Christian Patiño Webb says he’s focused on execution as the prebiotic soda brand faces mounting competition from a steady stream of new rivals.

Olipop’s new CEO aims to grow the pioneering better-for-you soda brand to $1 billion in sales despite increased competition in the emerging category.

Christian Patiño Webb stepped into Olipop’s top leadership position in August. He’s the first non-founder to lead the brand after former CEO Ben Goodwin stepped into a research- and strategy-focused role and became chairman of the board.

“On the operational side, the not-so-fun part of the business, that’s where I come in,” Patiño Webb said. “The goal is that both [Ben] and I co-lead this organization to continue letting it grow and reach our first billion [in sales.]”

Olipop, founded in 2018, was valued at $1.85 billion last year after nabbing $50 million in funding from Growth Equity Partners. Olipop hit nearly $500 million in sales in 2024, according to media reports, though the company declined to share current sales numbers.

While Poppi, Olipop’s largest competitor in better-for-you soda that was founded three years before Olipop, sold to PepsiCo last year for nearly $2 billion, Goodwin has indicated that Olipop isn’t for sale. By hiring Patiño Webb, Olipop is doubling down on what it views as its science-backed value proposition.

Patiño Webb hails from hydration brand Electrolit, where he was CEO for four years following a stint at Unilever. At Electrolit, Patiño Webb said he enjoyed building a better-for-you brand with “best-in-class ingredients and a pharmaceutical heritage” — an approach he plans to replicate at Olipop.

His expertise will be tested by an increasingly crowded slate of rivals —roughly one new better-for-you soda competitor enters the market per week, Patiño Webb said. Olipop has worked to stand out from a growing list of better-for-you soda competitors by honing in on its health claims, investing in nutritional research to gauge the drink’s effect on blood sugar and digestion. Still, the brand must also contend with broader macroeconomic headwinds, like consumer pullback and price sensitivity.

Cans of Olipop have significantly more fiber than other options, boasting up to 9 grams of prebiotic fiber per can compared to Poppi, which has 2 grams. This nutrition profile could help capture and retain health-conscious customers.

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/olipop-ceo-christian-patino-webb-interview-1-billion-sales-better-for-you-soda/831539/