Culture Pop

By the time Massachusetts-based Culture Pop emerged on the scene, the next-gen CSD movement was already well underway, thanks to the work of OLIPOP (a 2022 Rising Star winner), this year's fellow honoree Poppi, and a slew of kombucha spinoffs. 

But despite the frantic fight for space on the new frontiers of soda, Culture Pop has managed to hurdle much of the competition by taking a patient, simple approach, starting with liquid that eschews use of sweeteners or leaning into classic soda flavors in favor of adding a touch of juice and embracing botanical-fruit fusions (the latest being Black Cherry). After establishing itself in its Northeast backyard with key distribution allies like Big Geyser and Polar, national expansion picked up pace this year with a move into seven Whole Foods divisions and a growing cohort of regional DSD partners, all of which has been supported by its first formal marketing campaign (dubbed "Good For You, Soda"). Under the steady hand of beverage veteran Tom First, Culture Pop has found a cadence for scaling that bodes well for its long-term health and prospects. In other words, the bubble on this Pop is far from burst.