Why Energy Doesn’t Have to Mean Caffeine: Meet OSIA’s Caffeine-Free Energy Drinks

In this Founder Feature, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Isabella Hoag, founder and CEO of OSIA, a caffeine-free energy drink made with real fruit, no natural flavors, and a functional blend of ingredients, to talk about building a brand through feedback, bold pivots, and heart.

Isabella came from the design world and fell into beverages after a health journey in 2022 sent her reading labels and searching for products without fillers or natural flavors. She started making drinks in her kitchen, then launched OSIA before manufacturing, selling at around 500 pop-up events in eight months and reinvesting what she made after starting with just $50. Her first line was a set of four “mood” beverages, and customer, retailer, and distributor feedback has now led her to a single caffeine-free energy drink and a full rebrand.

Caitlin and Isabella dig into why finding a manufacturer for a no-natural-flavors product hasn’t been the obstacle many expect, why OSIA uses juice concentrate, how the functional blend works, what she learned from early pricing and flavor missteps, and how her design background shaped the new can. They also cover the story behind the name OSIA, her pitch to retailers, and why she believes the best advice for any founder is to just put it out there.

Listen in as they discuss:

• How a design background and a 2022 health journey led Isabella to start making drinks in her kitchen
• How OSIA launched before manufacturing, with around 500 events in eight months and a $50 start
• Why OSIA is moving from four mood beverages to a single caffeine-free energy drink
• Why Isabella says finding a manufacturer for a product with no natural flavors hasn’t been an issue
• Why OSIA uses juice concentrate, and how to formulate a drink that tastes real without being overly sweet
• The functional blend of rhodiola, L-theanine, magnesium malate, vitamin B6, and taurine, and how Isabella explains the difference between stimulating energy and blocking tiredness
• What retailer, distributor, and customer feedback taught her about pricing, sweetness, and flavor balance
• How the can design drew inspiration from perfume, skincare, and fashion, and why she added callouts and a warm metallic palette
• The story behind the name OSIA and its connection to ambrosia, the nectar of the gods
• Why Isabella is raising her first round, and what she tells retailers about in-store tastings

Join the OSIA waitlist: Sign up at drinkosia.com for a special gift and perks at launch.

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Episode Links:

• Isabella Hoag LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/isabellahoag
• OSIA LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/drinkosia
• OSIA Website: drinkosia.com
• OSIA Instagram: @drinkosia
• Investors interested in OSIA’s first round can contact Isabella directly (reach out to [email protected] for an intro)

Don’t forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

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• Visit host Caitlin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinbricker/
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics