Clear, lightly sparkling, and stacked with 20 grams of protein per 12 oz. can — YESLY is stepping into the ready-to-drink protein segment with a finished formulation designed to compete with traditional shakes on function while shedding the milky texture that keeps many hydration-focused consumers on the sideline.
Sparkling Protein Water launches exclusively at approximately 500 Sprouts Farmers Market locations this month, with an expansion to Amazon and TikTok Shop planned for January 2027. The five flavors — Kiwi Strawberry, Watermelon, Pomegranate Acai Blueberry, Berries & Cream, and Shirley Temple — target an audience that wants post-workout or on-the-go protein without the macronutrient tradeoffs common in flavored water and low-calorie sports drinks.
Formulation & Format
Each can delivers 20 grams of protein sourced from a whey-collagen blend, zero sugar, and 100 calories, alongside electrolytes and essential vitamins. The dual-protein approach is notable: whey contributes rapid amino acid availability for muscle protein synthesis, while collagen adds functional peptides increasingly associated with joint, skin, and connective tissue structure-function claims. Combining both in a clear, sparkling matrix addresses a core formulation challenge in the category — achieving high protein load without opacity or flavor masking. The beverage sits at the crossroads of two fast-growing functional beverage segments: the protein RTD market and the better-for-you hydration category, where reduced-sugar reformulations are capturing shelf space from legacy sports drinks.
Athlete Partnerships & Channel Strategy
The Sprouts debut arrives alongside new athlete partnerships with NCAA champion and 2:04 marathoner Charles Hicks and elite American marathoner Emma Bates, a longtime YESLY partner. Co-Founder and CEO Scott Miller — previously CEO of Essentia Water, whose co-founder Ken Uptain also founded YESLY — framed the partnerships as reflecting the brand's core positioning: "Charles and Emma understand that progress comes from showing up every day and trusting the process. That mindset is at the heart of YESLY." Both athletes will appear across digital, social, and retail activation programs in 2027, giving the brand earned credibility in the endurance and running community that is difficult to replicate through media spend alone.
Sprouts is a strategically aligned launch partner for a better-for-you protein water: the natural and specialty grocer's shoppers index heavily toward health-conscious, ingredient-aware consumers who are already comfortable paying a premium for functional nutrition. A simultaneous rollout to Amazon and TikTok Shop in Q1 2027 suggests YESLY is building a DTC data layer alongside brick-and-mortar velocity, a playbook that has proven effective for emerging functional beverage brands seeking to demonstrate reorder rates and demographic data before approaching conventional grocery buyers.
For operators and formulators watching the protein-water segment, YESLY's move signals continued momentum in the "clear protein" format — a niche that has expanded significantly as whey isolation and filtration technology has improved to the point where high-protein concentrations no longer require dairy-style opacity or heavy flavor masking. The addition of collagen differentiates the SKU from commodity whey-water blends and allows the brand to pursue a broader set of structure-function claims. Distribution growth beyond specialty retail will be a key indicator of whether the format can cross into mainstream grocery and convenience, where the protein RTD category generates the bulk of its volume.
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.
