Hint

Flavored Bottled Waterdrinkhint.com

Hint Inc. is a San Francisco-based beverage company producing unsweetened flavored still and sparkling water infused with natural fruit essences, sold direct-to-consumer via drinkhint.com and through retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Instacart, targeting health-conscious consumers seeking zero-sugar hydration.

Company typePrivate
Founded2006
HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
Headcount101–250
GTM typeB2C
OfferingHardware or Manufacturing

What Hint does

Hint Inc. is a San Francisco-based beverage company that produces unsweetened flavored still and sparkling water infused with natural fruit essences, serving health-conscious consumers and former sweetened-beverage drinkers seeking flavorful hydration without sugar, sweeteners, or calories. Founded in 2005/2006, the company has operated for approximately 20 years and positions itself as the leading unsweetened flavored still water brand in the U.S., with 25+ flavor SKUs spanning still water in 16 oz bottles, 12 oz cans, and 19.2 oz cans, plus a sparkling water line with electrolytes in unconventional flavor combinations (Peach Raspberry, Guava Lychee, Huckleberry & Cream). Its core technology is a proprietary fruit essence infusion process that uses concentrated natural flavors derived from fruits, spices, and herbs to produce vibrant, consistent taste without artificial ingredients.

The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market: direct-to-consumer e-commerce through drinkhint.com (offering Subscribe & Save at a 17% discount on flexible 14/30/60-day intervals, plus the tiered Club Quench loyalty program with points accrual and referral incentives) and third-party retail through Amazon, Walmart, Staples, Instacart, and a nationwide store-locator footprint. DTC pricing is anchored around $22.99 for a 12-pack of 16 oz bottles and $24.99 for a 12-pack of 19.2 oz cans, with subscription pricing reducing these to $18.99 and $20.74 respectively. The company has raised approximately $51.5M across six funding rounds from 2012 to 2020, with the most recent $25M growth round led by Springboard Growth Capital, and employs 101–250 people. In March 2026, Hint initiated a brand refresh in partnership with NY-based agency Mythology to reinforce its category-leadership position in the 'better for you' beverage space.

Hint firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Hint
Legal name: Hint Inc.
Website: https://drinkhint.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2006
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 101–250 employees
Short description: Hint Inc. is a San Francisco-based beverage company producing unsweetened flavored still and sparkling water infused with natural fruit essences, sold direct-to-consumer via drinkhint.com and through retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Instacart, targeting health-conscious consumers seeking zero-sugar hydration.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Hint industry classification

Industry

Product category: Flavored Bottled Water
NAICS: Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
SIC: Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086), Beverages (2080)
akta.pro primary industry: Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte) (AFAFACAF)
akta.pro secondary industries: Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production (AFAFACAE), Functional Beverages (Vitamins, Probiotics, Nootropics, etc.) (CRADAHAL)

Keywords

Flavored water beverages
Unsweetened essence water
Sparkling electrolyte water
Beverage subscription service
Natural fruit infusion

Where Hint is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: San Francisco
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Hint business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Hardware or Manufacturing
Cost components: Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Direct Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of flavored water products through drinkhint.com with one-time purchase and subscription options. Subscription model offers 17% discount with flexible delivery intervals.
Retail Distribution: Products sold through major retail partners including Amazon, Walmart, Staples, and Instacart for broader market reach

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Standard 16oz 12-pack bottles
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	12oz 12-pack still cans
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	19.2oz 12-pack still cans
Subscription	Monthly	Club Quench Loyalty Program

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Hint product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Hint manufactures and sells unsweetened flavored still and sparkling water beverages infused with natural fruit essences, offering zero sugar, zero sweeteners, and zero calories across 25+ flavors in bottles and aluminum cans. The company distributes through its own drinkhint.com e-commerce site with a Subscribe & Save subscription offering 17% off, the Club Quench tiered loyalty program, and major retail partners including Amazon, Walmart, Staples, and Instacart.

Product overview

Hint Inc. is a flavored water company offering unsweetened still and sparkling water infused with natural fruit essences. The core product portfolio consists of still water available in 16 oz bottles, 12 oz aluminum cans, and 19.2 oz aluminum cans, along with sparkling water with electrolytes. Products span 25+ flavors organized into Classics (Blackberry, Cherry, Pineapple, Watermelon, Raspberry), Full On Flavor (Crisp Apple, Georgia Peach, Grape, Coconut), Smashups (Blueberry Lemon, Peach Raspberry, Strawberry Kiwi, Strawberry Lemon, Strawberry Watermelon, Huckleberry & Cream, Cherry Vanilla, Guava Lychee), and Seasonals (Lemon Zest Freeze, Rainbow Sherbet Ice Pop, Orange Vanilla Swirl, Cherry Berry Burst, Peppermint Bark, Cranberry Orange). The company sells direct-to-consumer via subscription and online, as well as through retail partners including Amazon, Walmart, Staples, and Instacart. Supporting services include a subscription program with 17% discount and Club Quench loyalty program with tiered benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Hint Still Water (16 oz Bottles, 12-pack) Still water infused with natural fruit essences, offering zero sugar, sweeteners, and calories while providing flavorful hydration in 16 oz bottles sold in 12-packs at $22.99 ($18.99 with Subscribe & Save). Targeted at health-conscious consumers and former sweetened-beverage drinkers seeking a better-tasting hydration alternative.
Hint Still Water (12 oz Aluminum Cans, 12-pack) Aluminum can format of Hint still water offering zero-sugar, fruit-infused hydration in sustainable packaging, priced at $14.99 per 12-pack ($12.44 with Subscribe & Save) in select flavors including Watermelon, Peach Raspberry, and Lemon Zest Freeze.
Hint Still Water (19.2 oz Aluminum Cans, 12-pack) Larger 19.2 oz aluminum cans of Hint still water providing fruit-infused hydration in sustainable packaging, priced at $24.99 per 12-pack ($20.74 with Subscribe & Save) in flavors including Georgia Peach, Grape, and Watermelon.
Hint Sparkling Water with Electrolytes Sparkling variant of Hint water enhanced with electrolytes, featuring unconventional flavor combinations such as Peach Raspberry, Guava Lychee, and Huckleberry & Cream, positioned in the functional beverage category for health-conscious consumers.
Hint Variety Packs Curated multi-flavor 12-packs of Hint 16 oz still water including Star Spangled (seasonal), Classics, Full on Flavor, Smashups, Red, and White variety packs, allowing consumers to sample multiple flavors within one purchase.
Hint Subscribe & Save Subscription Program Subscription service on drinkhint.com delivering regular shipments of Hint products with 17% off, free shipping on 3+ case orders, early access to new flavors, and flexible 14-, 30-, or 60-day delivery cycles for health-conscious consumers and former sweetened-beverage drinkers.

Quantifiable outcome

350,000+ five-star reviews demonstrating customer satisfaction
+1 more outcomes

Companies that use Hint

Customer profile

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Hint technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Hint partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

Mythology AgencycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Brand refresh partnership with NY-based agency Mythology to develop new visual identity and creative platform debuting in May, positioning Hint as category leader in 'better for you' beverage space

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Hint competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

LaCroix: National Beverage Corp.'s flagship sparkling water brand. LaCroix is a direct competitor to Hint in the flavored/unsweetened water category with overlapping flavors and broad retail distribution, often sharing shelf space with Hint at Walmart, Target, and grocery.
Spindrift: Premium sparkling water made with real squeezed fruit. Spindrift targets a similar health-conscious consumer with a comparable premium positioning, DTC channel mix, and emphasis on clean ingredients — directly comparable to Hint's fruit-essence approach.
Waterloo Sparkling Water: Premium unflavored and flavored sparkling water with a focus on bold, unconventional flavor profiles. Waterloo is a direct competitor to Hint's still and sparkling essence water, sharing a similar DTC and retail omni-channel model and ingredient-minimalist positioning.
CORE Hydration: Nutrient-enhanced water with electrolytes and minerals positioned for active, health-conscious consumers. CORE is directly comparable to Hint's sparkling electrolyte line in target customer, functional positioning, and pH-balanced clean-label messaging.
Liquid Death: Canned water brand with disruptive branding and D2C/retail omnichannel distribution. Liquid Death competes with Hint in the canned water format and targets a similar premium, design-forward consumer with strong social media presence.

Broad incumbents

Bubly: PepsiCo's flavored sparkling water brand. Bubly competes directly in the flavored sparkling water category with massive marketing spend and PepsiCo's distribution network, pressuring Hint at retail and on shelf.
AHA Sparkling Water: Coca-Cola's flavored sparkling water brand featuring unusual flavor combinations. AHA is a direct competitive threat in the flavored sparkling water category with Coca-Cola's national distribution and marketing scale.
Topo Chico: Coca-Cola-owned Mexican sparkling mineral water brand. Topo Chico competes in the premium sparkling water segment with broad U.S. retail presence and strong brand equity among consumers seeking alternatives to sugary soft drinks.
Vitaminwater (Glaceau): Coca-Cola-owned enhanced water brand with vitamins and flavors. Vitaminwater competes in the functional flavored water space, sharing distribution at convenience and grocery stores with Hint and targeting health-conscious consumers seeking more than plain water.

Emerging players

Aura Bora: Botanical and herbal-flavored sparkling water brand. Aura Bora targets a similar flavor-forward, clean-label consumer with unconventional flavor profiles and a premium DTC positioning, intersecting with Hint's Smashups and seasonal SKUs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Hint financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Hint leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Hint funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Hint M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hint

What does Hint do?

Is Hint a public or private company?

Hint is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.

When was Hint founded?

Hint was founded in 2006. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is Hint based?

Hint is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.

How does Hint make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail Distribution.

Who are Hint's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are LaCroix, Spindrift, Waterloo Sparkling Water, CORE Hydration and Liquid Death. Broad incumbents are Bubly, AHA Sparkling Water, Topo Chico and Vitaminwater (Glaceau). Aura Bora is listed as an emerging player.

Does Hint have an API?

No public API is recorded for Hint.

What industry is Hint in?

Hint's product category is Flavored Bottled Water. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFACAF, Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte), with a secondary code of AFAFACAE, Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production. Its NAICS code is 3121 and its SIC code is 2086.