Episode 95: Pouring Purpose Into Every Bottle

In this episode of Marketing Moves, we chat with Jarred Smith, co-founder of Nooma, the clean sports drink brand redefining hydration. Founded in 2014, Nooma set out to create a better-for-you alternative to traditional sports drinks, made with organic, plant-based ingredients and no added sugar. Jarred shares how the brand evolved from retail shelves to a thriving direct-to-consumer model, built around community, education, and sustainability. We also explore Nooma’s commitment to eco-friendly packaging and its vision for the future of functional beverages.

In a world overflowing with neon-colored sports drinks packed with sugar and artificial ingredients, Nooma is changing what it means to hydrate. Founded by brothers Jarred and Brandon Smith, both former hockey players, Nooma set out to create a cleaner, more functional alternative that athletes and everyday wellness enthusiasts could trust.

In this episode of Marketing Moves, host Ashtyn Morris sits down with Jarred Smith to discuss the brand’s evolution, its unwavering commitment to clean ingredients, and the marketing strategies fueling its growth.

Nooma’s origin story begins on the ice. As a college athlete, Jarred was excited to receive free sports drinks, until they started causing acid reflux and discomfort. “We were competing at the highest levels, and the products just didn’t make sense,” he recalls. What started as an annoyance became an insight that would later spark a business idea.

After a Wall Street internship convinced him finance wasn’t his path, Jarred began working on a class project to formulate a cleaner, less acidic sports drink. Soon, his brother joined the mission, trading GMAT prep for product development. Their “hockey house lab” became ground zero for early Nooma experiments, plastic bags of powder samples and all.

By 2014, Nooma officially launched, transforming a simple need into a full-fledged business.

True to its name, Nooma stands for “No More Artificials." The brand’s mission was clear from day one:

• No artificial ingredients

• Functional formulations that actually work

• Zero added sugar

These non-negotiables weren’t just a health choice, they were a mindset. “It’s about doing things the right way and not cutting corners,” Jarred explains. “That probably comes from our athletic background—if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right.”

The result? A premium lineup of functional beverages designed to fuel performance and wellness alike.

Nooma’s portfolio now includes sports drinks, energy drinks, electrolyte mixes, and wellness sodas, all built around three pillars: organic and plant-based ingredients, high functionality, and no added sugar.

Their sports drink, made with coconut water and Himalayan pink salt, focuses on optimal rehydration. The energy drink swaps synthetic caffeine for green coffee bean extract and adds nootropics and adaptogens for sustained focus. And their wellness soda delivers antioxidants, turmeric, tart cherry, and 100% of your daily vitamin C and zinc.

And while the clean label is impressive, what surprises many is the flavor. The brand’s best-seller? Chocolate Mint. Initially dismissed as too unusual, it quickly became a fan favorite once customers tried it. “It’s our stickiest product,” Jarred laughs. “People are afraid to try it—but once they do, they’re hooked.”

Clean ingredients come at a cost, and Nooma doesn’t shy away from that conversation. “You can buy something twice as big for half the price,” Jarred admits. “Our job is to communicate the value of what we’re bringing.”

That value extends beyond nutrition to sustainability. Nooma uses eco-friendly packaging, Tetra Pak cartons with plant-based caps and recyclable aluminum cans, to minimize environmental impact. “It would be cheaper to be in plastic,” Jarred says, “but that’s not negotiable for us.”

Nooma’s journey hasn’t been without lessons. The brand launched through retail and quickly expanded into thousands of stores nationwide, but the growth came faster than the team could support. “It was a classic case of growing too fast, too soon,” Jarred admits.

Eight years later, Nooma shifted its focus to a direct-to-consumer model, emphasizing its website, Amazon, and subscription programs. This transition allowed for better margins, stronger community engagement, and a healthier business overall.

Today, most customers discover Nooma online, often through influencers or wellness communities, but Jarred says their best customers still find them in gyms, yoga studios, and local shops. “That’s where we see our most loyal fans,” he explains.

In a crowded CPG space, Nooma’s marketing strategy centers on education and authenticity. “We’re not just looking for clicks,” Jarred says. “We want informed customers who understand the product—and that leads to loyalty.”

The brand takes a full-funnel approach, combining influencer partnerships, paid media, email flows, and conversion-optimized landing pages. They focus heavily on Meta ads (Facebook and Instagram) for awareness and conversion, but avoid overspending on branded search ads. “If someone’s already searching for Nooma, they’ll find us,” Jarred notes.

Influencer partnerships play a major role, but Nooma prioritizes genuine alignment over reach. “We don’t work with people who don’t love the product,” he says. “Consumers can tell when it’s not authentic.”

The team uses personalized email and SMS segmentation to educate customers based on their interests and purchases, creating a seamless experience from first click to repeat order.

Nooma’s sleek packaging and vibrant color palette are instantly recognizable, and intentionally so. “Healthy products used to look dull,” Jarred says. “We wanted our branding to feel fresh, fun, and premium.”

The packaging not only stands out but also supports taste perception. “You’re tasting with your eyes,” he adds. “If something looks like it’s going to taste good, it probably will.”

That balance between design, function, and message creates an experience that customers trust.

As consumers grow more ingredient-conscious, the functional beverage space continues to boom. But for Jarred, the focus remains simple: stay true to the mission. “We want to be a brand that stuck with it, did things the right way, and built something lasting,” he reflects.

With its combination of clean ingredients, purpose-driven business practices, and thoughtful marketing, Nooma isn’t just hydrating customers, it’s redefining what it means to pour purpose into every bottle.