In an industry crowded with powders, pills, and capsules, one startup decided to take a different route.
Instead of packaging wellness in scoops or syringes, it turned it into something more playful — something sweet.
Related: Nostalgic candy makes a major move customers begged for
Its product doesn’t require mixing or measuring. You don’t need a shaker bottle, a full glass of water, or the tolerance for a chalky aftertaste.
💵💰Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet’s free daily newsletter💰💵
You just chew it.
That simple concept — transforming daily supplements into gummy bears—has helped this brand skyrocket to a $500 million valuation in just two years.
Grüns reached a $500 million valuation in just two years.
Image source: Grüns
How this gummy brand hit a $500M valuation
Grüns officially launched its products in August 2023. Now, less than two years later, it ships 4 million gummies a day and boasts annual recurring revenue in the nine-figure range.
In April, the company confirmed a $35 million funding round led by Headline, following a report in The Information that pegged its valuation at half a billion dollars.
Related: TikTok made this beloved beverage trendy, and supply can’t keep up
The green gummies — each serving packed with 60+ vitamins and minerals — sell for $59.99 to $65.99 for a 28-day supply. The company says its sweet, shareable format is key to why customers are sticking with it.
Grüns now sells in over 5,000 retail locations, including major deals with Sprouts, Target, and, most recently, Walmart. It’s also backed by a mix of traditional investors and celebrities, including Anna Kendrick and Shaun White, through its partnership with Plus Capital.
The company’s growth is drawing comparisons to other wellness hits like AG1 and Bloom Nutrition — but Grüns got to the shelves of national retailers faster than either of them.
Inside Grüns’ retail strategy and ambitious growth plans
Founder and CEO Chad Janis, a former investor at Summit Partners, got the idea while pursuing his MBA at Stanford. Frustrated with the ritual of drinking supplement powders each morning, he wanted to find a form that people would actually enjoy —and remember to take.
That idea turned into a year-long R&D sprint. His MBA classmates were the first guinea pigs, with over 25% of his class sampling prototypes before the official launch. Since then, the company has evolved its product five times based on direct customer feedback.
Taste, Janis says, is the feature most customers rave about — something rarely said about other supplements.
Grüns now has a variety of lines, including low-sugar, sugar-free, nootropics (“Nütrops”), and a kid-friendly version called “Grüns Cubs.” The brand also just became the “official foundational nutrition partner” of Gotham FC, a pro women’s soccer team. TV ads and further influencer campaigns are on the horizon.
As the company scales, Janis believes Grüns still has enormous room to grow—especially among the 40%+ of American households that haven’t yet tried general health or immunity supplements.
“[Grüns] means a lot of different things to different people,” he told Modern Retail. “One of the hardest parts is not siloing and ensuring we meet each of our consumers’ needs.”
For now, Grüns is proving that smart branding, savvy influencer marketing, and customer-centric iteration can power massive results, even in a saturated category. If it can maintain its momentum, Grüns could be one of the rare supplement brands that not only wins shelf space, but holds it.
With fresh capital, major retail partners, and growing cultural buzz, it’s positioned to become a long-term player in the $50 billion U.S. supplement market.
Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast
