The Launch
YESLY is entering the functional ready-to-drink protein segment with Sparkling Protein Water, a clear, lightly carbonated beverage that packs 20 grams of protein from whey and collagen, zero sugar, and 100 calories per 12 oz. can. The SKU debuts exclusively at approximately 500 Sprouts Farmers Market locations nationwide in November 2026, marking the brand's first move beyond its core hydration and electrolyte positioning.
The product launches in five flavors — Kiwi Strawberry, Watermelon, Pomegranate Acai Blueberry, Berries & Cream, and Shirley Temple — and is formulated with electrolytes and essential vitamins alongside the protein payload. The clean-label, non-milky format is a direct play on consumer fatigue with heavy, opaque protein shakes, a category dynamic that has driven strong growth in protein-enhanced RTD beverages across natural and specialty retail over the past two years.
Channel Strategy
Sprouts Farmers Market serves as the exclusive brick-and-mortar launch partner, giving YESLY a concentrated footprint in a channel that over-indexes with health-conscious, performance-oriented shoppers — the same demographic targeted by premium functional beverages. Beginning in January 2027, distribution expands to Amazon and TikTok Shop, adding direct-to-consumer velocity data and social-commerce reach that many emerging NAB brands are now treating as a critical second retail tier alongside specialty grocery.
The sequenced rollout — specialty retail first, then DTC and social commerce — reflects a disciplined approach to building brand credibility before scaling distribution, a playbook increasingly favored in the better-for-you beverage segment. For foodservice and retail buyers evaluating the brand's trajectory, the Sprouts exclusivity window and the January e-commerce expansion will serve as early read-through on SKU velocity and consumer pull-through.
Athlete Partnerships
Alongside the product launch, YESLY is formalizing partnerships with NCAA champion and 2:04 marathoner Charles Hicks and elite American marathoner Emma Bates, extending a roster the brand has been building around the running and endurance community. Scott Miller, Co-Founder and CEO of YESLY, described both athletes as embodying "the mindset at the heart of YESLY" — consistent effort, process-oriented training, and performance that extends beyond competition. Both athletes will appear across YESLY's digital and social channels, retail activations, and brand events through 2027.
The endorsement strategy is consistent with how functional beverage brands in the natural and better-for-you segment are increasingly investing in endurance-sport athletes rather than team-sport celebrities, prioritizing authenticity with health-forward consumers over broad mass-market reach. For operators and retail buyers, athlete-driven brand equity in this category tends to support premium price-point defensibility at shelf.
Founded by former Essentia Water founder Ken Uptain and former Essentia CEO Scott Miller, YESLY is positioning itself within the growing functional hydration category as a cleaner alternative to high-caffeine energy drinks and sugar-laden sports drinks — a segment that continues to attract both emerging brands and major beverage conglomerates.
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.
