With just 20 calories, 3 grams of natural sugar and a blend of antioxidant-rich botanicals, Happy Being brings something new and fresh to the functional beverage aisle. These doctor-formulated white tea drinks combine ingredients like turmeric, elderberry and vitamin C in a range of fruity flavors, with formulations designed to support everyday wellness. Sarrah Hallock, CEO of Happy Being, lets Purist in on the brand’s growing following, the importance of small daily habits and why taking care of yourself should be something to look forward to.
PURIST: Happy Being has built an impressive following even before reaching traditional retail shelves, with consumers purchasing millions of cans directly from the website. What do you attribute that early success to?
Sarrah Hallock: Happy Being is a delicious daily wellness drink that helps calm everyday inflammation while supporting healthy digestion, joints and skin. It’s packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamin C and powerful plant-based ingredients, all in a refreshing white tea with just 20 calories, 3 grams of natural sugar and no artificial ingredients. We call it The World’s Happiest Drink!
I think we’ve created something that fits into the way people actually want to take care of themselves. There’s so much information out there about what we should be eating, drinking and doing for our health, and frankly, it can be overwhelming. We wanted to make one small part of that easier by creating something with meaningful, science-backed wellness benefits that also tastes amazing. A drink you genuinely look forward to having every day.
What’s been especially exciting is that we’ve built our company almost entirely online, developing a direct relationship with our customers before entering traditional retail. We’re now the No. 1 white tea brand on Amazon, and our repeat business has grown tremendously. To me, that’s the most compelling validation. People aren’t just trying Happy Being. They’re making it part of their daily lives.
With benefits like calming everyday inflammation, how do you see Happy Being fitting into women’s daily wellness routines?
Inflammation is a natural and necessary part of the body’s immune response, but when it becomes persistent, it can affect so many aspects of our health.
I think women, particularly as we get older, are becoming much more aware of the connection between inflammation, gut health, joint health and how we feel day to day.
What I love about Happy Being is that it makes supporting your health incredibly simple. Our formula is rich in polyphenols, the powerful antioxidants naturally found in plants, along with ingredients like turmeric, elderberry and vitamin C that support everyday wellness.
Of course, nothing is going to transform your health overnight. I’m a big believer that wellness is the accumulation of small, consistent choices. What you eat, how you sleep, how you move and even what you drink every day all matter. It’s those everyday habits, sustained over time, that can make a meaningful difference in your long-term health. And that’s really how we think about Happy Being, as one simple, enjoyable part of taking care of yourself every day.
Happy Being is one of those easy, enjoyable habits that can fit into a healthier lifestyle without adding another thing to your to-do list.
Happy Being has become especially popular among mothers. Why do you think the drink resonates with them?
What’s interesting is that moms really found us. We didn’t set out with a marketing strategy to target moms specifically, but they naturally became some of our most enthusiastic customers.
Moms are so often the chief wellness officers of their households. They’re thinking about what everyone is eating, drinking and doing to stay healthy, frequently while juggling a million other things. They’re looking for products with ingredients they can trust, meaningful benefits and great taste. And they don’t want to compromise on any of those things.
I also think there’s something important about making wellness enjoyable rather than another obligation. Moms spend so much time taking care of everyone else, and I love that Happy Being can be something they do for themselves, too.
That’s really where our philosophy comes from: built for moms, made for the whole family.
Tell us about some of your most popular flavors. Do you have any favorite ways to serve them?
One of the things people fall in love with about Happy Being is our bold, fruity flavors. We put so much emphasis on taste because, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how good something is for you if you don’t actually enjoy drinking it.
Blueberry and Peach are some of our longtime favorites, and Black Cherry, which launched this summer, has quickly become a fan favorite, especially in sparkling. It’s a delicious alternative to traditional soda. We’ve also introduced some really fun flavors like Mango, Orange and Strawberry Kiwi.
I love that we have both still and sparkling varieties, so there’s something for different tastes and occasions.
And they’re so much fun to dress up! I love serving our sparkling flavors over ice in a beautiful glass with fresh fruit and herbs. Peach with fresh peach slices and a sprig of rosemary feels like a proper cocktail. Black Cherry is delicious with a squeeze of fresh lime, and Mango with fresh mint is especially refreshing.
You really don’t need to do much. The flavors are so delicious on their own, but I love how a beautiful glass and a few fresh ingredients can turn an everyday drink into a little ritual. Sometimes it’s those small things that make an ordinary afternoon or evening feel a bit more special.
As more people seek alternatives to alcohol, can Happy Being offer that same sense of ritual when it’s time to unwind? Does it have a calming effect?
Absolutely. I think one of the most interesting shifts we’re seeing is that people are becoming much more intentional about when and why they drink alcohol. And for women, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, alcohol can start affecting us differently. That glass of wine we used to enjoy might suddenly disrupt our sleep or leave us feeling less than great the next morning.
It doesn’t necessarily mean giving up wine or cocktails altogether. Sometimes it’s simply about having a delicious alternative that still feels like an occasion.
Happy Being is wonderful for that. Our sparkling flavors are particularly great served in a wine glass or over ice with fresh fruit. You still get the ritual and enjoyment of having a beautiful drink, without the alcohol.
Happy Being isn’t designed to create an immediate calming sensation. When we talk about calming everyday inflammation, we’re referring to supporting the body’s natural inflammatory response through our antioxidant-rich ingredients.
For me, the appeal is that you’re choosing something refreshing and delicious that also supports your everyday wellness. And sometimes that’s exactly what you’re looking for instead of another glass of wine.
Is Happy Being something the whole family can enjoy, or is it better suited to a particular age group?
We like to say Happy Being is built for moms, made for the whole family. And we all know how challenging it can be to find something everyone in the household actually enjoys, especially when you have picky eaters and picky drinkers!
Taste was incredibly important to us. We wanted to create something with meaningful wellness benefits that also tastes delicious. With our bold, fruity flavors, still and sparkling options, and just 3 grams of natural sugar, it’s a great alternative to traditional sugary sodas.
Our primary consumers are adults, but we love seeing Happy Being become part of family life. It’s made with decaffeinated white tea and functional plant-based ingredients, and of course, we always encourage parents to check with their pediatrician about what’s appropriate for their children.
You’ve spent more than two decades building brands in the beverage and wellness industries. How has your own experience shaped your approach to Happy Being?
I’ve spent more than 20 years building brands in beverages, health and wellness, including vitaminwater and Bai, and later co-founding THE WELL. I’ve always loved creating products and experiences that people genuinely connect with, but my own wellness journey has also deeply shaped how I think about health.
I’ve experienced firsthand how frustrating it can be when you’re not feeling your best, searching for answers and trying to figure out what actually works for your body. It’s made me incredibly passionate about making wellness more accessible, approachable and less complicated.
That’s part of what drew me to Happy Being. I love the idea of bringing together my experience in beverages and my passion for wellness to create something that’s genuinely good for you and that people love drinking.
I’ve always believed that wellness should add joy to your life, not make it more complicated. And that’s really what we’re trying to do with Happy Being.
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