Liquid I.V

What Liquid I.V does

Liquid I.V. is a Los Angeles-based health-science nutrition company that develops and markets powdered electrolyte drink mixes built on its proprietary Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) formulation and Cellular Transport Technology (CTT), marketed under the LIV HYDRASCIENCE brand. Founded in 2012, the company sells across multiple use cases — daily hydration, post-workout recovery, energy without sugar crash, social/recovery occasions, and kids — through product lines including Hydration Multiplier (flagship), Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier, Energy Multiplier and Sugar-Free Energy Multiplier (100mg natural caffeine with a 2:1 L-theanine ratio), Immune Support, MultiServe, Kids, and recent extensions into Hot Chocolate, Margarita-flavored, and limited-edition Spider-Man and Ring Pop Cherry SKUs. The brand targets health-conscious U.S. consumers with horizontal segmentation across hydration occasions rather than a single persona.

Liquid I.V. operates a hybrid go-to-market model: a DTC storefront at liquid-iv.com with subscription/membership programs (Ordergroove-powered recurring revenue), supplemented by deep U.S. retail distribution across Amazon, Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Kroger, Meijer, and Costco, plus Amazon.ca and TikTok Shop. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but DTC free shipping kicks in at $40 with subscription tiers, while wholesale operates as standard transaction fee revenue. Marketing investments include a Super Bowl LX debut (2026), event sponsorships with McLaren Racing (F1), Peoples League, and Tennis Australia's United Cup, a 22-city 'Tear. Pour. Hydrate More.' experiential tour with Rivian, and the Hydration Vitality Barometer data asset surveying 5,000+ U.S. adults.

In 2020 Unilever acquired Liquid I.V. for approximately $800 million, after which the brand grew from $120 million in 2020 revenue to approximately $1 billion in 2025 (per Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher), making it one of three "hero brands" within Unilever's wellness portfolio alongside Nutrafol and Olly. Under the parent's "go narrow, go deep" strategy, the company has expanded into Canada, Australia, Mexico, and selected European and Asian markets. Impact commitments include clean water access for 2 million people by 2026, 150 million servings donated over 10 years, and 30 million hydration sticks distributed through community partnerships by 2030.

Name

Liquid I.V

Legal name

Liquid I.V.

Website

https://liquid-iv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Liquid I.V. is a Los Angeles-based powdered electrolyte hydration brand owned by Unilever, selling ORS-formulated drink mixes under its proprietary LIV HYDRASCIENCE technology through DTC subscriptions, major U.S. retail, and international channels to health-conscious consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Powdered Hydration Supplements

NAICS

Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193), Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Drinks & Hydration Beverages (CRADAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Powdered & Instant Beverage Mixes (Drink Mixes, Instant Coffee/Tea, Electrolytes) (CRADAHAN), Functional Beverages (Vitamins, Probiotics, Nootropics, etc.) (CRADAHAL), Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB)

Keywords

• Electrolyte drink mix
• Hydration supplements
• Functional beverages
• Powdered hydration
• Wellness nutrition

Headquarters

HQ city

Marina Del Rey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Liquid I.V. sells directly through liquid-iv.com with subscription/membership programs enabling recurring revenue. DTC channels enable margin recovery of 20-40% compared to traditional wholesale, access to first-party customer data, and faster product launch cycles.
2. Retail/Wholesale Distribution: Products sold through major U.S. retailers including Amazon, Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Kroger, Meijer, and Costco, as well as international retailers like Costco Canada and Amazon.ca.
3. Marketplace Sales: Sales through Amazon and Amazon.ca, with multi-channel campaigns allocating 30% to paid media, 40% to influencer and PR, and 30% to performance marketing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Liquid I.V. manufactures and sells powdered electrolyte drink mixes that use proprietary Cellular Transport Technology (CTT), an Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) formulation designed to deliver hydration faster than water alone. The portfolio spans core Hydration Multiplier lines, Sugar-Free variants, Energy Multiplier, Immune Support, MultiServe, Kids formulations, and limited-edition co-branded flavors, sold direct-to-consumer via liquid-iv.com and through major U.S. and international retail and e-commerce channels.

Product overview

Liquid I.V. is a powdered electrolyte hydration brand owned by Unilever, offering a portfolio of drink mix products centered on its Cellular Transport Technology (CTT). The core product line includes the Hydration Multiplier (flagship), Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier, Energy Multiplier, Sugar-Free Energy Multiplier, Immune Support, MultiServe (larger format), and Kids formulations. The brand extends into limited-edition flavors (Spider-Man collection, Ring Pop Cherry) and new categories like hot beverages (Hot Chocolate). Products are sold as powdered sticks for mixing with water, with a focus on functional hydration for fitness, recovery, daily wellness, and specific health use cases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hydration Multiplier®: Core powdered hydration product line
• Energy Multiplier
• Sugar-Free
• MultiServe
• Immune Support
• Kids

Products and services

• Hydration Multiplier® Flagship powdered electrolyte drink mix using proprietary Cellular Transport Technology (CTT) and a specific ratio of electrolytes, glucose, and water to deliver hydration faster than water alone; sold to individual consumers for everyday hydration.
• Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier Zero-sugar variant of the flagship Hydration Multiplier that uses an amino acid blend to replace traditional sugar-based electrolytes and includes key vitamins and minerals for clean-label hydration.
• Energy Multiplier Sugar-Free Hydration-first energy drink mix with 100mg natural caffeine in a 2:1 L-theanine to caffeine ratio, no sugar and no artificial sweeteners, powered by proprietary LIV HYDRASCIENCE technology.
• Immune Support

Quantifiable outcome

• Brand awareness increased to 37% nationally with 18.5% household penetration following Super Bowl debut
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, impact and minor.

• Sony Pictures (Spider-Man: Brand New Day)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 June 2026Liquid I.V. partnered with Sony Pictures as the exclusive functional hydration partner for the Spider-Man: Brand New Day film. Collaboration features two limited-edition co-branded products—Hydration Multiplier Arctic Raspberry and Sugar-Free Raspberry Lemonade—inspired by Spider-Man's iconic red and blue suit. Products available June 1 through August 31, 2026 across major U.S. retailers.
• McLaren RacingflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026McLaren Racing announced Liquid I.V. as an official partner just days before Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. Partnership focuses on hydration science and performance optimization, reflecting broader trend of wellness brands integrating with motorsport to position hydration as both competitive edge and marketable asset.
• Peoples LeaguecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 March 2026Liquid I.V. named Title Sponsor of Peoples League's 2026 Tour in first title sponsorship in league history. Hydration products integrated across all tour events through on-course activations, branded content series, and social media programming targeting creator golf audiences. Tour opens March 17-19 at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Arizona with over $100,000 prize money per event.
• DoorDashcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 February 2026DoorDash partnership for National Rehydration Day enabling delivery of Liquid I.V. products and free sample distribution through community outreach. Leverages high-profile Super Bowl placement with complementary delivery service.
• Tennis Australia (United Cup)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 December 2025Liquid I.V. became Official Hydration Supplement Partner of United Cup and three Australian tennis Internationals (Brisbane, Adelaide, and Hobart). Features court-side DJ sets, hydration stations, and fan engagement activations across five Australian cities. Marks brand's first major foray into Australian sport.
• Isla UrbanaimpactStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership expanding rainwater harvesting infrastructure, education programs, and community-based systems across Mexico to address severe water scarcity. In 2025, benefited over 700 people across five municipalities in Oaxaca with 1.7 million liters per year potential rainwater collection capacity. Organizations plan further expansion by 2026 including additional Rain Schools and household systems.
• Grupo HerdezimpactStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in Mexico water scarcity initiative alongside Isla Urbana. Grupo Herdez's Saber Nutrir program installed 33 new rainwater harvesting projects including four cisterns in 2025, bringing total to 289 cisterns across the State of Mexico, Yucatán, and Jalisco.
• RivianminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustom Rivian vehicles featured in Liquid I.V.'s 22-city 'Tear. Pour. Hydrate More.' tour with refillable water stations. Tour supports hydration distribution and community access initiatives starting in New York City.
• HydratrucksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity outreach partner for National Rehydration Day providing free samples and hydration aid distribution alongside DoorDash delivery partnerships.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pedialyte: Abbott-owned oral electrolyte rehydration brand. Closest direct competitor in the ORS/hydration category, particularly in recovery and everyday hydration use cases that mirror Liquid I.V.'s positioning.
• LMNT: DTC premium electrolyte drink mix brand with zero-sugar formulation and strong positioning in the low-carb/keto/active-lifestyle consumer segment that overlaps directly with Liquid I.V.'s Sugar-Free and Energy Multiplier lines.
• Nuun Hydration: Tablet-format electrolyte hydration brand owned by Nestlé Health Science. Competes in the same portable, on-the-go hydration occasions as Liquid I.V. with similar active-lifestyle positioning.
• DripDrop: ORS-based hydration brand founded by a physician, with patented flavorless electrolyte mix. Direct competitor in the medical-grade hydration positioning that Liquid I.V. competes against.
• Cure Hydration: Plant-based powdered electrolyte drink mix brand with strong DTC presence and no added sugar. Competes in the same powdered electrolyte category targeting health-conscious consumers.
• Skratch Labs: Sports nutrition brand specializing in hydration and energy mixes used by endurance athletes. Direct competitor in the performance/recovery hydration subsegment Liquid I.V. targets with its Energy Multiplier line.
• Electrolit: Mexico-based premium hydration beverage brand with strong US Hispanic market presence. Direct competitor in hydration/recovery use cases with growing US retail distribution that overlaps with Liquid I.V.

Broad incumbents

• Gatorade: PepsiCo-owned dominant sports hydration brand. Liquid I.V. explicitly benchmarks against Gatorade on '3x electrolytes' messaging; broader portfolio, RTD format, and massive scale make it the most consequential incumbent competitor.
• Bodyarmor: Coca-Cola-owned sports hydration brand with RTD format. Competes with Liquid I.V. in everyday and sports hydration occasions; major retail distribution creates direct shelf competition.

Others

• Olly: Unilever sister brand within Health & Wellbeing division offering vitamins and functional gummies. Sister-brand comparison is critical for portfolio strategy, shared distribution leverage, and parent-level capital allocation decisions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/Liquid-iv
• Facebookfacebook.com/liquidiv
• Instagraminstagram.com/liquidiv
• TikToktiktok.com/@liquidiv
• Xx.com/liquidiv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liquid-i-v-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Liquid I.V