On today’s episode of The Story of a Brand Show, I’m joined by Lauren Picasso, the founder and CEO of Cure Hydration.

What started as a personal struggle with staying hydrated as an endurance athlete led Lauren to launch a science-backed, clean-label hydration brand that is now available in thousands of retail stores.

We talked about how she identified the gap in the hydration category, built Cure from the ground up (including mixing formulas at home), and the strategic choices that helped the brand scale across DTC and retail.

Lauren didn’t come from the CPG world, but her background in e-commerce and performance marketing helped her build a brand that’s both mission-driven and data-informed. She shares how DTC insights led to major pivots in product format and packaging, why launching in CVS was a game-changer early on, and how Cure’s clean ingredients and powder format offer a better, more sustainable alternative to traditional sports drinks.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

* Why coconut water powder + salt = hydration magic

* The moment CVS expanded Cure to 3,000+ stores—and what it unlocked

* The value of launching DTC before going retail

* The surprising reason most customers buy Cure (hint: it’s not just for athletes)

* Expanding into a kids’ line (with flavors kid-tested and approved)

Join me, Ramon Vela, as we listen to the episode and get inspired by how one founder turned a personal need into a rapidly growing wellness brand, redefining what it means to stay truly hydrated.

For more on Cure Hydration, visit: https://www.curehydration.com/

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Today’s Sponsors:

Compass Rose Ventures - Advisor for CPG Brands: https://compassroseventures.com/contact/

Compass Rose Ventures can help your CPG brand increase customer lifetime value, expand into the US market, create an omnipresent omnichannel footprint, optimize customer journeys, build brand communities, and more. Visit the link above to learn more.

Augmentum Media - Influencer Marketing for Consumer Brands: https://www.augmentum-media.com/story

What secret do fast-growing Health and Wellness brands like Xtendlife, Nourished, and Hunter & Gather share? They all outsource their influencer marketing to the experts at Augmentum. Augmentum is offering "The Story of a Brand Show" listeners a 30-minute consulting session AND a personalized influencer strategy plan built by their experts for you to implement either with them or in-house. Visit the link above to learn more.

Cure Hydration - How One Brand Made Hydration Cool (and Clean)

The Story of a Brand Show

Cure Hydration - How One Brand Made Hydration Cool (and Clean)