$28M later… Nello still isn’t thirsty (case study)
April 16, 2025
1. Who is Drink Nello, and what are the numbers behind their growth?
Nello is an American wellness brand on a mission to offer stress relief without the crash. Founded by Connor (CMO) and Mason (COO) in 2021, the duo sought a healthy, non-drowsy way to manage everyday stress, and bottled it in flavorful drink mixes.
Timeline of growth:
2021 — Brand founded, inspired by personal burnout and over-reliance on caffeine.
2022 — First product launch: SuperCalm Tropical Tangerine, targeting stress relief in a tasty mix.
2023 — Launched on Amazon
2024 — Officially launched on TikTok Shop.
April 2024 — Expanded with new flavors: Blue Coconut, Tropical Tangerine, and Calamansi Lemon Lime
Best-selling on TikTok Shop: SuperCalm remains their #1 SKU, powered by flavor expansions which covers the $25.65M TikTok Shop sales.
Key numbers since their launch on TikTok Shop:
March 10 - April 10 2025 Revenue: $9.50M
Total Revenue: $28.16M
Total Sales Volume: 633.9K units
Number of Products: 11
Relevant Videos: 72.9K
Relevant affiliates: 16.5K
LIVE units sold in March 11–April 9: 16.6K units
Shoppable units sold in March 11–April 9: 24.8K units sold
2. Winning strategy: What sets them apart?
Livestreaming power moves
Drink Nello leans into TikTok Shop Lives with irresistible offers. Notably, a “Buy 1 Take 1 Free” deal that drives real-time conversions and keeps audiences coming back for value-packed sessions.
Affiliate muscle
Affiliates account for nearly half of Nello's revenue, pulling in $13.55M.
- They work with a wide range of creators: from micro (under 20K followers) to mid-size influencers, proving scale isn’t everything.
- Affiliate commissions of 30% + monthly incentive campaign.
- Many affiliates are backed by ads, amplifying reach beyond organic views.
Smart content flywheel Nello leverages a mix of:
- Raw UGC showing daily life use cases.
- Educational clips breaking down functional ingredients.
- Reaction videos from first-time tasters. This variety keeps their TikTok Shop fresh and feeds the algorithm well.
What else?
- Constant product innovation with new flavor drops keeps the catalog fresh.
- Highly optimized product detail pages: clear benefits, functional claims, and user-friendly language.
- Strong UGC (user-generated content) pipeline feeding both ads and Shop videos.
3. Takeaways for brands
✓ High-frequency live selling works: especially with compelling, no-brainer offers like “Buy 1 Take 1 Free.”
✓ Affiliates as revenue drivers. With proper incentives and ad backing, even micro creators can move significant volume.
✓ Product variety fuels repeat purchases: New flavors and seasonal launches keep customers engaged.
4. The Future: What’s next for Drink Nello?
With this kind of momentum: 29.0K units sold and $2.43M in revenue in first 10 days of April this year, Nello is going all in.
Expect more high-converting live sessions, seasonal flavor drops, and expanded affiliate program to scale sales even further.
The goal? Cementing SuperCalm as the go-to calming drink on TikTok Shop, while testing cross-channel strategies on Amazon and retail to complement their social commerce dominance.
Sources:
All data were accessed on April 11, 2025
https://youtu.be/WrbRTr5NrkM?si=spc3Fhmb-5GBI_Vc
https://www.shoplus.net/shop/detail/7495315412032719288?type=base&countryCode=US
https://www.gloda.vip/en/analysis/shop/detail/7495315412032719288
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