Exclusive: The new president of viral cup brand Stanley says sales are still growing, and lunch boxes are his next big play: 'We're much more than a viral moment'

(Credit: Courtesy of Stanley)

We all remember the video. A woman approaches the empty husk of her car, completely destroyed by fire, and picks up her Stanley thermos still resting in its cupholder—the inside so well protected from the furnace that the ice cubes remain intact.

The viral TikTok felt like the high note in a blockbuster year for the drinkware company. In 2023, Stanley’s “Quencher” water bottles became the unlikely star of countless social media posts, teary Christmas mornings, college must-haves lists, and frenzied Target openings around the U.S. The thermos has spawned a secondary market for collectors, a universe of unofficial accessories, a few copycats, and maybe even a cultural backlash.