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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A Camp-Themed Wedding at a Lakeside Venue in West Virginia That Took Over 900 Days to Plan
Kate and Victoria met at a restaurant in the San Francisco Bay area in April of 2017; Victoria was the managing minority owner at the time and Kate was a regular diner. Eventually, they hit it off and became a couple. Two years later, in 2019, the duo took a trip to the Greek Islands. There, Victoria proposed over breakfast at their cliffside Airbnb. Though they took some time to soak up the engagement, they couple was excited to start planning their wedding. The first detail they needed to work out? Where they'd tie the knot. "Having lived in so many places across the country, both individually and as a couple, we've built a community of friends and family spread far and wide. With that in mind, we wanted to choose a location that was accessible both financially and geographically, making it easy for everyone to join us," the brides explain. "We also wanted a neutral setting—somewhere that wasn't anyone's hometown—so we could all come together, fully present, for the entire celebration." In the end, they decided to host a three-day wedding weekend with a 'family camp' theme at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia. 'We wanted everything to feel warm, natural, and beautiful, with the landscape providing a breathtaking backdrop for the weekend,' Kate says. On June 15, 2024, Kate and Victoria were joined by 84 guests for a ceremony in the resort's formal gardens followed by a lakeside reception. 'It was important to us that both the ceremony and reception venues were outdoors, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the natural beauty of West Virginia,' Kate says. They worked with Samantha Leenheer of House of Joy for over 900 days to create an immersive celebration that encouraged their loved ones to connect—planning shifts meant that the wedding was rescheduled a few times, but the brides say Samantha's support and ideas was their guiding light. "I'm pretty sure we were her longest-running clients!" Kate laughs. Read on to see the thoughtful details of their day, including the Y-shaped aisle and mixed-texture table settings, in the photos by Leslie Rodriguez Photography. Related: Nature Preserves and Summer Camps That Double as Wedding Venues Kate and Victoria's wedding invitation suite by Isidore and Augustine contained a formal invite, RSVP card, and details enclosures that highlighted other events, accommodations, and transportation. Scalloped edges, floral-lined envelopes, and a custom wax seal helped to personalize the paper goods. As guests arrived for the weekend of events, they were offered welcome bags packed with a variety of different items. 'We created 'survival kit' welcome bags that included essentials like Advil, Liquid IV, maps, and even marshmallows for roasting, adding a playful nod to that original 'family camp' idea that started it all,' Kate says. The brides spent the morning getting ready with their wedding party, which included a mix of family members and close friends. Kate and Victoria wore matching white pajama sets with black piping and monogrammed initials, while the women of the wedding party wore pale blue pajamas and the men wore navy blue sets. Victoria wore a custom-designed ivory satin pantsuit by Teresa Eklund with Renee Grace Bridal, which featured a removable train—the style gave the bride-to-be the versatility she was looking for in her big-day fashion. 'I knew that I didn't want to wear a dress but wanted it to look like one,' she explains. The four piece look featured a plunging v-neck bodysuit with a standing-lapeled jacket with slit cuffs, sapphire buttons, and the removable train lined with sapphire satin. She accessorized with a pair of white kitten heels and Kate's late grandmother's necklace that matched the bracelet her bride-to-be chose to wear. On a busy wedding dress-shopping day, Kate finally tried on a charmeuse wedding dress with a scoop neckline and dramatic draped back by Justin Alexander and knew it was the one. Not only did she love the style, but she also felt the gown's monicker—which was the same as her maiden last name—was a fortuitous sign. She paired her gown with navy open-toed platform sandals to match her sapphire wedding rings, which served as her something blue. 'For my something old and something borrowed, I wore a vintage silver bracelet that belonged to my late grandmother and was passed down to my Aunt Marilyn,' Kate says. 'Victoria wore the matching necklace from my grandmother's collection, which now belongs to my mom, adding a meaningful touch to our day." Kate held a petite, organic arrangement of cream, mustard, and mauve flowers, including cosmos and zinnias, while Victoria held a white and cream bouquet of cosmos, roses, and greenery. Since both brides were heavily involved in planning the wedding, they wanted to set aside time for a special moment of surprise. 'Early on, we agreed to keep our dress shopping and design experiences a secret from each other, making our first look a fun and memorable moment to share,' Kate says. Their bridal party orchestrated their first look, driving them to the location, guiding them out of their cars and across the hillside. 'When we finally saw each other in our wedding dresses for the first time, there wasn't a dry eye in the group,' Victoria says. 'Everyone clapped, cried, and shared in the emotional moment, making it even more special for us.' The couple's wedding planner worked with the women in their wedding party to choose attire in a combination of different colors and prints to match the theme of the wedding. They held bouquets consisting of daisies, scabiosa, spray roses, blue thistle, and other textured blooms. The men in the wedding party wore navy blue suits with rust colored ties and pocket squares. The focal point of Kate and Victoria's ceremony was a deconstructed asymmetrical floral arch decorated with a collection of terracotta pots and plenty of textured florals. The arch was placed at the garden's entrance. Guests were dropped off by trolley and guided down a scenic garden path to the ceremony. 'Riding together, surrounded by laughter and conversation, felt like such a joyful and memorable way to bring everyone together before and after the festivities,' Kate says. The couple's wedding planner created a y-shaped aisle so that Kate and Victoria could walk down the aisle at the same time before joining each other in the middle and walking the rest of the aisle together. A four-string quartet played Coldplay's 'Fix You' as Kate walked down the aisle with her mom, Marie, and Victoria walked down the aisle with her dear friend, Phillip. The two exchanged personal vows, bringing tears to their guest's eyes. 'We both wrote our vows and had our ceremony officiated by one of our best friends, Nadia, which made it very personalized, intimate and authentic to who we are,' Victoria says. They happily recessed back up the aisle to Coldplay's 'Paradise." The couple partnered with Isidore and Augustine to create all their wedding-related paper, including the seating chart display. Three blue posters in white frames directed guests to their tables for dinner. The display was set on a table dressed in the same blue and white tablecloth that would soon be seen throughout the reception. A mix of different flowers in bud vases and candles at varying heights were the setup's perfect finishing touches. The string quartet continued to perform at the couple's cocktail hour, where they shifted to a more upbeat vibe with songs like Beyonce's 'Naughty Girl' and Madonna's 'Material Girl." 'For a touch of lighthearted fun, we even added 'Thong Song' by Sisqó,' Kate says. 'All of the songs were hand-selected by us, and for a few special tracks, we paid extra to have the quartet learn them just for the occasion.' The newlyweds served a lavender lemonade signature cocktail, which was made with butterfly pea tea, lavender syrup, and champagne in plastic champagne flutes customized with their names and wedding date. Kate and Victoria's reception took place beneath an elevated tent where guests took in views of the lake. To give the space a warmer, more inviting feeling, the tent's canopy and poles were covered with taupe draping. A mix of long rectangular tables and round tables were arranged throughout the space, then dressed with a variety of different tablecloths. 'Mixing the linens up in the tent made it more interesting for guests,' Kate says. 'We used a mix of a blue linen with a wave detail and then a blue with a leaf motif.' The table numbers matched the invitation envelope liners and the centerpiece arrangements included cream, mustard, mauve, and blue florals, including dahlias, ranunculus, and thistle, among others, with organic greenery in terracotta and stone pots. 'A favorite part of the reception design were the place settings,' Victoria says. 'Our designer found the perfect copper colored charger with these modern matte green and cream plates.' To prioritize the guest experience, a seating area featuring tan and rust couches and chairs on woven natural fiber rugs was set up during the reception. 'The lounge provided the perfect spot to watch the sunset and see the view,' Kate says. 'As the sun set, we wanted to keep with those quintessential summer bistro lights and brought those into the tent lighting.' The newlyweds shared their first dance to 'Groove Me' by King Floyd. Then, they played 'Brown Eyed Girl' by Van Morrison for a special parent-child dance. Guests enjoyed a dessert spread of brownies and lemon bars; sliders were served as late-night snacks. DJ Dayna Sol kept the dance floor packed by playing pop classics from the 80s before shifting to EDM tracks later in the evening. To couples currently planning weddings, Kate and Victoria recommend focusing on what matters to you as a couple and ignoring the latest trends or other people's expectations. 'Prioritize the moments and details that reflect who you are and bring you joy. And when things inevitably don't go exactly as planned—because they won't—find the humor in it," the say. "Those unplanned moments often turn into the best stories!'Wedding Photographer Leslie Rodriguez Photography Wedding Venue, Catering, Trolley, and Accommodations Oglebay Resort Planning and Design House of Joy Brides' Beauty Pretty Hair Salon Flowers Lemonwood Floral Invitations and Paper Products Isidore and Augustine Music Innocenti Strings, DJ Dayna Sol Rentals Lost and Found Rentals, All Occasions Party Rental, BBJ LaTavolaUp Next: Determining Your Wedding Priorities Is Essential—Here's How to Do Just That, According to 4 Expert Planners Read the original article on Brides
New York Post
26-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Keeping this body part healthy is the ‘secret sauce to everything' — here's the ‘ultimate biohack' to take care of it
Quit your bellyaching — one CEO promises that fixing a single part of your body is the 'secret sauce to everything' that ails you. There are countless high-end gadgets on the market that biohackers swear can optimize your body to live healthier for longer, but according to Katie Wilson, the 'ultimate biohack' is way cheaper — and tastier. And she has a bunch of celebrities on board, including Bethenny Frankel, Scott Disick, Taylor Frankie Paul, Caitlin Jenner and JoJo Siwa. 4 A CEO says the 'ultimate biohack' is getting enough fiber, which can impact your overall health. sorapop – Constipated? Bloated? Tired? Irritable? Look no further than your digestive system. 'Honestly, gut health is the secret sauce to everything,' Wilson, the CEO and co-founder of BelliWelli, told The Post. 'It's not just about digestion — your gut impacts your skin, your immune system, how energized you feel, even your mood. It's literally the foundation of total health, wellness, and even beauty.' Studies have even found links between the gut and Parkinson's, colon cancer, and other conditions, with doctors routinely recommending people get more fiber in their diets. That's because fiber doesn't just keep things moving down there — though it certainly does help keep bathroom habits regular. It can also help manage your weight, lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease, and just generally contribute to a longer life. 'You thought fiber was just something that cured constipation, but it's actually one of the most powerful tools we have for our long-term health,' Wilson explained. 4 'Honestly, gut health is the secret sauce to everything,' BelliWelli CEO Katie Wilson told The Post. BelliWelli 'There are many forgotten benefits of fiber. Fiber is a foundational nutrient that supports immunity, energy and mood, and it's even been linked to lowering the risk of heart disease, diabetes and even some cancers. 'Most people have no idea that fiber can play a key role in helping your body manage everything from blood sugar to stress.' She points to 'real science' that connects fiber to a longer, healthier life, calling it 'the ultimate biohack.' Her brand's fiber supplement powder comes in a bunch of flavors — including watermelon, strawberry lemonade and peach mango — and contains 3.5g of dietary fiber per serving. It's also combined with probiotics, collagen and electrolytes, making it an 'everything scoop' to double down on gut health, promote healthy skin and hair, and help with hydration. 4 While fiber can help keep things regular, it's also been linked to lower cancer risk and other health benefits. New Africa – 'We wanted to sneak in all of the good stuff you know you should be taking. It's like Liquid IV, Vital Proteins and Seed had a baby,' she said. Wilson had made it the brand's mission to bring 'a new generation to the fiber aisle' — in other words, they say, this isn't your grandma's fiber supplement. To that end, they've enlisted a lengthy roster of reality TV show and social media stars for viral videos on TikTok and Instagram. The packaging is also colorful and shiny: Wilson wants it to 'proudly sit next to your other beauty products' on your counter. 4 BelliWelli's fiber supplement powder comes in a bunch of flavors. It's also combined with probiotics, collagen and electrolytes BelliWelli And the key, she says, is not just to use it when you're backed up. 'We want you to scoop your fiber just like you do your protein — not just when you feel a digestive issue coming on,' she said, encouraging people to 'add scoops to your Stanley all day long.' In addition to a supplement, experts recommend adding more fiber to your diet. Speaking to The Post, Stephanie Schiff, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Northwell's Huntington Hospital, previously shared five food groups to choose. Whole grains — oatmeal, barley and bulgur wheat Beans, peas and legumes — black beans, navy beans, lentils and split peas Fruits — avocados, raspberries, blackberries, pears and apples Vegetables — broccoli, asparagus, artichokes and Brussels sprouts Nuts and seeds — chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and almonds
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How America's obsession with staying hydrated became a $1.5 billion business
Mike Keech, the CEO of Liquid I.V., thinks you have a problem that you might not even be aware of. 'A majority of consumers, Americans and people around the world are chronically dehydrated,' he told CNN. 'They just don't know it.' Even if consumers don't know if they're actually suffering from a lack of fluids, they're still buying electrolyte-filled products like they are. Liquid I.V. has become one of the biggest brands to capitalize on hydration, part of the overall 'better for you' wellness trend that's been percolating within the food and beverage industry over the past several years. Hydration, in particular, has been at the center of social media trends — like #WaterTok on TikTok — and buzzy viral products with analysts projecting it growing into a multibillion-dollar market in the next few years. 'The category has benefited from changing consumption patterns. It's no longer just about sports recovery, but about maintaining daily wellness, and managing hangovers,' Nate Rosen, a consumer packaged goods expert, told CNN. 'A lot of people simply don't like plain water and really treat these hydration drinks as a way to flavor their water.' Liquid I.V. launched in 2012, initially targeted toward hardcore athletes recovering from a tough workout. The flavored powder mix is marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar-filled sports drinks, with the potion containing salt, vitamins and electrolytes that support rapid hydration. 'The category has been really tired and dusty,' Keech said. 'Before, it was a sports person who was sponsored and the idea was, 'If it's good enough for them, then it's good enough for me.'' That was initially a successful proposition and sales soared, prompting Unilever to buy Liquid I.V. for an undisclosed price in 2020. Under Keech, who became CEO of Liquid I.V. following the acquisition, the brand and his team broadened its 'positioning it to a much wider audience,' shifting from just sports stars to 'the business person, the mom and the gym bunny.' From there, the brand's distribution doubled and the product has expanded the number of flavors, including a viral firecracker blend, as well as a new sugar-free selection. Liquid I.V. is on track to becoming a $1 billion unit with Unilever labeling it a 'power brand' in its most recent earnings report, which has helped its wellbeing category achieve double-digit sales growth. 'We recognized that hydration is just not for athletes,' Keech said. 'That's where lift-off happened.' Hydration has largely been dominated for years by liquids, notably Pedialyte, which is commonly used to prevent or treat dehydration in children. But the drink grew in popularity through the mid-2010s as young people used it as a hangover cure and athletes drank it for recovery. Then there's PepsiCo's Gatorade, which holds a commanding lead in the sports drink category, plus Mexico-based Electrolit, which is investing $400 million in a new US plant to meet growing demand. However, powders have recently become a 'success story,' according to Howard Telford, head of soft drinks for analytics company Euromonitor. 'The big thing is convenience: It's something that you can have on the kitchen counter, desk drawer at work or in the gym bag. There's no bulky purchase where you have to allocate space to it in your fridge,' he told CNN. 'The flavor profiles are also pretty good for Liquid I.V. as well, which is not nothing.' Keech also credits the convenience factor for Liquid I.V.'s growth, pointing toward festival-goers at Coachella, which it sponsors, as an example. 'You can't just rock out with all sorts of water bottles,' he said. 'That's helps us hydrate people in ways others can't.' Sales of powdered mixes has achieved double-digit sales growth for the past four consecutive years, most recently growing 20% in 2024, ballooning into a $1.5 billion category, according to Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. The growth has sparked new entrants for portable mixes ranging from Gatorade, who's sales of enhancers has grown 200% over the last four years, and Coca-Cola's BodyArmor to smaller startups like diet-friendly LMNT and the Novak Djokovic-backed Waterdrop — all in hopes of emulating market leader Liquid I.V.'s popularity. 'When one brand achieves significant traction in a space, numerous fast followers emerge, especially when the original doesn't own anything truly proprietary beyond a great name,' said Rosen, who writes the Express Checkout newsletter. 'After all, anyone can produce an electrolyte powder.' BodyArmor, which recently relaunched its entire line, has seen a bright spot in growth with its Flash I.V. hydration drinks and powders. Both products generated $120 million in sales in its first year. The space 'saw a big jump in consumption during Covid because people started to realize how important hydration was. There's also a very heightened sense for longevity as a well, immunity and also overall addition of vitamins into your body,' BodyArmor CEO Federico Muyshondt told CNN. Liquid I.V. is 'obsessed with science,' Keech said, adding that it spends a 'very significant amount of money on clinical studies to make sure that we can stand by the claims we make.' A page on Liquid I.V.'s website claims its product has 'superior hydration' compared to simply drinking water, proclaiming that if you're thirsty 'then you already may be dehydrated.' However, Heidi Skolnik, a senior sports nutritionist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, is skeptical that dehydration is a common problem for people with unrestricted water access and that people being 'chronically dehydrated is probably an overstatement.' 'Athletes and active people can benefit from using electrolyte powder and drinks,' she told CNN, but 'less active people probably do not need them.' Although water itself is sufficient for hydrating the average person, she said flavoring it 'helps people drink more, so that is a positive and it elevates their awareness of what and how much they are drinking.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNN
24-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
How America's obsession with staying hydrated became a $1.5 billion business
Mike Keech, the CEO of Liquid I.V., thinks you have a problem that you might not even be aware of. 'A majority of consumers, Americans and people around the world are chronically dehydrated,' he told CNN. 'They just don't know it.' Even if consumers don't know if they're actually suffering from a lack of fluids, they're still buying electrolyte-filled products like they are. Liquid I.V. has become one of the biggest brands to capitalize on hydration, part of the overall 'better for you' wellness trend that's been percolating within the food and beverage industry over the past several years. Hydration, in particular, has been at the center of social media trends — like #WaterTok on TikTok — and buzzy viral products with analysts projecting it growing into a multibillion-dollar market in the next few years. 'The category has benefited from changing consumption patterns. It's no longer just about sports recovery, but about maintaining daily wellness, and managing hangovers,' Nate Rosen, a consumer packaged goods expert, told CNN. 'A lot of people simply don't like plain water and really treat these hydration drinks as a way to flavor their water.' Liquid I.V. launched in 2012, initially targeted toward hardcore athletes recovering from a tough workout. The flavored powder mix is marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar-filled sports drinks, with the potion containing salt, vitamins and electrolytes that support rapid hydration. 'The category has been really tired and dusty,' Keech said. 'Before, it was a sports person who was sponsored and the idea was, 'If it's good enough for them, then it's good enough for me.'' That was initially a successful proposition and sales soared, prompting Unilever to buy Liquid I.V. for an undisclosed price in 2020. Under Keech, who became CEO of Liquid I.V. following the acquisition, the brand and his team broadened its 'positioning it to a much wider audience,' shifting from just sports stars to 'the business person, the mom and the gym bunny.' From there, the brand's distribution doubled and the product has expanded the number of flavors, including a viral firecracker blend, as well as a new sugar-free selection. Liquid I.V. is on track to becoming a $1 billion unit with Unilever labeling it a 'power brand' in its most recent earnings report, which has helped its wellbeing category achieve double-digit sales growth. 'We recognized that hydration is just not for athletes,' Keech said. 'That's where lift-off happened.' Hydration has largely been dominated for years by liquids, notably Pedialyte, which is commonly used to prevent or treat dehydration in children. But the drink grew in popularity through the mid-2010s as young people used it as a hangover cure and athletes drank it for recovery. Then there's PepsiCo's Gatorade, which holds a commanding lead in the sports drink category, plus Mexico-based Electrolit, which is investing $400 million in a new US plant to meet growing demand. However, powders have recently become a 'success story,' according to Howard Telford, head of soft drinks for analytics company Euromonitor. 'The big thing is convenience: It's something that you can have on the kitchen counter, desk drawer at work or in the gym bag. There's no bulky purchase where you have to allocate space to it in your fridge,' he told CNN. 'The flavor profiles are also pretty good for Liquid I.V. as well, which is not nothing.' Keech also credits the convenience factor for Liquid I.V.'s growth, pointing toward festival-goers at Coachella, which it sponsors, as an example. 'You can't just rock out with all sorts of water bottles,' he said. 'That's helps us hydrate people in ways others can't.' Sales of powdered mixes has achieved double-digit sales growth for the past four consecutive years, most recently growing 20% in 2024, ballooning into a $1.5 billion category, according to Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. The growth has sparked new entrants for portable mixes ranging from Gatorade, who's sales of enhancers has grown 200% over the last four years, and Coca-Cola's BodyArmor to smaller startups like diet-friendly LMNT and the Novak Djokovic-backed Waterdrop — all in hopes of emulating market leader Liquid I.V.'s popularity. 'When one brand achieves significant traction in a space, numerous fast followers emerge, especially when the original doesn't own anything truly proprietary beyond a great name,' said Rosen, who writes the Express Checkout newsletter. 'After all, anyone can produce an electrolyte powder.' BodyArmor, which recently relaunched its entire line, has seen a bright spot in growth with its Flash I.V. hydration drinks and powders. Both products generated $120 million in sales in its first year. The space 'saw a big jump in consumption during Covid because people started to realize how important hydration was. There's also a very heightened sense for longevity as a well, immunity and also overall addition of vitamins into your body,' BodyArmor CEO Federico Muyshondt told CNN. Liquid I.V. is 'obsessed with science,' Keech said, adding that it spends a 'very significant amount of money on clinical studies to make sure that we can stand by the claims we make.' A page on Liquid I.V.'s website claims its product has 'superior hydration' compared to simply drinking water, proclaiming that if you're thirsty 'then you already may be dehydrated.' However, Heidi Skolnik, a senior sports nutritionist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, is skeptical that dehydration is a common problem for people with unrestricted water access and that people being 'chronically dehydrated is probably an overstatement.' 'Athletes and active people can benefit from using electrolyte powder and drinks,' she told CNN, but 'less active people probably do not need them.' Although water itself is sufficient for hydrating the average person, she said flavoring it 'helps people drink more, so that is a positive and it elevates their awareness of what and how much they are drinking.'
CNN
24-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
How America's obsession with staying hydrated became a $1.5 billion business
Mike Keech, the CEO of Liquid I.V., thinks you have a problem that you might not even be aware of. 'A majority of consumers, Americans and people around the world are chronically dehydrated,' he told CNN. 'They just don't know it.' Even if consumers don't know if they're actually suffering from a lack of fluids, they're still buying electrolyte-filled products like they are. Liquid I.V. has become one of the biggest brands to capitalize on hydration, part of the overall 'better for you' wellness trend that's been percolating within the food and beverage industry over the past several years. Hydration, in particular, has been at the center of social media trends — like #WaterTok on TikTok — and buzzy viral products with analysts projecting it growing into a multibillion-dollar market in the next few years. 'The category has benefited from changing consumption patterns. It's no longer just about sports recovery, but about maintaining daily wellness, and managing hangovers,' Nate Rosen, a consumer packaged goods expert, told CNN. 'A lot of people simply don't like plain water and really treat these hydration drinks as a way to flavor their water.' Liquid I.V. launched in 2012, initially targeted toward hardcore athletes recovering from a tough workout. The flavored powder mix is marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar-filled sports drinks, with the potion containing salt, vitamins and electrolytes that support rapid hydration. 'The category has been really tired and dusty,' Keech said. 'Before, it was a sports person who was sponsored and the idea was, 'If it's good enough for them, then it's good enough for me.'' That was initially a successful proposition and sales soared, prompting Unilever to buy Liquid I.V. for an undisclosed price in 2020. Under Keech, who became CEO of Liquid I.V. following the acquisition, the brand and his team broadened its 'positioning it to a much wider audience,' shifting from just sports stars to 'the business person, the mom and the gym bunny.' From there, the brand's distribution doubled and the product has expanded the number of flavors, including a viral firecracker blend, as well as a new sugar-free selection. Liquid I.V. is on track to becoming a $1 billion unit with Unilever labeling it a 'power brand' in its most recent earnings report, which has helped its wellbeing category achieve double-digit sales growth. 'We recognized that hydration is just not for athletes,' Keech said. 'That's where lift-off happened.' Hydration has largely been dominated for years by liquids, notably Pedialyte, which is commonly used to prevent or treat dehydration in children. But the drink grew in popularity through the mid-2010s as young people used it as a hangover cure and athletes drank it for recovery. Then there's PepsiCo's Gatorade, which holds a commanding lead in the sports drink category, plus Mexico-based Electrolit, which is investing $400 million in a new US plant to meet growing demand. However, powders have recently become a 'success story,' according to Howard Telford, head of soft drinks for analytics company Euromonitor. 'The big thing is convenience: It's something that you can have on the kitchen counter, desk drawer at work or in the gym bag. There's no bulky purchase where you have to allocate space to it in your fridge,' he told CNN. 'The flavor profiles are also pretty good for Liquid I.V. as well, which is not nothing.' Keech also credits the convenience factor for Liquid I.V.'s growth, pointing toward festival-goers at Coachella, which it sponsors, as an example. 'You can't just rock out with all sorts of water bottles,' he said. 'That's helps us hydrate people in ways others can't.' Sales of powdered mixes has achieved double-digit sales growth for the past four consecutive years, most recently growing 20% in 2024, ballooning into a $1.5 billion category, according to Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. The growth has sparked new entrants for portable mixes ranging from Gatorade, who's sales of enhancers has grown 200% over the last four years, and Coca-Cola's BodyArmor to smaller startups like diet-friendly LMNT and the Novak Djokovic-backed Waterdrop — all in hopes of emulating market leader Liquid I.V.'s popularity. 'When one brand achieves significant traction in a space, numerous fast followers emerge, especially when the original doesn't own anything truly proprietary beyond a great name,' said Rosen, who writes the Express Checkout newsletter. 'After all, anyone can produce an electrolyte powder.' BodyArmor, which recently relaunched its entire line, has seen a bright spot in growth with its Flash I.V. hydration drinks and powders. Both products generated $120 million in sales in its first year. The space 'saw a big jump in consumption during Covid because people started to realize how important hydration was. There's also a very heightened sense for longevity as a well, immunity and also overall addition of vitamins into your body,' BodyArmor CEO Federico Muyshondt told CNN. Liquid I.V. is 'obsessed with science,' Keech said, adding that it spends a 'very significant amount of money on clinical studies to make sure that we can stand by the claims we make.' A page on Liquid I.V.'s website claims its product has 'superior hydration' compared to simply drinking water, proclaiming that if you're thirsty 'then you already may be dehydrated.' However, Heidi Skolnik, a senior sports nutritionist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, is skeptical that dehydration is a common problem for people with unrestricted water access and that people being 'chronically dehydrated is probably an overstatement.' 'Athletes and active people can benefit from using electrolyte powder and drinks,' she told CNN, but 'less active people probably do not need them.' Although water itself is sufficient for hydrating the average person, she said flavoring it 'helps people drink more, so that is a positive and it elevates their awareness of what and how much they are drinking.'
