Hydrant
Hydrant is a direct-to-consumer functional wellness brand that sells science-backed electrolyte drink mixes for hydration, energy, immunity, and sleep. Founded in 2017 and operating from New York, it serves over 541,000 consumers globally through subscription and e-commerce channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Hydrant does
Hydrant is a direct-to-consumer hydration and functional wellness brand founded in 2017 in New York and operating as Hydrant, Inc. The company sells science-backed electrolyte drink mixes in single-serve stick packs and bulk powder, organized across four benefit-led lines: core Hydrate, Energy (caffeine + L-theanine), Immunity (Vitamin C, elderberry, zinc), and Sleep (melatonin, L-theanine, GABA, chamomile). Its underlying technology is an adaptation of the WHO oral rehydration solution formula, in which a precise ratio of sodium, glucose, and potassium activates the SGLT1 sodium-glucose cotransport pathway to enable faster fluid absorption than water alone; the company emphasizes 3x more electrolytes than leading sports drinks at 73% less sugar than Liquid IV.
The business model is primarily direct-to-consumer e-commerce through drinkhydrant.com (Shopify), with a self-serve Subscribe & Save offering at 20% off, free shipping, skip/pause/cancel flexibility, and an aggressive Buy 2 Get 2 Free bundle exclusive to the DTC channel. Pricing on standard packs runs $39.99-$49.99 with subscription as low as $35.99 per 30-stick bag. Wholesale distribution and international shipping to Australia, Canada, the UK, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea provide secondary channels. Marketing relies on product-led growth, content via The Hydration Institute blog, Instagram, email, a rewards program, and earned media across health and wellness publications.
Co-founders John Sherwin (Oxford human physiology researcher, CEO) and Jai Jung Kim (co-founder) built the company around the founder's physiology research; the firm has raised approximately $23.9M across a 2018 seed and three 2020-2021 rounds and operates with 11-50 employees. The company has reached 541,401+ cumulative customers and 17M+ sticks sold with a 4.8/5 review average and a sub-0.5% return rate.
Hydrant firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hydrant
- Legal name
- Hydrant, Inc.
- Website
- https://drinkhydrant.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hydrant is a direct-to-consumer functional wellness brand that sells science-backed electrolyte drink mixes for hydration, energy, immunity, and sleep. Founded in 2017 and operating from New York, it serves over 541,000 consumers globally through subscription and e-commerce channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hydrant industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Functional Hydration Beverages
- NAICS
- Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Functional Hydration & Electrolyte Water Production (AFAFAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sports Drinks & Hydration Beverages (CRADAHAK), Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte) (AFAFACAF)
Keywords
Where Hydrant is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Hydrant business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Product Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling electrolyte hydration drink mixes directly to consumers through the company's e-commerce website. Products sold as single-serve stick packs (30-count and 28-count bags) and bulk powder formats. One-time purchase and subscription options available.
- Subscription Revenue (Subscribe & Save): Recurring subscription model offering 20% discount on all purchases, free shipping, flexible scheduling with skip/pause/cancel options, and exclusive gifts after 3 months. Subscriptions auto-renew monthly and are the primary growth driver for predictable recurring revenue.
- Wholesale Distribution: B2B wholesale channel for retail distribution. Company maintains a wholesale page on their website indicating availability for retail partners to stock Hydrant products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Buy 2, Get 2 Free Bundle - Best Value |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscribe & Save - 20% Off |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | One-Time Purchase - Regular Price |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Energy Product Line |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Immunity Product Line |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sleep Product Line |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Hydrant product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hydrant manufactures and sells science-backed powdered electrolyte drink mixes directly to consumers through its own e-commerce site, formulated using the WHO oral rehydration science to enable rapid hydration via the sodium-glucose cotransport pathway. Its portfolio spans four functional lines — Hydrate, Energy, Sleep, and Immunity — sold as single-serve stick packs and bulk powder pouches, with a subscription model providing 20% savings and free shipping.
Product overview
Hydrant is a direct-to-consumer hydration company selling electrolyte drink mixes in stick packets and bulk powder formats. The product portfolio consists of four distinct functional mix categories: Hydrate (core rapid hydration with electrolytes and real fruit juice), Energy (hydration with 100mg caffeine and L-theanine for sustained energy), Sleep (hydration with melatonin and calming ingredients for rest), and Immunity (hydration with 1,000mg Vitamin C and elderberry for immune support). Products are offered in multiple sweetener options (Core Blend, Zero Sugar with monkfruit, Cane Sugar Only) and formats (sticks and bulk powder). The company sells exclusively direct-to-consumer with a subscription model offering 20% savings and free shipping, plus a wholesale program for retail distribution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hydrant Hydrate Rapid hydration electrolyte drink mix with balanced sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc, sweetened with 4g of real cane sugar and real fruit juice powder for flavor. Based on WHO oral rehydration science for faster hydration than water alone; targeted at general health-conscious adult consumers seeking daily clean-ingredient hydration.
- Hydrant Energy Hydration mix combining 100mg caffeine from green tea with 200mg L-theanine for sustained, jitter-free energy without the crash, delivered through Hydrant's core electrolyte formula. Targeted at busy professionals, shift workers, and consumers seeking clean caffeine alternatives.
- Hydrant Sleep Bedtime hydration drink mix combining melatonin, magnesium, L-theanine, GABA, and chamomile with the core electrolyte backbone to support restful sleep. Targeted at consumers seeking natural sleep support without habit-forming ingredients.
- Hydrant Immunity Immune support hydration mix delivering 1,000mg Vitamin C, real elderberry, zinc, ginger, and B-vitamins (A, B6, B12, D) plus acai, combined with Hydrant's core electrolyte formula for enhanced absorption. Targeted at consumers prioritizing immune health during seasonal illness and frequent travel.
- Hydrant Bulk Powder Bulk powder pouch format offering 30 servings of the Hydrate formula in select flavors, designed for reduced plastic waste and customizable serving sizes. Targeted at consumers seeking a more economical and environmentally friendly format than individual stick packs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3x faster hydration than water alone
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Hydrant
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Hydrant technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
Hydrant partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hydrant competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Celsius: Major energy/fitness beverage brand overlapping with Hydrant's Energy product line (100mg caffeine + L-theanine). While primarily RTD, Celsius's positioning around clean energy and fitness lifestyle mirrors Hydrant Energy's target consumer use cases.
- Pedialyte: Incumbent brand owned by Abbott dominating the electrolyte/rehydration category with extensive retail distribution and broad consumer awareness. While originally medical, has expanded into adult lifestyle hydration positioning overlapping with Hydrant's use cases.
- Gatorade: Dominant sports hydration brand owned by PepsiCo with unmatched retail presence and marketing budget. Hydrant's customer reviews explicitly reference Gatorade as the comparison point ("Gatorade Who??"), confirming it as the category benchmark.
Direct peers
- DripDrop: Direct competitor using ORS (oral rehydration solution) science as its foundation, similar to Hydrant's WHO-based formulation. Targets medical-grade dehydration use cases alongside consumer hydration through DTC and clinical channels.
- Cure Hydration: Emerging direct competitor in the premium electrolyte/hydration powder mix category with plant-based positioning and stick-pack DTC model. Targets health-conscious consumers with clean-label claims similar to Hydrant.
- Nuun: Direct competitor in electrolyte drink mixes, originally known for dissolvable tablets and now selling powder stick packs. Targets similar athlete, fitness, and wellness consumer segments through DTC, retail, and wholesale channels.
- Liquid IV: Direct competitor selling electrolyte powder drink mixes with similar stick-pack DTC model. Now owned by Unilever, giving it vastly greater distribution and marketing resources; Hydrant explicitly benchmarks against Liquid IV on sugar content.
- LMNT: Direct competitor in the premium electrolyte mix category with strong DTC subscription business. LMNT targets high-sodium, no-sugar hydration; Hydrant positions its lower-sodium 260mg formula explicitly against LMNT's 1,000mg formulation.
Emerging players
- Skratch Labs: Specialist sports hydration brand selling electrolyte drink mixes with clean-label positioning targeted at endurance athletes. Comparable product format and overlapping customer base with Hydrant's athlete segment, though more focused on performance use cases.
- Liquid Death: DTC-first beverage brand that disrupted bottled water with edgy branding and now expanding into flavored and functional waters. Comparable DTC e-commerce playbook and target consumer (younger, health-conscious) though focused on RTD formats rather than powder mixes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hydrant social profiles
Digital presenceHydrant financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hydrant leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Hydrant funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hydrant 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 Hydrant
What does Hydrant do?
Hydrant manufactures and sells science-backed powdered electrolyte drink mixes directly to consumers through its own e-commerce site, formulated using the WHO oral rehydration science to enable rapid hydration via the sodium-glucose cotransport pathway. Its portfolio spans four functional lines — Hydrate, Energy, Sleep, and Immunity — sold as single-serve stick packs and bulk powder pouches, with a subscription model providing 20% savings and free shipping.
Is Hydrant a public or private company?
Hydrant is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Hydrant founded?
Hydrant was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hydrant based?
Hydrant is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hydrant make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Revenue (Subscribe & Save) and wholesale Distribution.
Who are Hydrant's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Celsius, Pedialyte and Gatorade. Direct peers are DripDrop, Cure Hydration, Nuun, Liquid IV and LMNT. Emerging players are Skratch Labs and Liquid Death.
Does Hydrant have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hydrant.
What industry is Hydrant in?
Hydrant's product category is Functional Hydration Beverages. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAFAH, Functional Hydration & Electrolyte Water Production, with a secondary code of CRADAHAK, Sports Drinks & Hydration Beverages. Its NAICS code is 3121 and its SIC code is 2080.