Lumen

What Lumen does

Lumen is a private, Oakland-based functional beverage company founded in 2017 that develops and sells clear protein drinks and targeted wellness shots to health-conscious consumers and wellness enthusiasts. Its core technology is a proprietary clear-protein formulation that delivers 16g of grass-fed collagen protein per serving in a light, refreshing, low-sugar format (2-5g sugar) that is dairy-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO. The portfolio spans three product lines: Clear Protein Lemonade (Original, Strawberry Dragon Fruit, Mango Chili, and Yerba Mate Energy with 120mg caffeine), the newly launched Sparkling Protein line (Peaches & Cream, Grape, Strawberry Vanilla, Orange), and Functional Shots (Gut Well, Liver Support, Immune Support, Vitamin D + Zinc) formulated with adaptogens, plant-based omega-3s, and nutrient-dense superfoods.

Lumen operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce on morelumen.com with subscription pricing (up to 15% off, free shipping over $120, risk-free cancellation) and wholesale distribution through natural/specialty grocers and conventional supermarket chains. Named retail partners include Whole Foods Market, Bristol Farms, Erewhon, Central Market, Nugget Markets, Fairway Market, Market of Choice, ShopRite, and Happier Grocery, with a B2B wholesale portal for retailer onboarding. Pricing sits at approximately $3.36-$3.75 per unit when purchased as multi-packs (~$53-$55 per multi-pack), positioning the brand at the premium clean-label end of the functional beverage category.

The company is led by co-founders Yasir Hashim (CEO) and Kristofer Taylor (COO), with Jacob Freepons serving as Chief Innovation Officer. With 1-10 employees, Lumen is a small, founder-led operation that was honored at UNFI's 2026 Supplier Circle of Excellence Awards for product innovation and category leadership. Funding history is thin: a single 2021 round with 1st Course Capital is disclosed, and ownership, valuation, and revenue figures are not publicly available.

Name

Lumen

Website

https://drinklumen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lumen is an Oakland-based functional beverage company selling clear protein drinks and targeted wellness shots through DTC e-commerce and natural/specialty grocery wholesale, serving health-conscious consumers with clean-label, low-sugar alternatives to conventional protein beverages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Functional Beverages

NAICS

Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (311930)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal-Derived Protein Ingredients (Egg, Collagen/Gelatin, Blood/Plasma Proteins) (AFAJAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigerated Probiotics & Functional Shots (CRADACAN), Protein-Based Texturizers (Whey/Caseinates, Egg Proteins, Plant Proteins for Thickening) (AFAJAMAH), Protein & Sports Dairy Beverages (RTD Protein Shakes, High-Protein Milk) (AFAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Protein beverages
• Functional shots
• Clear collagen protein
• Wellness drinks
• Adaptogen supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through morelumen.com with subscription options offering 15% discount, free shipping over $120, and risk-free cancellation.
2. Retail/Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale distribution through natural food stores, specialty grocers, and conventional supermarket chains. Company maintains a wholesale portal for retailer account management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Lumen manufactures and sells clean-label clear protein beverages (Clear Protein Lemonade and Sparkling Protein lines) delivering 16g of grass-fed collagen protein per serving in a light, low-sugar format, and small-format functional wellness shots containing organic superfoods, plant-based omega-3s, and adaptogenic compounds for targeted health outcomes such as immune support, gut health, liver support, and vitamin supplementation.

Product overview

Lumen is a protein beverage company offering two main product lines: Clear Protein Lemonade (light, refreshing protein drinks in four flavors including Yerba Mate Energy with caffeine) and Functional Shots (small wellness shots with adaptogens and superfoods in four variants targeting gut, liver, immune, and vitamin support). The company recently expanded into Sparkling Protein with four new flavors. All products emphasize clean ingredients: grass-fed protein, organic ingredients, dairy-free, non-GMO, and regenerative farming practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clear Protein Lemonade Clear protein beverage delivering 16g of clean, fast-absorbing collagen protein per serving in a light and refreshing lemonade format; available in four flavors (Original, Strawberry Dragon Fruit, Mango Chili, Yerba Mate Energy with 120mg caffeine). Dairy-free, non-GMO, 2–5g sugar per serving, made with organic fruit juice; targeted at health-conscious adults seeking a clean-label protein drink.
• Sparkling Protein Sparkling clear protein beverage line offering 16g of protein per serving with light carbonation, dairy-free and non-GMO formulation. Available in four flavors: Peaches & Cream, Grape, Strawberry Vanilla, and Orange; targeted at health-conscious consumers seeking a lighter, carbonated alternative to traditional protein drinks.
• Functional Shots Small-format functional wellness shots containing organically sourced ingredients, nutrient-dense superfoods, plant-based omega-3s, and adaptogenic compounds. Includes four variants: Gut Well, Liver Support, Immune Support, and Vitamin D + Zinc; targeted at wellness-focused consumers seeking targeted functional benefits (immune support, gut health, liver support, vitamin supplementation) in a convenient shot format.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16g of protein per serving with 2-5g sugar

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vital Proteins: Premier collagen-based protein and wellness brand offering collagen peptides, beverages, and functional supplements. Highly comparable to Lumen's grass-fed collagen protein positioning and clean-label aesthetic.
• OWYN: Plant-based RTD protein shakes distributed in mainstream grocery and natural channels. Competes in the same shelf set as Lumen's clear protein with a similar clean-label, allergen-free positioning.
• Orgain: Organic, clean-label nutritional protein shakes and powders sold in mainstream retail and natural channels. Comparable target customer and ingredient positioning to Lumen.
• Koia: Plant-based RTD protein beverages positioned for health-conscious consumers in natural and conventional grocery. Direct competitor to Lumen in the premium RTD protein set.
• Bloom Nutrition: Greens and protein functional beverages with strong D2C and emerging grocery presence. Comparable audience (health-conscious women), clean-label positioning, and product format overlap.
• Bulletproof: Functional beverages and supplements emphasizing clean ingredients and targeted wellness benefits (energy, collagen, MCT). Overlaps with Lumen on collagen protein and functional-shot use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Premier Protein: Market-leading RTD protein shake brand with mass distribution across U.S. grocery, club, and convenience. Represents the incumbent scale benchmark Lumen is competing against in RTD protein.
• Fairlife Core Power: High-protein RTD shakes from fairlife with wide U.S. distribution. Defines the mass-market protein beverage benchmark that Lumen's clear format is differentiated against.

Emerging players

• Proper Wild: Clean-label functional shots and beverages with adaptogens and natural caffeine. Comparable to Lumen's Functional Shots line in format, ingredient philosophy, and target consumer.
• MUD\WTR: Functional coffee alternative and wellness beverages sold DTC and in natural retail. Comparable premium positioning and adaptogen/clean-ingredient narrative to Lumen.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/morelumen
• Xx.com/drinklumen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Lumen