Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are joining PRODA as co-founders, the protein soda startup announced, teaming with co-CEOs Matthew Postlethwaite and Jeff Church to push the brand from specialty retail into mainstream grocery and club distribution.
Also coming aboard as a co-founder is Joey Gonzalez, Executive Chairman of Barry's, the fitness studio chain, adding operational scale and fitness-culture credibility to the brand's leadership table.
The Product Play
PRODA launched in 2026 on a straightforward functional-beverage brief: 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and all-natural ingredients in a 12-ounce carbonated format. The brand uses a clear whey isolate matrix to avoid the heavy, chalky texture associated with legacy protein drinks — a formulation move aimed squarely at casual, health-aware consumers rather than supplement-aisle loyalists. Seven flavors are in the current lineup: Shirley Temple, Strawberry Lemonade, Golden Apple, Cherry Lime, Lemon Lime, Classic Orange, and Root Beer.
The brand's initial national foothold came through Sprouts Farmers Market and Amazon, channels that skew toward better-for-you shoppers already primed for functional beverage claims. Velocity data cited in the announcement positions PRODA as the fastest-turning protein soda in the U.S., though the company did not provide independent third-party sourcing for that figure.
Channel Opportunity
For c-store operators, the protein-soda subcategory has become a legitimate cooler consideration. The broader functional beverage segment has consistently outpaced traditional carbonated soft drinks in convenience channel comp sales, driven by energy, hydration, and now protein-forward SKUs. Shoppers who fuel up in the morning increasingly treat the cooler as a protein delivery vehicle — a shift that has opened shelf space for brands that can sit credibly between the energy set and the water-and-juice run.
PRODA's retail ambitions — the company explicitly names grocery, club, and direct-to-consumer as its next targets — signal a conventional better-for-you beverage rollout strategy. Whether c-store chains emerge as a priority channel will likely depend on whether the brand can demonstrate impulse velocity, the metric that drives most convenience buyers' ranging decisions. The Barry's connection could be useful here: a fitness-adjacent positioning has worked for brands like Celsius and Muscle Milk in growing their convenience footprint alongside gym-adjacent retail.
Timberlake and Biel will lead creative strategy, flavor innovation, product development, and cultural partnerships, according to the company. Their quote, delivered jointly, framed the investment as values-driven: "We believe you shouldn't have to choose between what tastes good and what's good for you." Postlethwaite, an actor best known for Peaky Blinders, co-founded the brand with Church, a nine-time founder who previously co-founded Suja Juice.
For operators tracking the celebrity-backed beverage trend, PRODA is the latest entrant in a crowded field that includes Prime, Liquid Death, and a growing list of entertainment-figure-anchored SKUs vying for cooler real estate. Velocity and margin performance — not celebrity equity — will ultimately determine whether a brand earns a permanent slot on the forecourt.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
