What was the catalyst for launching Phizz?

It started with discovering that you can lose up to 6 litres of water on a flight from Australia to the UK. Dehydration and electrolyte loss don’t just cause travel fatigue, they underpin many everyday health challenges, from low energy to weakened immunity.

We often chase the next biohack or supplement, but proactive hydration and electrolyte balance is a fundamental (and often overlooked) pillar of daily wellbeing. We saw an opportunity to create a world-first hybrid between a hydration tablet and a multivitamin, and to raise awareness that a little simple science can make a big difference.

Tell us about the business – what it is, what it aims to achieve, who you work with, how you reach customers and so on?

Phizz is the UK’s #1 selling electrolyte tablet in a fast growing category. Our London-based team  has a vision to enhance everyone’s hydration, every day - powered by a formula that hydrates 3x faster than water, with added health benefits.

We’re stocked in leading retailers across the UK and used by everyone from everyday office workers to Premier League footballers. By 2030, our goal is to help grow the hydration enhancer category to £145m by driving awareness, education and new daily-use occasions.

How has the business evolved since its launch?

Phizz launched in 2015, with the founding team kitchen table doubling as our office. In those early days, we focused on commercial sales - securing listings with Emirates Airlines, W Hotels and Premier League football teams.

Fast forward to June 2025: we’re now a team of 17 based in central London, building one of the UK’s fastest-growing wellbeing brands, on track to deliver £9.5m in revenue this year. We’ve expanded beyond travel and sport into everyday retail, launched new products, and begun trading internationally, but we’ve kept the same challenger energy we had at that kitchen table.

Tell us about the working culture at Phizz.

People care. For instance, when we run a weekend sampling event, the whole team offers to help. There are no passengers here, everyone contributes to propel us forward. We challenge each other, we collaborate across functions well and laugh a lot, thankfully there’s good vibes on the ride! We're in the office three days a week, which gives us the energy of in-person teamwork with the flexibility of remote days allowing for some longer commutes. 

How are you funded?

Phizz runs and grows on profit. We secured a single capital raise in 2020 from a high-net-worth family who believed in our vision. Before that, we were self-funded – our Chairman Jon Knights’ prior business experience and backing were instrumental in getting us off the ground.

What has been your biggest challenge so far, and how have you overcome it?

It’s tough to pick just one. From co-founder cancer diagnosis, to Brexit, to lab changes and a difficult redundancy, to stepping into the CEO seat in 2021, every year brings a new “biggest challenge.” But we've overcome them all. That said, the biggest challenge may simply be starting. For any would-be founder: your product, your team and you will evolve, but only if you begin.

How does Phizz answer an unmet need?

Studies will vary,  whether conducted by Phizz or independent – but consistently, more than 70% of UK adults don’t drink enough water. That has a knock-on effect on everything from brain fog to physical fatigue.

Yet hydration is still treated as reactive, and electrolytes are wrongly seen as only relevant to athletes. Phizz is a simple, tasty and  most importantly scientifically-led solution that delivers 3x faster hydration and replenishes key electrolytes your body needs – not just after a workout, but as part of your daily routine. Think of Phizz as a foundation, not just a fix.

What’s in store for the future?

Our vision is to enhance hydration, every day. Having become the UK’s #1 electrolyte tablet, we're now driving the category towards £144m RSV by 2030.

We’re expanding our range with targeted ‘plus’ products – scientifically addressing daily needs like energy and immunity. And while we’re London-based, Phizz is going global, we're now trading across Europe and the Middle East, and it’s been incredible to see our brand adapt to new languages and cultures.

What one piece of advice would you give other founders or future founders?

If you're building a brand to sell in retail, it’s not enough to have a great product or story. I wish we’d looked through this lens earlier at Phizz: you need to show how you’ll grow the category.

Retailers back brands that bring new benefits and new customers — not just a fresh logo that shifts shoppers between existing options. Think beyond your brand vision. Build a category vision. Don’t just pitch that you’re different. Prove you’re incremental.

And finally, a more personal question – what’s your daily routine and the rules you’re living by right now?

Electrolytes every morning – obviously! It’s a world-class basic that keeps me alert and on it. Beyond that, my phone lock screen says: “Create a life you can’t wait to wake up to.” Easier said than done, but if that’s not the goal, what is?

Dan Cray is the cofounder and CEO of Phizz.