The founders behind Nowadays, the THC beverage brand that reached more than $100 million in sales in three and a half years, are moving into the non-intoxicating functional beverage segment with Unwind, a sparkling relaxation drink launching in approximately 1,000 Walmart stores and on Walmart.com as of October 1, 2026.
The Product
Unwind is a 12-ounce sparkling beverage formulated with magnesium L-threonate — supplied under the Magtein® brand — and L-theanine, a combination the brand positions around stress reduction and mental calm rather than energy or focus. The line carries zero caffeine, low sugar and low calories, and arrives in five SKUs: Berry, Cherry, Citrus, Tropical and Spicy Lime. Suggested retail pricing opens at $2.79 per single can and $10.99 per four-pack, placing it in line with premium functional soft drinks but below many energy and adaptogen beverages at retail.
Channel Strategy
The Walmart placement represents the first phase of a phased national retail rollout. Co-founder Justin Tidwell noted that consumer behavior has shifted toward deceleration — a counterpoint to the energy-drink daypart that has dominated functional beverage growth for the past decade. "Life is louder than ever, and while people are often told they need more energy, focus or stimulation, sometimes they just need a way to turn down the noise," Tidwell said. Co-founder Anthony Puterman added that Walmart's early commitment signals the retailer's recognition of the relaxation occasion as a distinct, scalable shelf set.
A TikTok Shop listing is scheduled to follow in mid-October, enabling direct-to-consumer shipping nationwide — a channel increasingly used by emerging beverage brands to drive trial before broadening foodservice and convenience distribution. Additional national retail partners are already contracted for early 2027, though the brand has not disclosed those accounts.
Market Context
Unwind enters a functional beverage segment that has drawn significant investment over the past two years. Non-alcoholic relaxation drinks — often built around ashwagandha, GABA, CBD or magnesium — have gained shelf space as a counterpart to the energy category, which itself posted strong growth across convenience and mass channels. The Nowadays founders' track record in scaling a disruptive adult-beverage brand gives Unwind credibility with retail buyers evaluating new entrants, even as the relaxation sub-segment remains early-stage compared with energy or sports hydration.
For foodservice and on-premise operators, launches of this profile often signal where the next consumer daypart is forming. Relaxation beverages have begun appearing on menus at wellness-focused fast-casual concepts and hotel food-and-beverage programs, and Unwind's mass-retail foothold could accelerate that crossover. The brand's marketing plan includes sampling events and in-store activations alongside paid media and creator partnerships — tactics that build the kind of brand recognition that eventually supports foodservice distribution and away-from-home channel expansion.
For context on how functional ingredients are reshaping the non-alcoholic beverage shelf and operator menus, see recent coverage of the better-for-you beverage category.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
