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Fast Company
8 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
This pouch could be the Zyn of caffeine
There's a new energy brand on the market, and it's betting that the next frontier in caffeine isn't coffee, soda, or any other drink, for that matter. It's the pouch. Wip is a caffeine pouch, available in 100-milligram and 200-milligram strengths, that's designed to be popped between your lip and gum to provide a quick dose of what it describes as 'natural caffeine.' The pouches come in candy-like flavors, including mint, sour cherry, orange citrus, and strawberry kiwi, all packaged in a brightly colored, hockey-puck-size container. If any of that sounds familiar, that's probably because, at least in form factor, it's pretty similar to the nicotine pouch brand Zyn, which exploded in popularity after gaining traction on TikTok, primarily among young users. Meanwhile, over the past few years, the caffeine market has also been buzzing with a similar demographic. Energy drinks have gone mainstream, appearing on menus at Starbucks, Dunkin', and Dutch Bros. Older brands like Jolt Cola and Rockstar have gotten supercharged facelifts, while the newcomer Alani Nu notched more than a billion dollars in sales in just one year. Wip is betting on the idea that if consumers are gravitating toward a pouch for their nicotine boost, it might be a major new unlock for the caffeine industry, too. The idea for Wip was conceived by David Cynamon, a Canadian entrepreneur who is now the brand's chairman and a major stakeholder. According to Wip CEO Richard Mumby, Cynamon 'understood the ubiquity of pouches in other form factors, mainly in nicotine,' and recognized an opportunity to expand the consumer category into caffeine. The brand debuted last summer under the name LF*GO! (alongside a marketing partnership with Mike Tyson), a move that Mumby describes as more of a market test than an official launch. 'In four months, they got really meaningful traction and realized they needed to bring in the right team to realize the full opportunity of creating an altogether new category for energy and caffeine,' he says. Mumby stepped in as CEO last October. Given the inspiration that Wip is pulling from the nicotine industry, Mumby's previous experience makes sense for this new role: From 2014 to 2017, he served as CMO for Pax Labs, the umbrella company for Juul and Pax vapes. In less than a year, Mumby's team at Wip worked to create an entirely fresh identity for the brand before it hit the market in early June. The new branding takes a page out of Red Bull's iconic playbook, positioning the product as a tool for athletes—and, like Zyn, also a cool accessory. Is the pouch the new energy drink? From an outside perspective, it's easy to see why consumers might choose a nicotine pouch over a cigarette: You can pop one on the go, it has no odor, and, more recently, has become a kind of status-signaling habit among its young male target audience. It's less clear why one might abandon their daily cup of coffee in favor of a caffeine pouch. Mumby's pitch for creating this new consumption category comes down to what he calls 'the three Cs': confidence, convenience, and cost. He argues that consumers want to have confidence in the quality of their caffeine (a need that Wip purports to meet by deriving its caffeine from green coffee beans); they want the convenience of a hands-free caffeine option; and they want a cheaper caffeine fix (a 15-pouch pack costs about $8, or about 60 cents per serving). 'For an emerging brand or category, sometimes you have to go to the periphery to find these unmet needs,' Mumby says. 'But in caffeine, they're really at the heart of the product.' Branding the caffeine pouch To get the public on board with this novel form of caffeine intake, Mumby says he had a few main goals with the new branding. First, he needed to clearly articulate what caffeine pouches actually are, and establish a brand name that consumers could easily remember. He also needed a high-energy look to compete in an already saturated category. In collaboration with the branding agency Studio George, his team checked the first box with 'Wip,' a name designed to be short, zingy, and catchy. 'You can't will consumers to do it, but I wouldn't be disappointed if I heard somebody walk into a bodega and say, 'Do you have any mint Wips,' or refer to having to 'Wip' their way through a workout,' Mumby says. For the wordmark, Studio George opted for a forward-leaning, slanted bold font with jagged edges, meant to convey a sense of momentum. The packaging features flavor-signaling neon colors, metallic silver, and pops of energetic yellow, clearly evoking the world of sports branding. Mumby imagines Wip as a product that could see mass adoption, but it's specifically marketed as a companion for athletes and others whose pastimes involve using their hands. Someone headed to the gym, for example, might prefer a Wip over the 'cumbersome' proposition of packing energy drinks in their bag, Mumby explains. 'Also, a cup of coffee on a construction site is hard to put down and not have dust get into it,' he says. 'If you work with both of your hands, you need dexterity. The form factor just lends itself to some obvious solutions.' On first glance, Wip does look strikingly like a nicotine product, especially given its rounded packaging and hardcore aesthetic. Mumby says the brand's main strategy to ensure consumers don't get confused is to incorporate clear signals at the point of sale, including by labeling the pouches as 'clean caffeine' on display units. Currently, Wip is available online, on Amazon, at convenience stores in Florida and Arizona, and at some smaller athletic stores across the country. I Wip my way through this article Before writing this story, I gave Wip a try for the first time—specifically, the 100-milligram mint flavor. While I've never tried a Zyn, and therefore can't compare the two, this experience was akin to sucking on an abnormally sweet Altoid, or maybe a less-powerful Listerine strip. It wasn't unpleasant (and it did prevent the onset of a morning caffeine headache), but it also wasn't my personal favorite way to consume caffeine. Still, I could see how the form factor might be convenient as a pre-workout boost or a pick-me-up on the job. My main concern with Wip, actually, is how easy it is to consume. One of the 200-milligram pouches is equivalent to about two cups of coffee. A standard 8.4-ounce Red Bull contains just 80 milligrams of caffeine. Pop two max-strength Wips, and you've just hit the maximum amount of caffeine that the Mayo Clinic defines as safe for the average adult, likely in significantly less time than it would require to chug five Red Bulls. When asked about Wip's safety, Mumby says the brand's website and social media sets out clear guidelines on safe caffeine consumption, including the 400-milligram limit. It's worth noting, however, that there's no such information on the package itself. While I didn't experience any adverse effects from my 100-milligram Wip, I'm not sure I want to know what it might feel like to mindlessly have one too many. For now, I'm sticking with coffee. The extended deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is this Friday, June 27, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Associated Press
03-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Wip Debuts Energy Pouches, Pioneering a New Era in the $120B Caffeine Industry
Formulated to deliver the fuel that life demands, Wip is redefining the industry by offering energy pouches with premium, straightforward ingredients that support physical and mental performance NEW YORK, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wip, an innovative energy brand, is launching a category-defining product that reimagines how caffeine is consumed. By pairing the ubiquity and convenience of the oral pouch format with a modern formulation of natural caffeine and premium, straightforward ingredients, Wip aims not just to disrupt—but to redefine the $120 billion U.S. caffeine category. Despite being one of the most widely consumed substances globally, the caffeine industry has not seen meaningful innovation to meet the evolving needs of today's consumers since the introduction of modern energy drinks over 40 years ago. Modern consumers seek ingredients they can trust, more convenient formats, and better value for their money. The oral pouch format has quickly become a trusted, go-to method for functional delivery—and caffeine is no exception. In a broad national survey, nearly 50% of U.S. adults aged 18–40 said they're interested in getting energy through pouches. However, until now, no brand has brought a truly compelling caffeine pouch to market on a large scale. To meet the increasing wellness standards that consumers seek, Wip offers a revolutionary energy pouch with natural caffeine and vitamins & minerals that support physical and mental performance† without the sugar crash. Unlike bulky drinks or messy coffee, Wip fits into your life—tucks in your pocket, travels light in your gym bag, and stays ready in your car for the long haul. With a suggested MSRP of $5.99 per can (10 pouches) or just $0.60 per serving, Wip offers a value that far undercuts traditional energy drinks and coffeehouse coffee, which average approximately $4.00 per serving for similar caffeine content. 'In a category this large, it's rare to see three clear, material unmet consumer needs - natural caffeine, convenience, and cost-effectiveness—but that's exactly what we're offering with Wip,' said Richard Mumby, CEO of Wip. 'We're not just introducing a new product - we're creating an entirely new behavior within the category. Wip is built to power the moments when people defy limits and push forward.' Wip pouches are available in four bold flavors, Orange Tangerine, Mint, Sour Cherry, and Strawberry Kiwi, and in 100mg and 200mg caffeine strengths. The pouches are zero sugar and zero calories, and are formulated with: Wip is now available across national retail locations, including distribution across top-performing convenience store chains and category-defining specialty retailers in skate, surf, endurance, and lifestyle channels. Wip is available at on and via Uber Eats and other delivery platforms in select markets. Wip is redefining how energy comes to life and how it sells in convenience stores. With a pouch format that requires no refrigeration, Wip unlocks entirely new merchandising possibilities across the store. The brand's custom displays are engineered to live beyond the cooler – appearing at checkout counters, clipped to shelves, suctioned directly onto cooler doors, and featured on striking, attention-grabbing floor displays. This flexibility allows Wip to capture shoppers' attention at every turn, driving impulse purchases that traditional energy drinks simply cannot. As part of its launch, the Wip is partnering with well-known athletes and influencers across skateboarding, surfing, and endurance sports. The brand will activate across parks, surf breaks, running routes, and specialty retailers, connecting directly with consumers where they live, train, and create. 'We're redefining traditional marketing by embedding ourselves in the communities we know—skate, surf, and endurance—through real relationships, grassroots activations, and strategic sampling at iconic spots,' said Will Campbell, Vice President, Sales - Endemic and Culture. 'We're skipping traditional media in favor of a digital-first approach, an open ambassador program, and hands-on trial to drive organic growth. You'll find us in the specialty retailers—from leading action sports shops and top-tier gyms to elite creator hubs and influential lifestyle retailers—and in convenience stores, where nearly half of energy drink consumers make their purchases. We're fueling real people with real energy, wherever they chase their moments of greatness.' Wip CEO Richard Mumby, who has a highly successful track record launching and building high-growth consumer-facing businesses, has built out a team of deeply experienced operators in the space, including Will Campbell, who previously led strategy for Converse's Skate Lifestyle channel, and Nora Minno, Director, Nutrition, Regulatory and Product Communications at Wip and a Registered Dietitian who previously led National Product Communications at Red Bull, and Mike Sweeney, SVP, Head of Sales at Wip who previously served as SVP of Sales at Bang Energy and Director of Key Accounts at Redbull. While caffeine pouches currently on the market fall short of delivering an enjoyable experience due to using bitter coffee grounds or synthetic caffeine, Wip offers bold flavors and superior, proprietary formulations with high-quality, natural caffeine crafted for modern energy seekers. Consumers can purchase Wip online at and on Amazon, in select markets, and on Uber Eats and other on-demand delivery platforms. To find where you can buy Wip locally, visit † These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease Wip does not market to children/adolescents (anyone 18 years of age) because its product is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. Wip is not intended for people who are caffeine sensitive, or women who are pregnant or nursing. Wip does not promote consumption of Wip for any purpose for which they are not intended or in contravention of their instructions for use or warning. For additional safety information, please visit ABOUT WIP Wip is a bold, new brand reimagining how energy is consumed. Wip delivers natural caffeine in a revolutionary oral pouch format, redefining the $120B caffeine industry. To learn more about Wip and join the community, visit and follow the brand on Instagram and TikTok. CONTACT Wip PR [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Wip
