Post by SKU

The functional beverage category has moved from niche to mainstream, and it’s not slowing down. The U.S. market for functional beverages is estimated at $50 billion, with double-digit growth. And while functional iced teas are still a smaller slice, they’re gaining momentum quickly and shaping up to be one of the most exciting emerging subsegments. That's where SKU Spring '26 brand OOSO Sparkling Tea is making its mark. Founded by Oliver Spring and Sophia Racciatti Spring, OOSO is is a sparkling, sophisticated beverage for people who want flavor, balance and function in every sip. Each can is brewed with fermented and organic teas and powered by L-theanine, vitamin B12, and vitamin C, with no artificial ingredients and no fake sugars. - just honey and functional ingredients that help you feel centered, focused and balanced. OOSO is part of a new wave in NA culture - one that’s less about replacing alcohol and more about enhancing the moment. People aren’t looking for restrictions; they’re looking for elevation. They want drinks that support mood, clarity, wellbeing and creativity, all while looking as good as they taste. OOSO is earning major industry recognition, including the overall winner of BevNET CPG Media's 2024 Awards for Best New Product + Best Packaging Design and a 2025 Startup CPG Shelfie Award in the functional / NA beverage category. The Springs are surrounded by a mentor team that brings deep, cross-functional expertise across marketing, operations, finance and beverage innovation: - Perri Gordon (Lead Mentor): Fractional CMO and industry veteran who helped scale fairlife from its scrappy early days to a $1B+ business and eventual acquisition by The Coca-Cola Company. - Gianna De Caro: Marketing leader with experience at Kellogg Company's (including Kashi Company and RXBAR); also helped bring Teavana into retail Brandon Galindo – Managing Director & Head of Emerging Brands at NielsenIQ, bringing critical data and market intelligence. - Heather F. Harper: Founder of Cultivate Counsel, Inc. and former General Counsel at Simple Mills, guiding legal and strategic growth. - Rebecca Collins: CPG HR expert and founder of RC People Advisory, supporting talent and organizational development. - Olivier Arizzi: Operations leader and Senior Consultant at ESSIRI Labs, specializing in scaling emerging brands - Patrick Muldoon: President & COO at Customer Marketing Group, Inc., who has worked at a wide range of CPG brands and helped grow Zola Beverages from 10 to 3,000 retail doors. - James Austin: Finance expert and Associate Partner at Genpact, supporting financial modeling and discipline. - Jaymini Harper: Beverage technologist at Vibrant Ingredients, bringing deep expertise in tea extract development and formulation. Beau B. Adrien Petersen Heather Buffo Julie Fabricant #cpgaccelerator #accelerator #cpg #founders #mentors #functionalbeverages #beverageinnovation #emergingbrands #startups #cpgstartups #mentors