Celebrity founders can get a beverage brand noticed, but the product must keep shoppers coming back.
PRODA has added real-life couple Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel to its founding team to help make its protein soda a household staple.
The Hollywood couple will have input on the flavors that PRODA develops next.
PRODA combines 10 grams of complete protein with zero sugar and familiar soda flavors.
The brand launched nationally at Sprouts Farmers Market and sells through Amazon and its website.
Timberlake and Biel join co-founders Matthew Postlethwaite and Jeff Church, along with Joey Gonzalez, executive chairman of Barry's.
DesignRush asked Co-CEO Postlethwaite what Timberlake and Biel will change about PRODA in ways consumers will notice.
"I'm excited about how their expertise will help shape PRODA's growth and creative direction," he replied.
"Like each of our co-founders, they bring their own taste, creative instinctsandsense of what connects with people.
I look forward to seeing those individual perspectives come through in flavors they're passionate about, the campaigns we create and the stories we choose to tell together."
The appointments give PRODA celebrity recognition and additional creative input as it pursues a place in everyday shopping routines.
Each co-founder covers a different piece of the problem, from retail distribution to fitness credibility and mainstream appeal.
PRODA Puts Celebrity Founders Behind Product Innovation
Postlethwaite, Church, Timberlake, and Biel want PRODA in grocery, club, and direct-to-consumer channels nationwide.
The duo's roles extend to flavor innovation, giving them input into what the company sells and how it presents these products to consumers.
"The opportunity to work with Matthew and Jeff in shaping the brand, its products and where it goes next is what made this an exciting opportunity for us," Biel and Timberlake said in a press release.
DesignRush asked how long the two had been involved with the company.
"Justin and Jessica have shared our vision for PRODA for a long time.
Building the brand together as Co-Founders feels like a natural evolution for the brand," Postlethwaite shared.
"Their fresh perspective as entrepreneurs, creatives and customers will play a pivotal role in shaping PRODA's creative strategy, product development and flavor innovation."
The nostalgic lineup runs Shirley Temple, Strawberry Lemonade, Golden Apple, Cherry Lime, Lemon Lime, Classic Orange, and Root Beer.
Each 12-ounce can contains 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and all-natural ingredients.
The company says its clear whey isolate matrix delivers carbonation without the heavy texture associated with traditional protein drinks.
The founding team brings experience across beverage production, wellness, and fitness.
Church co-founded Suja Juice, and Gonzalez has spent 21 years at Barry's, scaling it past 90 studios in 16 countries.
Postlethwaite put taste ahead of the nutrition panel when asked what separates PRODA from more established protein sodas.
"Distribution gets us on the shelf. The product has to earn its place in people's lives.
What differentiates PRODA starts with a simple belief: it has to be a great soda first. It must earn its place on taste alone, with protein adding value," he said.
"I want PRODA to be the soda families stock the fridge with and tell their friends they have to try. That's the ambition," he added.
A celebrity founding team speeds up the first trial, and the flavor lineup decides everything after that.
Retailers measure repeat buying as sell-through, so product innovation has weeks to prove itself before a chain reviews the shelf space.
Protein Demand Gives PRODA a Market Opening
Consumer interest in protein gives PRODA a relevant entry point, although demand for the nutrient does not automatically translate into demand for protein soda.
The International Food Information Council's 2025 research found that 70% of Americans were trying to consume protein.
A separate IFIC spotlight survey from July 2025 found that 35% of respondents increased their protein intake over the previous year.
Taste ranked as the top factor in choosing protein sources at 66%, with price second at 59%.
Timberlake and Biel make the same argument about taste.
"We believe you shouldn't have to choose between what tastes good and what's good for you," the couple said.
DesignRush asked Postlethwaite how that taste argument reaches households who never go looking for protein.
"We see an enormous opportunity to bring protein to a broader audience, including busy parents, active adults and everyday soda drinkers," he replied.
"We want to show people that small changes to their everyday habits can add up.
They don't need to give up soda or overhaul their routine to get more protein."
Postlethwaite is describing substitution here, since a PRODA in the fridge replaces a soda that someone was already going to drink.
The swap only works if PRODA tastes at least as good as the can it displaces and gives shoppers a reason to keep choosing it.
The findings suggest three considerations for brands selling functional drinks.
- Familiar formats can lower trial barriers. Brands should present functional benefits in recognizable products to make first-time purchases easier.
- Taste influences repeat demand. Teams should prioritize flavor and drinking experience to encourage customers to buy again.
- Simple nutrition claims aid comparison. Brands should state protein content and sugar levels clearly to help shoppers assess products quickly.
Functional drink brands win repeat buyers with a brand strategy that treats the nutrition claim as the bonus.
Our Take: Can Soda Nostalgia Sell More Protein?
PRODA picked flavors that people already have a memory of, and we think this choice says more than the celebrity co-founders.
Nostalgia sells the first can, and flavor consistency sells the next 12.
Nobody owns Shirley Temple or Golden Apple, so PRODA gets to set the standard instead of losing a comparison to Coke.
The risk sits in the seven-flavor lineup, since one weak can in a variety pack ends the repeat order.
Olipop and Poppi proved the same point, winning shoppers with cola, root beer, and cream soda flavors before the fiber pitch.
If PRODA earns the pizza-night pour, protein soda becomes a grocery habit for people who don't even go to the supplement aisle.
Developing a beverage brand requires a clear product proposition, memorable packaging, and a strategy for retail growth.
Explore these top food and beverage branding agencies to find a partner for your next product launch.
