• Pepsi is purchasing prebiotic soda brand Poppi for nearly $2 billion.
• Poppi founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth pitched Poppi, at the time Mother Beverage, on Season 10 of “Shark Tank,” which aired in 2018.
• Guest Shark Rohan Oza offered the Ellsworths a $400,000 investment with a 25% stake in the company.

Poppi, a prebiotic soda that will soon be acquired by Pepsi, got its start on “Shark Tank.”

PepsiCo announced on Monday that it has entered into an agreement to purchase Poppi for $1.95 billion, according to a news release. The acquisition will allow PepsiCo to “evolve its portfolio” and expand its “better-for-you offerings.” PepsiCo did not share when the sale would finalize.

Known for its bright and bold cans, Poppi gained popularity after investor Rohan Oza snatched it up when he was a guest on “Shark Tank” in 2017. At the time, the brand, pitched by founders Allison and Stephen Ellsworth, was known as Mother Beverage, sold in a glass bottle and had a much less flashy design.

Last summer, Poppi was sued over claims that its drinks don’t contain enough prebiotic fiber to cause “meaningful gut health benefits.” Poppi told USA TODAY on Monday that a settlement of $8.9 million had been reached and is awaiting court approval.

As the Ellsworths prepare to hand over the reigns of their company, here’s what to know about Poppi’s start in the beverage market.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

What is Poppi?

Poppi is a soda that contains prebiotics from agave insulin and cassava root fiber, apple cider vinegar, fruit juice, and sugar, according to the company’s website. One can of soda is reported to contain 5 or less grams of sugar and 35 or fewer calories.

Why was Poppi sued?

In June, Kristen Cobbs of San Francisco sued VNGR Beverage LLC, the Texas-based corporation that manufactures, markets and sells Poppi.

The class-action lawsuit alleges that one can of Poppi contains only 2 grams of prebiotic fiber, which means “a consumer would need to drink more than four Poppi sodas in a day to realize any potential health benefits.” If a consumer were to drink this many sodas, the suit states, Poppi’s high sugar content would offset most, if not all, of the reported gut health benefits.

In a statement previously provided to USA TODAY, Poppi said stands behind its products.

“We are on a mission to revolutionize soda for the next generation of soda drinkers, and we have diligently innovated to provide a tasting experience that millions of people have come to enjoy,” the company said. “We believe the lawsuit is baseless, and we will vigorously defend against these allegations.”

How did Poppi get started?

Poppi − then, Mother Beverage − first gained widespread attention upon airing on Season 10 of “Shark Tank,” released in 2018. However, the episode in which the Ellsworths are featured was filmed in 2017 and in the episode, Stephen says he and Allison actually started the brand 18 months prior.

Allison tells the Sharks − and has shared this story elsewhere − that she started Mother Beverage after learning about the benefits of apple cider vinegar, which helped her lose weight, feel less bloated and have clearer skin. But the taste of apple cider vinegar wasn’t appealing, so she went back into her kitchen and began to whip up some different drink concoctions.

Pre-“Shark Tank,” the Ellsworths sold Mother Beverage at farmers markets in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Allison says in the “Shark Tank” episode. Their most popular flavors were blueberry sage, lime ginger, raspberry rose and pineapple turmeric.

Eighteen months into the business, Mother Beverage had grossed around $500,000 and was being sold in Whole Foods Markets around the Dallas-Fort Worth region and more than 200 Albertson locations. The bottles were being sold for between $2.99 and $3.59, and the couple expected to make $1 million within the year.

What was Poppi’s ‘Shark Tank’ investment?

Rohan Oza was the only Shark to offer a deal to the Ellsworths. In the end, he invested $400,000 into Mother Beverage with a 25% stake in the company.

The Ellsworths came onto the show pitching a $400,000 investment with a 10% stake in the company.

How to watch Poppi’s ‘Shark Tank’ pitch

The Ellsworths pitch of Mother Beverage on Episode 8 in Season 10 of “Shark Tank” is available for streaming with a subscription on Hulu.

How much is a can of Poppi today?

When the Ellsworths first pitched Mother Beverage on “Shark Tank” in 2017, one glass bottle cost between $2.99 to $3.59. Today, a 12-ounce can of Poppi costs between about $2.39 and $2.49, according to Target’s website.

Today, Poppi’s best selling flavors, per its website, are Doc Pop, Orange and Strawberry Lemon.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].