Health-Ade
Health-Ade is a Los Angeles-based functional beverage company founded in 2012 that produces organic kombucha and SunSip prebiotic soda for health-conscious consumers, distributing across 70,000+ U.S. retail stores and DTC channels. Acquired by Generous Brands for $500M in 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Health-Ade does
Health-Ade is a Los Angeles-based functional beverage company founded in 2012 that produces kombucha and prebiotic soda under the Health-Ade, Glow Up, and SunSip brands. Its core technology is traditional fermentation of organic green and black teas using a proprietary culture of yeast and bacteria, yielding a kombucha with 1 billion live CFUs of Bacillus coagulans per 16oz bottle, gut-healthy organic acids (lactic, acetic, gluconic, tartaric), and natural antioxidants. The portfolio spans 16oz bottled kombucha, 11.5oz canned kombucha for on-the-go consumption, a Glow Up functional line targeting hair/nails, immunity, and digestion, and SunSip, a prebiotic soda line sweetened with fruit juice, monk fruit, and cane sugar containing prebiotics, vitamins C/B6/B12, and minerals zinc and selenium.
The business operates a hybrid omnichannel model: broad retail distribution across 70,000+ stores including Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts, and Walmart; a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel at health-ade.com offering a Subscribe & Save model with 15% discount and free shipping; foodservice distribution via Food Service Direct (kombucha kegs); and on-premise activation through its LA Dodgers partnership. Retail pricing is anchored at $49.95 per 12-pack of 16oz bottles ($4.16/bottle) and $39.95 per 12-pack of 11.5oz cans ($3.33/can), with SunSip priced at $33.95 per 12-pack ($2.83/can); subscription pricing provides 15% off across SKUs.
In Q3 2025, Health-Ade was acquired by Generous Brands (a Butterfly Equity portfolio company) for $500 million from First Bev and Manna Tree Partners, who retained minority stakes. At acquisition, Health-Ade generated approximately $250 million in annual retail sales, held the #1 organic kombucha and #2 overall refrigerated kombucha positions in the U.S. per SPINS data, and operated as part of a four-brand premium refrigerated beverage platform approaching $1 billion in combined retail sales alongside Bolthouse Farms, Evolution Fresh, and SAMBAZON.
Health-Ade firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Health-Ade
- Legal name
- Health-Ade LLC
- Website
- https://health-ade.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Health-Ade is a Los Angeles-based functional beverage company founded in 2012 that produces organic kombucha and SunSip prebiotic soda for health-conscious consumers, distributing across 70,000+ U.S. retail stores and DTC channels. Acquired by Generous Brands for $500M in 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Health-Ade industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Functional Beverages
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Kombucha Production (AFAFAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Kombucha & Other Fermented Non-Alcoholic Beverages (AFAFABAK), Probiotic/Prebiotic Functional Beverage Production (Non-Fermented) (AFAFAFAE)
Keywords
Where Health-Ade is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Health-Ade business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Health-Ade sells directly to consumers through health-ade.com with a subscription model offering 15% discount plus free shipping on subscription orders. Products are shipped refrigerated and delivered within 2-5 business days. The company also offers a rewards program where customers earn points for purchases.
- Retail Distribution: Health-Ade generates revenue through retail distribution across 70,000+ stores nationwide including Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts, Walmart, and other major retailers. The company sells both individual bottles/cans at retail and multi-pack variety packs. Distribution expanded through partnerships with key retail accounts.
- Foodservice/Direct: Health-Ade offers Kombucha Kegs for foodservice operators through Food Service Direct, targeting restaurants, offices, and events seeking on-tap kombucha options. This channel provides bulk purchasing opportunities.
- SunSip Prebiotic Soda: SunSip by Health-Ade is a gut-healthy soda with benefits that includes prebiotics, vitamins C, B6, B12, and minerals zinc and selenium. Priced at $33.95 for a 12-pack, it offers another revenue stream in the better-for-you beverage category with 9 flavors including Classic Cola, Cherry Cola, Root Beer, Cream Soda, Peach, Raspberry Lemonade, Grape, and Dr. Bubbles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kombucha 16oz Bottles - 12 Pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kombucha 11.5oz Cans - 12 Pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SunSip Prebiotic Soda - 12 Pack |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription Model |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bundles and Variety Packs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Health-Ade product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Health-Ade brews and sells kombucha — a fermented probiotic tea made from organic green and black tea, live kombucha cultures, organic cane sugar, and organic fruit juice — sold in 16oz bottles and 11.5oz cans across retail and direct-to-consumer channels. The portfolio also includes Glow Up Kombucha (enhanced functional variants targeting hair/nails, immunity, and digestion) and SunSip prebiotic soda (better-for-you soda with vitamins and minerals).
Product overview
Health-Ade is a functional beverage company offering multiple product lines centered around gut health. The core offering is Health-Ade Kombucha, a bubbly fermented probiotic tea brewed from organic green and black tea with live cultures, available in both bottles (16oz) and cans (11.5oz). The portfolio includes Glow Up Kombucha, an enhanced line with additional functional ingredients targeting specific wellness benefits (Hair & Nails, Immune Defense, Digestive Reset). SunSip, a sub-brand prebiotic soda, offers better-for-you soda alternatives sweetened with fruit juice, monk fruit, and cane sugar, containing prebiotics, vitamins C/B6/B12, and minerals. Products are sold through retail channels (Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts, Walmart) and direct-to-consumer online, with distribution in approximately 65,000-70,000 stores nationwide. The company was acquired by Generous Brands in 2025 and generates approximately $250 million in annual retail sales.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SunSip: Gut-healthy prebiotic soda brand by Health-Ade offering classic and fruity soda flavors with prebiotics, vitamins C/B6/B12, and minerals. Sweetened with fruit juice, monk fruit and cane sugar. No caffeine or stevia.
- Health-Ade Plus (Glow Up)
Quantifiable outcome
- Health-Ade has been the #1 growth driver in the kombucha category for five consecutive years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Health-Ade
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Health-Ade technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Health-Ade partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Lindsay LohanflagshipHealth-Ade partnered with actress Lindsay Lohan for a new advertising campaign featuring playful creative developed by Juxtapose Studio, rolling out across paid social and digital video platforms. The campaign aims to promote kombucha as an accessible wellness beverage, targeting millennials and leveraging Lohan's cultural resonance with the brand's messaging around gut health and self-confidence.
- RepslycoreHealth-Ade is among the recent clients of Repsly, a retail execution software provider. The partnership helps improve shelf presence, out-of-stock visibility, and promotion effectiveness for beverage brands. Repsly supports Health-Ade's retail execution efforts across their 70,000+ store distribution network.
- VividlycoreHealth-Ade partnered with Vividly in 2023 to address manual and inefficient deduction management processes. Following implementation of Vividly's deduction management software, Health-Ade disputed $1.1 million in deductions and successfully recovered $700,000 in one year, while also reducing processing turnaround time from 60 days to 30 days. The company reported at least 25% time savings for staff.
- Los Angeles DodgersflagshipHealth-Ade expanded its partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2025 season, continuing to offer products at Dodger Stadium. The company saw record-breaking growth during the 2024 season, more than doubling kombucha can sales at the stadium compared to the prior year. This year's partnership includes a co-branded limited-edition can and expanded distribution through online and on-premise channels.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Health-Ade competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GT's Living Foods: GT's is the #1 player in the U.S. refrigerated kombucha category with 42.6% share, making it Health-Ade's most direct and largest competitor. Both brands compete head-to-head across the same retailers (Whole Foods, Sprouts, Target) with broadly overlapping product, positioning, and channel strategy.
- KeVita (PepsiCo): KeVita is a leading U.S. kombucha and probiotic drink brand acquired by PepsiCo in 2017. It competes directly with Health-Ade in refrigerated kombucha and tonic beverages, with similar functional positioning and broad retail distribution.
- Brew Dr. Kombucha: Brew Dr. is a Portland-based organic kombucha brand with strong natural-channel presence at Whole Foods and other specialty retailers. It is one of the closest direct peers to Health-Ade in organic, non-GMO, and clean-label kombucha positioning.
- Humm Kombucha: Humm is a Bend, Oregon-based kombucha brand competing in the same refrigerated premium segment as Health-Ade. It offers similar functional/organic positioning and broad distribution, making it a relevant comparable for shelf and pricing dynamics.
- Olipop: Olipop is a fast-growing prebiotic soda brand and the most direct competitor to Health-Ade's SunSip sub-brand. Both compete for the same functional-beverage shelf space at Whole Foods, Target, and Sprouts, and target overlapping gut-health-conscious consumers.
- Poppi: Poppi is a VC-backed prebiotic soda brand rapidly scaling in mass retail. It is a direct competitor to SunSip in the better-for-you soda category, targeting similar millennial/Gen Z consumers seeking soda alternatives with functional benefits.
Broad incumbents
- Suja Life: Suja is a broader functional beverage and cold-pressed juice brand with overlapping wellness/gut-health positioning. It is a relevant peer for Health-Ade's expansion into adjacent functional beverage categories, though its core business is juice rather than kombucha.
- Bragg Live Food Products: Bragg is an established health-food brand with a kombucha/fermented beverage line in addition to apple cider vinegar and other wellness products. It competes for similar health-conscious consumers and natural-channel shelf space, with broader portfolio diversification than Health-Ade.
Emerging players
- Tula Skincare / The Bump Plan (functional beverage crossovers): Tula is an adjacent wellness brand extending into functional beverages targeting similar gut-health-conscious millennials. As an emerging entrant in the functional beverage space, it represents the kind of cross-category competitor Health-Ade faces as probiotics and gut-health become broader consumer trends.
Others
- Bolthouse Farms: Bolthouse Farms is a sister brand under the Generous Brands/Butterfly Equity portfolio post-Health-Ade acquisition. Both brands share refrigerated distribution and a premium better-for-you positioning, making Bolthouse a key cross-portfolio comparable for shared cold-chain economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Health-Ade social profiles
Digital presenceHealth-Ade compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Health-Ade financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Health-Ade leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Health-Ade subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Health-Ade funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Health-Ade M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Health-Ade
What does Health-Ade do?
Health-Ade brews and sells kombucha — a fermented probiotic tea made from organic green and black tea, live kombucha cultures, organic cane sugar, and organic fruit juice — sold in 16oz bottles and 11.5oz cans across retail and direct-to-consumer channels. The portfolio also includes Glow Up Kombucha (enhanced functional variants targeting hair/nails, immunity, and digestion) and SunSip prebiotic soda (better-for-you soda with vitamins and minerals).
Is Health-Ade a public or private company?
Health-Ade is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Health-Ade founded?
Health-Ade was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Health-Ade based?
Health-Ade is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Health-Ade make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce is the primary driver. The others are retail Distribution, foodservice/Direct and sunSip Prebiotic Soda.
Who are Health-Ade's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GT's Living Foods, KeVita (PepsiCo), Brew Dr. Kombucha, Humm Kombucha, Olipop and Poppi. Broad incumbents are Suja Life and Bragg Live Food Products. Tula Skincare / The Bump Plan (functional beverage crossovers) is listed as an emerging player. Bolthouse Farms is listed as an others.
Does Health-Ade have an API?
No public API is recorded for Health-Ade.
What industry is Health-Ade in?
Health-Ade's product category is Functional Beverages. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAHAA, Kombucha Production, with a secondary code of AFAFABAK, Kombucha & Other Fermented Non-Alcoholic Beverages. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.