In her 2007 song “Better Get to Livin,’” Dolly Parton sings about keeping a positive outlook despite challenges one might face. “You better get to livin’, givin’/Don’t forget to throw in a little forgiv’/And lovin’ on the way.”

As today’s consumers are challenged with busy schedules, but a desire to live healthier, the performance beverage market is seeing a growing influence on better-for-you solutions to help consumers “get to livin.’”

“We’re seeing significant growth in the energy drink market, fueled by a shift toward better-for-you options that balance both taste and health benefits,” says Greg LaVecchia, CEO and co-founder of Bloom Nutrition, Venice, Calif. “Consumers are increasingly looking for products that support wellness, feature better ingredients and don’t compromise on flavor. As the market continues to expand, brands that offer a combination of indulgence and functionality — while maintaining strong community engagement — are well-positioned to thrive.”

The amalgamation of indulgence and functionality isn’t just a recipe for businesses to thrive, but also consumers. The desire to thrive in day-to-day life played a key role in the creation of Bloom Nutrition.

Co-founder Mari Llewellyn turned to fitness with the help of LaVecchia, her now-husband, and turned that journey into a solution that she could share with more and more people.

“Bloom Nutrition was born out of my personal fitness journey,” Llewellyn says. “After losing 90 pounds, I shared my transformation, which resonated with a lot of people and grew my following.”

Those following Llewellyn’s journey were interested in her workouts and products that helped her transformation, prompting her and LaVecchia to create PDF guides and eventually the launch of their fabric resistance bands. This success, Llewellyn notes, lead to Bloom’s January 2019 launch.

“When I began my wellness journey, I wanted supplements that spoke to me — products that were approachable, effective and not intimidating,” Llewellyn says. “When we created Bloom, my goal was to inspire people going through a similar journey.

“We started with a pre-workout and built from there, reinvesting every dollar back into the business,” she continues. “This led to a growing range of products, including Greens, Creatine, Colostrum & Collagen, and Sparkling Energy Drinks.”

Innovative solutions

Beginning its consumables portfolio in the wellness supplement space, Bloom Nutrition’s lines include Greens & Superfoods, Colostrum & Collagen, Creatine Monohydrate, High Energy Pre-Workout and Whey Isolate Protein, featuring flavor varietals within each line. Yet, it was the brand’s Greens line that brought them into the zeitgeist.

“Our Greens powder went viral on TikTok and is now the No. 1 greens brand in the U.S., and remains a major fan favorite,” LaVecchia says. “We continue to introduce new Greens flavors that speak to our community.”

Given this success, Bloom Nutrition was able to take its wellness influence into the packaged beverage space with the 2024 launch of Sparkling Energy Drinks.

“Since the beginning of Bloom, our mission has been to help everyone bloom into their best selves, which we do by making wellness products approachable and accessible for all,” Llewellyn says. “The decision to introduce Bloom Sparkling Energy was driven by an understanding of our community’s preferences and seeing there was a space to fill for energy drinks that offer a delicious boost of better-for-you energy.”

Initially available exclusively at Target, Bloom Sparkling Energy is available in Raspberry Lemon, Cherry Lime, Peach Mango and Strawberry Watermelon varieties and were crafted for the wellness-minded consumer, it says. Each 12-ounce can features natural caffeine from coffee bean extract, prebiotic fiber and functional ingredients, like lychee extract, apple cider vinegar, l-theanine and B vitamins.

“We focus on providing our community with a healthier energy drink that doesn't sacrifice flavor,” Llewellyn says. “We’ve created a product that uses functional ingredients like natural caffeine derived from green coffee bean extract, prebiotic fiber and B vitamins to offer a sustained energy boost, without the crash.

“We also prioritize making sure our energy drink tastes as good as it works,” she continues. “Our distinct flavor combinations including Strawberry Watermelon and Raspberry Lemon are crafted to be delicious, while also being just 10 calories and zero-sugar. We believe wellness products should be both effective and enjoyable, and that’s exactly what we’ve achieved with Sparkling Energy.”

Llewellyn notes that its community has shown its fan-fare for the line, which the company was able to experience first-hand at its Bloom Energy Bar activation that took place earlier this year.

“This was a pop-up we brought to Austin and LA that gave us the opportunity to interact with thousands of people while they enjoyed Bloom Sparkling Energy,” she says.

Beyond just anecdotal evidence, the energy drink line’s success can be seen in its early performance since the summer 2024 launch.

“Sparkling Energy has been a massive success since we launched, growing from zero to eight figures in just six months,” LaVecchia says. “We expanded our retail and eComm presence in January of this year and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. To date, we've made it into the Top 10 Energy Drinks in retail. The great taste and better-for-you ingredients compared to traditional energy drinks really made these a hit.”

Noting that each Bloom community member has its own favorite flavor, LaVecchia says that Strawberry Watermelon has arisen as the best-seller, with Raspberry Lemon following closely behind. The remaining flavors operate in a close tie for No. 3.

“Because of that, our 12-pack variety and 18-pack variety both included the two top bestsellers with a different flavor as the third,” LaVecchia says.

The variety 12-pack in retail is comprised of Strawberry Watermelon, Raspberry Lemonade and Juicy Orange, while the variety 18-pack features Strawberry Watermelon, Raspberry Lemonade and Peach Mango.

These successes in wellness supplements and energy drinks also propelled Bloom Nutrition to craft additional innovations.

“The success of these products allows us to innovate and expand into a range of wellness offerings, such as our Creatine and Colostrum & Collagen Peptides,” LaVecchia says. “Our focus on creating flavorful, functional and enjoyable products has been key to our success, and with new launches like Bloom Pop on the horizon, the future looks just as exciting.”

Pop of flavor

Bloom Nutrition’s next endeavor popped up this spring with the announcement of the late summer/early fall release of Bloom Pop, a better-for-you, fun and functional soda that's full of flavor.

Explaining that Bloom’s vision is to help people bloom into their best selves through approachable and accessible solutions, Llewellyn notes that the company wanted to take this same step within the carbonated soft drinks market.

“We have successfully served different need states and wellness goals through products that have been reimagined with flavor and function ― such as greens, pre-workout, colostrum, energy drinks and more,” Llewellyn says. “We entered the better-for-you-soda category with a similar approach in mind: creating a soda that hits both taste and gut health, speaks to our community and will be readily available across the country.

“We wanted to offer a refreshing, indulgent option that aligns with our core values of fun, function, and being female-forward,” she continues. “Bloom Pop speaks directly to those looking for a soda that balances enjoyment with wellness, and we’re excited to launch it across the country.”

Bloom Pop will launch with five flavors, including Shirley Temple, Raspberry Lemon and Orange, across Walmart and major retailers nationwide around Labor Day this year. Llewellyn notes that the flavors were chosen “to offer a mix of familiar, traditional tastes and more unique variations.”

“The flavors we’re debuting with, which include Orange, Raspberry Lemon and Shirley Temple, resonate with today’s wellness-conscious consumer seeking great flavor,” she says. “Shirley Temple is already emerging as the crowd favorite, which may be because it strikes the perfect balance between nostalgia and novelty. I’m excited for everyone to try all of our flavors.”

Although taste is king, Llewellyn further highlights the presence that wellness plays in the lineup.

“The standout ingredient is PreticX, a trademarked prebiotic that’s clinically proven to support gut health by increasing good bacteria,” she says. “This ingredient not only offers real, science-backed health benefits, but it also helps Bloom Pop stand out by offering something most sodas simply don’t —functional benefits alongside great taste. Whether you’re looking for a mid-day pick-me-up or a treat that supports your wellness, Bloom Pop delivers it all.”

LaVecchia notes that consumers’ interest in unique flavors, great taste, gut health and low to no sugar has played an increasing role in the performance beverage market.

“This drives innovation for Bloom, because we have always aimed to meet wellness needs first and foremost with our offerings,” he says. “Flavor is a key differentiating factor for Bloom, and positive consumer response here means that we have rightly prioritized great taste.”

Expanding access

To support this portfolio of products, Bloom Nutrition has taken the same ambitious steps with its distribution footprint.

“Bloom Nutrition’s distribution footprint has seen significant growth, with retail now accounting for 75% of our sales,” LaVecchia says. “In 2024 alone, we doubled our retail presence, expanding from 7,200 locations to 14,700 across the U.S.

“We partnered with Keurig Dr Pepper to bring Bloom Sparkling Energy into retailers nationwide, moving beyond its previous status as a Target-exclusive product,” he continues. “This expansion ensures that more people can easily access Bloom products, whether in major retailers like Target, GNC, Walmart, and Wegmans, or in all the new locations we’ve added this year.”

LaVecchia adds that Sparkling Energy is set to launch within the club store channel, kicking off with Sam’s Club, which is carrying the 18-pack. The club store also added Bloom Nutrition’s Greens and Colostrum & Collagen Peptides.

These expansions will all play into Bloom Nutrition’s goals throughout this coming year.

“We aim to inspire people everywhere to bloom into their best selves, and this will be the year that you can’t miss Bloom anywhere,” Llewellyn says. “We’ve built an incredible digital, experiential and retail presence, meaning consumers will see Bloom online, while they are shopping and at events spanning local popups to huge cultural moments. We look toward a successful launch of Bloom Pop and introducing a variety of new products that round out our wellness offerings.”