Key Takeaways
- Allison and Stephen Ellsworth are launching Jetty, a new “everyday hydration” brand.
- Hydration is a declining category, but they see a major unmet need in the space.
- When debuting a product, it’s important to build an emotional connection with consumers. Your packaging can do a lot of that work.
After selling a company for $1.95 billion, what do you do next? For Allison Ellsworth, the answer is clear: one year after Poppi’s sale to PepsiCo, she has launched Jetty, a “literally everyday hydration” brand that offers both hydration powders and ready‑to‑drink beverages.
She and her husband Stephen, who co‑founded Poppi, are self‑funding Jetty with a $2.5 million investment.
“My kids asked me, ‘Mom, why are you doing this again?’” she says. “I’m excited to build again and show them the value of hard work. We don’t want them to grow up thinking they don’t have to work hard.”
The Ellsworths acknowledge that Jetty will enter a crowded and declining market dominated by giants like Liquid I.V. and Gatorade. To succeed, they are applying five lessons learned from building Poppi.
1. Opportunities hide in crowded categories
When a category struggles, it does not always mean demand is falling; it can mean existing products no longer meet consumer needs. Poppi moved from a niche apple‑cider‑vinegar tonic to the larger soda market, targeting health‑conscious soda drinkers. Jetty sees a similar opening in hydration: a large segment of women seeking flavorful, everyday hydration rather than performance‑focused drinks. Data shows 70 % of hydration purchases happen outside of workouts.
2. Lead with personality, not just benefits
Jetty’s packaging emphasizes vibe over a checklist of health claims. Electrolytes, real fruit juice and nutrients are listed, but the dominant message is playful—“Hydrating just became your new personality.” Ellsworth believes emotional connection, not just functional benefits, builds lasting brand loyalty.
3. Build the organization before the product
After focusing heavily on product with Mother, the Ellsworths later realized they needed a solid organizational foundation. For Jetty they started with an org chart, mapping costs, funding needs and staffing projections years ahead. This proactive planning is intended to skip the typical two‑year reactive growth phase and surround themselves with the best team from day one.
4. Think of Amazon as a trust signal
Amazon Prime reaches roughly 90 % of U.S. households, making it a powerful trial channel for new brands. Ellsworth expects consumers to discover Jetty in retail, check reviews on Amazon, and be swayed by the feedback. To preserve rating integrity, the product will be packaged in a bag for Amazon shipments (boxes tend to dent), while retail shelves will feature boxed packaging.
5. Always make it personal
The pressure of building Poppi was driven by financial stakes and legacy concerns. With Jetty, the motivation is personal pride and self‑reliance. The Ellsworths are self‑funding the venture to prove they can succeed independently, a shift from the Shark Tank investment that helped scale Poppi.
