# Poppi Founders Launch New Hydration Brand Jetty After Billion-Dollar Exit Allison and Stephen Ellsworth return to the beverage market with a self-funded hydration venture. - **Source:** [Entrepreneur – Latest](https://brifing.si/source/1bee40f8-abda-4cd6-b055-05148ce79f53) - **Published:** 2026-11-09 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/696afa2d-fea1-453b-9461-bfc5ce137d2d ## Strategic Market Re-entry Allison and Stephen Ellsworth have launched Jetty, a new hydration brand featuring powders and liquid beverages. This venture follows their successful exit from the prebiotic soda company Poppi, which was acquired by PepsiCo for 1.95 billion dollars. The couple is self-funding this new project with an initial 2.5 million dollar investment. ## Challenging Established Competitors Jetty enters a highly competitive and crowded hydration category currently dominated by major industry players like Gatorade and Liquid I.V. Despite the market being perceived as declining, the founders believe the existing products fail to meet modern consumer needs. They aim to disrupt this space by offering a distinct, flavorful alternative. ## Targeting Underserved Demographics The founders identified a gap in the market by observing that current hydration brands primarily target male athletes. Data suggests that 70 percent of consumers hydrate outside of workout sessions, consuming drinks during morning or lunch hours. Jetty positions itself as an everyday ritual rather than a specialized athletic performance solution. ## Lessons from Poppi Rebranding The Ellsworths apply lessons learned from their previous brand, originally named Mother. By pivoting from a niche apple cider vinegar tonic to the broader soda category with Poppi, they learned that crowded markets often hide significant opportunities. They intend to use this experience to make Jetty feel both special and familiar. ## Focus on Emotional Connection Allison Ellsworth emphasizes that building a breakout brand requires more than just a functional product. She believes that packaging and emotional resonance are critical for consumer adoption. By focusing on the daily ritual of hydration, the team aims to build a deep connection with users who prioritize flavor and lifestyle. ## Repeatable Entrepreneurial Success With Jetty, the founders are attempting to prove that brand-building is a repeatable skill rather than a one-time success. Allison notes that her motivation stems from a desire to continue building and to demonstrate a strong work ethic to her children, ensuring they understand the value of persistent professional effort. ## Market Dynamics and Opportunity The hydration sector is currently experiencing a decline in traditional growth metrics, which the founders interpret as a signal for innovation. By shifting the narrative away from intense physical exertion toward everyday consumption, they hope to capture a segment of the market that feels ignored by current, performance-heavy marketing strategies. ## Future Outlook for Jetty As Jetty begins its journey, the brand faces the challenge of scaling in a saturated environment. Success will depend on whether the founders can replicate the rapid growth they achieved with Poppi. Observers will be watching to see if their focus on female-centric, non-athletic hydration can effectively shift consumer habits. ## Sources covering this story - [Entrepreneur – Latest — Poppi Founders Launch New Hydration Brand Jetty](https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/she-sold-poppi-for-1-95-billion-now-shes-launching-a-new-hydration-brand) - [Fast Company — Poppi Founder Allison Ellsworth Launches New Hydration Brand Jetty](https://www.fastcompany.com/91638740/allison-ellsworth-jetty-launch) - [Inc.com — Poppi Founder Allison Ellsworth Launches New Venture Jetty](https://www.inc.com/inc-video/a-1-95-billion-exit-wasnt-enough-poppis-founder-is-trying-to-build-another-breakout-brand/91432602) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._