Former Shark Tank entrepreneur Zach Schreier launches coffee creamer focused on brain health … [+]
Former Shark Tank entrepreneur Zach Schreier, who gained national attention with the egg white chip company Quevos that he co-founded with Nick Burger and then sold the company at age 24, has embarked on a new journey: reinventing coffee creamer with a functional twist.
Introducing Lifestacks, our newest mental health-focused coffee enhancer, harnessing the power of premium MTC, nootropics and adaptogens to reduce brain clutter and support your metabolism.
“We think of it as a foundational brain health supplement for cognitive performance and wellness, like a multivitamin, fish oil or Ag1,” Schreier told me recently in an exclusive interview. “We want to become a habit that our customers look forward to every day.”
Jumping on the Functional Coffee Creamer Bandwagon
By piggybacking on the growing $28 billion coffee market and offering additional nutritional benefits, functional creamer seems like an easy sell. “We entered the coffee creamer space, like our collagen creamer and other functional additives to coffee, not so much as a coffee creamer alternative, but as an intuitive way to provide a daily energy boost,” Schreier explained.
According to Modor Intelligence, the U.S. coffee creamer market size is estimated to be $26 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.82% between 2024 and 2029, reaching $32.57 billion by the end of the forecast period.
Brain supplements are also growing rapidly – the U.S. market is expected to reach more than $11.4 billion by 2031, according to Transparency Market Research – with many traditional grocery brands, such as MOSH, BTR Nation and Recess, now making mental health their primary focus.
Specifically, various CPG brands such as Laird Superfood, Vital Proteins (acquired by Nestlé Health Science), and Four Sigmatic have also joined the race by offering functional coffee creamers.
Schreier Forbes 30 Under 30 Schreier, an alumnus, said he became fascinated with supplements that could help maintain long-term health while working at Quebecs. After proving the concept in 2021, Schreier raised $500,000 from his extensive network, including Boost Oxygen founder Rob Neuner and Meritech Capital partner Rob Ward, to bring LifeStacks to life.
“Supplements were appealing as a way to enhance performance and improve health,” he says, “so we decided to infuse powerful brain-boosting nutrients into a delicious, healthy coffee creamer. Since consumers already get their daily energy from coffee, this was the perfect opportunity to introduce a premium, balanced blend of energizing supplements.”
Currently sold on direct-to-consumer websites and Amazon, LifeStacks comes in three flavors: vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut. All products are sweetened with stevia leaf extract instead of sugar or artificial ingredients.
Key lessons learned from running Quevos
Schreier commented on the key lessons he learned from running Quevos and the transferable knowledge he could apply to Lifestacks, emphasizing that a clear path to profitability and the ability to scale are more important than a founder’s passion.
“From Kebos, I learned the value of pricing your products according to their cost price. Wishful thinking that costs will go down over time can lead an entrepreneur to a business that never succeeds,” Schreier explained.
Moreover, focusing on specific channels and gaining a deeper understanding of their core audiences allows brands to operate more efficiently in the marketplace rather than wasting funds trying to build a ubiquitous presence.
“At Quevos, we looked for opportunities from every direction, which led to us doing a variety of different things, including retail stores, online sales and even an appearance on Shark Tank. It was great to try all these different things, but it was also overwhelming,” Schreier added.
“At Lifestacks, we’re taking a more focused approach. This requires more patience, but it allows us to get a clearer picture of the core of our business and scale what’s working.”
