sugar

It's the summer of acquisitions, eh?
- Generous Brands, owner of Bolthouse Farms and other premium beverage brands, is acquiring Health-Ade Kombucha from First Bev and Manna Tree Partners (its first purchaser) for $500M.
- Vilore Foods, a leading importer and distributor of Hispanic food and beverage brands, is spicing things up by acquiring better-for-you Mexican food brand Tia Lupita Foods, marking their entry into the natural foods space, aligning with the growing consumer demand for healthier and culturally connected products.
  - So, so proud of Tia Lupita’s Founder, Hector Saldivar, and his incredible team! I was lucky enough to help Tia Lupita with PR a few years back, and got to see firsthand just how special this brand really is. Beyond having incredible products, this is a brand with real soul and story—I’m thrilled to see what Tia Lupita 2.0 will bring! - J