Drink Happie, an American plant-based functional beverage brand, has entered the modern wellness scene with a simple goal: making people actually "feel good." Founded by Pete Olander, the California-born company leverages plant-based science to craft functional beverages and cannabis products designed to not only fit into but also elevate everyday routines, while uplifting energy and mood.
"I believe that wellness should be accessible, not intimidating," he says, underscoring his mission of being the go-to brand for accessible drinks that converge natural ingredients and thoughtful formulation. He describes Happie as a brand built around giving people alternatives for a better way to lead their lives. That extends to everything the company produces, from THC seltzers to functional mushroom drinks and California-grown cannabis flower.
"If people are looking for the familiar feeling of relaxation, energy, or balance, there are ways to achieve it that are easier on the body and grounded in plant medicine," Olander explains. This philosophy informs all of its products. Whether someone is replacing their evening cocktail or swapping out a fizzy caffeinated rush, Olander wants Happie to represent options that are enjoyable yet impactful.
As a brand, Happie is defined by Olander's earlier career in the nutrition sector, where he worked closely with formulators and learned the mechanics of creating effective ready-to-drink beverages. It was there that he first experimented with cannabinoid-infused nutrition products and saw how naturally derived compounds could support the rest of a formula. "I could see where the wellness trends were going," he explains. "People were becoming more open to natural ingredients that were effective and had real functional benefits."
Olander highlights that the THC seltzer line, featuring four flavors, including Groovy Grapefruit, Cheery Cherry, Grateful Grape, and Sublime, remains the company's most established category. He notes that these drinks are formulated to offer the uplifting effects consumers look for, with fewer calories and no after-effects of grogginess. The line is distributed across several states, including Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, and Illinois, and ships online to most of the country, with the exception of states like California and Colorado due to regulatory restrictions.
Alongside the THC beverages is a newer collection of functional mushroom drinks, which offers a blend of unique flavors along with adaptogenic mushroom extracts, including Cordyceps, Reishi, and Lion's Mane, and enhanced with ocean-derived minerals. With adaptogens' ability to potentially regulate the body's stress hormone, reducing anxiety and fatigue, Olander notes that the new line is another step toward promoting overall well-being.
Released this year on Amazon, the drinks are available in flavors such as mango mimosa, blue raspberry, and watermelon, and are formulated using a similar extraction process to Happie's cannabis products, ensuring that the active components are broken down for higher bioavailability.
"We wanted to isolate the ingredients that really work for consumers," Olander says. "It's still that mix of science and our more easygoing, plant-focused mentality." Sourced entirely in the US, the mushrooms are processed to maintain potency and consistency, aligning with Happie's broader focus on ingredient transparency and exclusivity.
While the drinks form the brand's national presence, Happie also maintains a distinct California-based cannabis operation through Live Happie, offering flower and pre-rolls, products grown on a biodynamic vineyard in Sonoma County. Olander considers Live Happie's vertical as a defining part of the business.
"To really stand out in the industry, you have to get close to the plant," he says. "For that reason, we cultivate our own flowers and work directly with experienced growers." This close relationship with American growers extends to the mushroom line and hemp supply, all of which are sourced domestically with an aim to maintain consistency and freshness across the board.
The through-line across Happie's evolution is Olander's belief that people deserve wellness products they can enjoy without hesitation or confusion. His inspiration, he says, comes from wanting to help customers feel healthier and more positive. He sees the brand as a bridge between fun and functionality, between science and nature, and between the longstanding wellness world and a newer, more open-minded consumer base. "Instead of the conventional ways of practicing wellness, I want to offer people the most palatable, enjoyable, and safest way to cope with the complexities of life," he states.
The company envisions exploring additional wellness categories, including supplements and peptide-based options, each staying true to the plant-forward, feel-good philosophy that shaped the brand's foundation. And as Pete Olander continues refining the brand's future, he hopes Happie gives people the same impression the products aim to deliver: an invitation to feel balanced, energized, and relaxed in a way that aligns with modern lifestyles.
