The calming beverage category has officially overtaken gut health, protein, and hydration as the fastest-growing functional beverage segment in U.S. multi-outlet retail, according to SPINS unit sales data through July 2026. TRIP, the magnesium-and-botanical sparkling drink founded in 2019 by Olivia Ferdi and Daniel Khoury, sits at the center of that shift, projecting $200 million in revenue this year at a $550 million brand valuation.
The Functional Story
TRIP's core structure-function positioning centers on two active ingredients: magnesium, which the brand notes contributes to normal psychological function and electrolyte balance, and a proprietary botanical blend delivered in a low-calorie, sparkling format. The drink is positioned squarely in the better-for-you beverage movement, targeting the swelling cohort of consumers who cite mental wellbeing as their primary health concern after weight management — a finding the brand attributes to Toluna consumer research. That priority ranking places TRIP in direct conversation with the GLP-1 and weight-management-adjacent beverage trends reshaping functional formulation priorities across the industry, as operators look for complementary calm and recovery products alongside satiety-focused SKUs.
The brand's alcohol-alternative positioning adds a second commercial layer. TRIP's own consumer data shows a meaningful share of volume is consumed as a non-alcoholic social option in evening settings — a use case that aligns with the broader mindful-drinking and functional RTD segments now attracting significant retail shelf attention. For buyers, that dual occasion — daytime stress management and evening social replacement — broadens the category placement argument beyond traditional wellness aisles.
Market Position and Distribution
TRIP is currently the fastest-growing sparkling drinks brand in the U.S. by unit percentage change year-to-date through July 2026, per SPINS data covering multi-outlet with sales of $500,000 or more in the prior year. The brand is available nationally at Target and Whole Foods Market, as well as natural retailers and hospitality channels. In the U.K., where TRIP was founded, distribution spans leading supermarkets. The brand generated more than one billion global impressions across Instagram and TikTok in the past 12 months and has become one of the top-selling beverages on TikTok Shop globally — a distribution channel increasingly relevant to functional food and beverage operators tracking direct-to-consumer volume.
To amplify that reach, TRIP has launched a global brand campaign titled "Calm in the Chaos," featuring Kendall Jenner as Global Ambassador and equity shareholder, alongside musician and investor Joe Jonas and Gen Z creator Madeline Argy. All three are described as long-time customers who took equity stakes in the brand. The campaign runs on U.S. and U.K. television, out-of-home placements including Times Square and Hollywood Boulevard, and bespoke TikTok and Instagram content. For trade observers, the equity-shareholder structure — rather than a straight endorsement deal — reflects a maturation in celebrity-functional brand partnerships, with talent incentivized to drive genuine category awareness.
Co-Founder and CEO Olivia Ferdi framed the campaign's philosophy around modern calm: not retreat from a demanding life, but functional resilience within it. That messaging mirrors the positioning shift underway across the adaptogen and botanical segment, where brands increasingly lead with performance and presence rather than passive relaxation.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
