Meet Bobby: A sustainable, low-sugar soft drink alternative. Today I’m chatting to its founder, Kristian Johannsen. He operates in what is called the “functional beverage” industry (aka drinks with health benefits), tipped to be worth over $1b by 2027.

The soft drink alternative gives consumers the familiar feeling of having a Coke, Fanta or Solo, without the guilt of it being a bad-for-you drink. Kristian saw a trend in the US for “better for you” soft drinks that are low in sugar and filled with prebiotics and wanted to bring it over to Australia.

Simultaneously, there was the kombucha “boom,” and it was clear Australians were going to be interested in a healthier drink alternative. Something he heavily focused on was the flavour - he wanted the drink he created to taste great, not “healthy.”

We chat a lot about what it’s like operating a business in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) space. He shares his experience and key learnings when it comes to asking investors for money, as well as his exit goal of one day being bought out (“by Coca Cola, hopefully”).

And he’s definitely on track to making Bobby an Australian FMCG success story. Before even having enough cash to build the stock for his first order, Kristian already made a deal to get Bobby stocked in 7-Eleven stores nationwide. Then, less than a year after launching his business, he also landed a deal with Coles. Today, sales are booming month after month, and interest is growing at a fast pace. You’ll learn a lot from the insights Kristian shares, so let’s get into the show.

Find Bobby on Instagram and TikTok

Shop Bobby: www.drinkbobby.com

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