New SKU, New Category
Yesly Water is stepping outside its core hydration lane with the launch of Sparkling Protein Water, a clear, lightly carbonated ready-to-drink product packing 20 grams of whey and collagen protein, zero sugar, and 100 calories per 12 oz. can. The move marks the Coconut Grove, Fla.-based brand's first entry into the protein beverage segment — one of the fastest-growing sub-categories in functional NAB — and positions it squarely against incumbent protein shake formats that have long dominated health-channel cooler sets.
The five-SKU lineup — Kiwi Strawberry, Watermelon, Pomegranate Acai Blueberry, Berries & Cream, and Shirley Temple — debuts exclusively at approximately 500 Sprouts Farmers Market doors nationwide. That scale of an exclusive launch gives Yesly immediate national off-premise reach through one of the most productive natural-channel retailers in the country, without fragmenting early shipments across a broader wholesale footprint. Following the November retail debut, the brand will layer in DTC e-commerce distribution via Amazon and TikTok Shop beginning January 2027, extending its route-to-market beyond the brick-and-mortar health channel.
Channel Strategy and Competitive Context
The Sprouts exclusivity play is a deliberate sequencing move. Natural and specialty grocery has historically served as the proving ground for functional RTD launches — it concentrates depletions among a high-intent, health-focused shopper before a brand pushes into conventional grocery or club. For Yesly, landing 500 doors at once compresses the trial phase and gives the brand actionable velocity data ahead of any broader wholesaler conversations. The subsequent pivot to Amazon and TikTok Shop reflects the growing importance of social commerce as a parallel off-premise channel, particularly for functional beverages targeting active-lifestyle consumers under 40.
The protein water segment has seen intensifying competition from established sports-nutrition players and emerging functional water brands alike. Yesly's clear-liquid, non-milky format differentiates from opaque shake formats and aligns with a documented shopper shift toward lighter-texture protein delivery. At 20 grams per can, the product sits at the upper end of the RTD protein water category's current range, which should support planogram placement in both the sports nutrition and functional beverage bays at retail.
Athlete Partnerships Fuel 2027 Activation
To anchor the launch commercially, Yesly is adding NCAA champion and 2:04 marathoner Charles Hicks to its athlete roster alongside returning partner Emma Bates, an elite American marathoner. Both athletes will appear across digital and social channels, retail initiatives, and brand activations through 2027. Scott Miller, Co-Founder and CEO of Yesly, framed the partnerships around shared values of consistency and endurance rather than pure performance metrics — a positioning choice that broadens appeal beyond competitive runners to everyday active consumers.
The running-community strategy gives Yesly a credible earned-media engine tied to major marathon events and endurance culture, a space where functional hydration and protein recovery products have demonstrated strong on-site sampling conversion. For distributors evaluating the line, athlete-driven brand awareness at scale reduces the sell-through risk typically associated with new-format launches in the natural channel. The brand's functional platform — electrolytes, essential vitamins, and zero sugar across its broader product ecosystem — also creates cross-merchandising opportunities with its existing water SKUs for wholesalers already carrying the line.
Founded by Ken Uptain and Scott Miller, both alumni of Essentia Water, Yesly brings category-building pedigree to the protein water entry. That operational background — from manufacturing scale to retailer negotiation — matters as the brand prepares to defend shelf space and drive depletions through what will be a critical first selling season. Coverage of the broader functional water and protein RTD segments can be found in our /non-alcoholic-beverages/functional-water section, and for more on natural-channel retail strategy, see our /distribution/natural-channel-route-to-market coverage.
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.
