Crunchy Hydration: Fizzy with a function
- KLS
- a few seconds ago
- 8 min read
For the 233rd feature of our "Together Talks" campaign, we collaborated with Crunchy Hydration and Founder, Megan Riggs. Crunchy Hydration is a functional sparkling water designed to balance the mind and body. Each of our waters has 200mg of L-theanine, a natural stress and anxiety reliever, Himalayan salt for increased hydration, and adaptogenic herbs to target a variety of mental and physical needs.
Crunchy is a natural part of a healthy lifestyle; the easiest way to practice self-care while hydrating your body without guilt since every can is 0 calories, 0g sugar and 0 alternative sweeterners. With Crunchy Hydration, you can enjoy a refreshing beverage that helps you feel more balanced. Whether you need something to help you conquer your day, or something to help ease the stress of your day, we’ve got you covered.
Crunchy is more than just a beverage. It's a lifestyle with intention and mindfulness starting with a simple daily act: hydration. Get Crunchy and see what we are all about!
"Together Talks" feature # 233: Crunchy Hydration presented by KLS - Your Trusted Shipping Solutions In The USA
What separates you from your competition? What have been the biggest challenges? Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business? What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur? What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most? Share a decision that you made that was detrimental? What is your why?
Story of how it was created?
Crunchy—people ask us that a lot. They say, “Why is your beverage called Crunchy?”
So, long story short, I graduated from the University of Virginia and moved out to Los Angeles. I had a great job. From the outside looking in, it appeared that I was doing amazing. I made really great money, and it was a really good opportunity.
But for the first time in my life, I started to develop anxiety and depression—just debilitating anxiety. It got to the point where you feel like you can’t get out of bed. I started having stomach issues and all of the things that come with anxiety—panic attacks, constant stress, and just feeling overwhelmed.
Eventually, it got to a point where I didn’t want to live anymore. So I took some drastic measures. I quit my job, gave away everything I owned, and bought a one-way ticket to Thailand.
It’s incredible what happens when you take everything away and live a simple life. You start to realize what actually matters. You go back to the basics—gratitude that you have a healthy body, gratitude that you have access to clean water, gratitude for the simple things.
While I was there, I was teaching English and going to this little juice shop every day. One day I called my sister and said, “This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to open a cold-pressed juice business.”
So I moved back to Virginia and started my first beverage company, Crunchy Carrot Cold-Pressed Juices.
The juice was a little bit crunchy—there was some pulp in it. That’s actually where the name originally came from. Now we joke that it’s a lifestyle, not a texture. But if you know the full story, it really did start with a funny, slightly silly name.
Today, the brand has evolved into something much bigger. It’s focused on being more than just a beverage. It’s about taking a moment. It’s self-care in a can. It includes the adaptogens and nootropics that helped save my life.
Ultimately, the mission is about improving mental and physical health through mindful hydration.
What separates you from your competition?
Most of the time in the grocery store, we’re placed in the functional beverage set. That category can include anything from coffee, which provides energy, to traditional energy drinks, gut-health or probiotic beverages, and other stress-relief drinks.
Where we’re different is that we truly deliver the taste profile of sparkling water while still providing all of those functional benefits.
Our drinks have zero calories, zero sugar, and zero sugar alternatives. That means no stevia, no monk fruit, no erythritol, and no allulose.
Right now, that combination—true sparkling water taste with functional ingredients and none of those sweeteners—really doesn’t exist in the marketplace.
What have been the biggest challenges?
The beverage industry is just tough.
You’re competing against massive budgets. The amount of money companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and even other large brands can spend on shelf space, promotions, and in-store displays is enormous.
So I would say the biggest challenge has been competing against those much larger budgets while still trying to grow the brand. It forces you to be creative, resourceful, and scrappy in how you approach marketing and retail placement.
Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
Right now, the focus is really on investing our budget into our current retail partners.
We’re concentrating on growing within stores like Whole Foods, Kroger, and Wegmans and expanding our footprint throughout those retailers.
We recently rolled out into some new Whole Foods locations, and we’ll continue expanding through those other retail partners as well.
So the main focus is strengthening our presence within our current retailers while also continuing to grow our direct-to-consumer business.
In addition to that, we will be launching a completely new product line in Q2, which is a milestone we’re really excited about.
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business?
Honestly, I would say no. I just kind of went for it.
I knew that this was the path I was supposed to be on, and I felt strongly that I could help change people’s lives by sharing the knowledge of what had worked for me—or at the very least help more people who might be going through similar struggles.
What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur?
One thing I continue to learn is that there will always be more work. There will always be more things you could do or feel like you should be doing as an entrepreneur.
I constantly have to remind myself that the mission of the company started with helping my own anxiety and depression.
In the beginning, it was so easy to work nonstop—seven days a week, all the time. At a certain point, I had to remind myself, “I started this company because of anxiety. Let’s not have it cause daily anxiety.”
So I try to remind other entrepreneurs to dedicate time for themselves. Don’t work seven days a week indefinitely.
There are seasons where you’ll need to work more than others, but it’s important to have a good morning routine and set aside time for yourself.
Put your own oxygen mask on before putting it on someone else. Fill your own cup first.
What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most?
The flexibility.
For example, I could go to a different country and work remotely for a month if I wanted to. It’s exciting that you can really control what your year looks like and what your day looks like.
Of course, with that flexibility comes more responsibility, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to be able to craft your own schedule and build your life in a way that works for you.
Share a decision that you made that was detrimental?
When I first started, each drink corresponded to a different chakra. Each one had a different flavor and a different blend of adaptogens.
As a young company, having seven different flavors with seven completely different ingredient blends was honestly a pretty ludicrous decision. Even years later, I’m still working to simplify it.
My advice would be to keep your product line simple. Start small and then build from there.
I essentially did the opposite. I started with way too many options. It created consumer confusion and caused a lot of logistical challenges.
Even today, I’m still simplifying from that starting point.
At the time, the idea made sense to me. I envisioned a chakra line where there was a different Crunchy drink for every moment of the day—gut health, sleep, energy, and so on.
It was a great concept in theory, but it wasn’t ideal for scaling a large consumer brand.
What is your why?
Our mission is to improve mental and physical health through mindful hydration.
A big part of that is constantly reminding people that, yes, life is busy and your to-do list is long. But even while you’re drinking Crunchy—or whatever beverage you’re having—can you take a few moments to pause?
Close your eyes. Take a breath. Practice gratitude.
Be grateful that you have access to clean water. Be grateful for a small moment of calm during the day.
That’s really the overall mission—creating daily reminders to reset. We talk a lot about a “reset ritual.”
And from there, it’s about actually doing it. Taking those moments for yourself.
Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
One of my favorite moments is when I meet people here in Virginia Beach, which is where we’re based, and they discover that we’re a local company.
A lot of times they assume we’re some huge national brand, and then they realize we’re actually from here.
That’s always really fun.
Seeing the product on store shelves or getting pictures from people who find Crunchy at a Whole Foods near them in Pennsylvania or New Jersey—that will never get old.
It’s such a cool feeling every time.
Tell us about the Crunchy Hydration products
We start with reverse osmosis water, which means everything has been removed from it. It’s incredibly clean and pure. Then we remineralize it with Himalayan salt.
We add 200 milligrams of L-theanine, which is an incredible nootropic. That specific dosage is associated with increasing alpha brain waves, which can help support stress reduction and cognitive function.
We also include lemon balm and chamomile.
Currently, we offer four flavors:
Pineapple Coconut (CALM)
Raspberry (GUT HEALTH)
Watermelon (CALM)
Mango (ENERGY)
How many iterations of the products
We’ve been through at least four or five iterations of the product.
I actually posted one of them on LinkedIn. I’ll send you a picture—it’s pretty fun to look back at how everything has evolved.
It’s surprisingly hard to stick with one version because you’re constantly learning and thinking, “Maybe we should remove this,” or “Maybe we should tweak that.”
Since my word for the brand right now is simplify, any future changes will probably involve removing things from the can rather than adding new elements.
That said, I’m very happy with the current design. It’s much cleaner than when I first started.
Piece of Advice
Use LinkedIn and connect with people.
You would be amazed at the response rate and the types of people you can connect with. If you’re thinking about starting a business, ask questions.
Use tools like ChatGPT and ask for things like lists of angel investor groups that might make sense for your company. If you’re a women-owned business, ask which women-focused angel groups or investors could be a good fit.
The same goes for venture capital firms.
Use LinkedIn. Use ChatGPT. Ask for help.
Put your goals out into your community. Join your local Chamber of Commerce or other business groups.
Whatever it may be, just put it out there and ask people for support.
The CPG community is incredibly helpful, and people are often very willing to share lessons they’ve learned or make valuable introductions.
So don’t be afraid to use those resources.
Promo Code
Purchase from their site, Crunchy Hydration, and use promo code below:
KLS20 -> 20% off!
Community Callout
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Crunchy Hydration and Founder, Megan Riggs, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Follow along for their journey with their social handles below!