PepsiCo bought Poppi to capitalize on the growing popularity of prebiotic soda. The nearly $2B acquisition marks a major move for PepsiCo as it brings one of the most recognizable functional beverage brands under its wing—one that has captured the attention of Gen Z and Millennials through viral TikTok campaigns and buzzy influencer partnerships. Poppi’s community and culture-first strategy is a key asset PepsiCo hopes to build on, and with the prebiotic soda category projected to reach $62B in sales by 2027, the acquisition positions Pepsi to be a leader in the future of “better-for-you” beverages. The brand’s first flavor launch post-acquisition is Alpine Blast, a healthier spin on Mountain Dew, accompanied by a gaming partnership with Fortnite studio Creator Corp. The retro-style mini-game featuring Alpine Blasters racked up 126K plays in just four days and rewarded the top 1K players with branded Poppi products—a launch tailored perfectly to its digital-native audience. (Retail Dive)
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