TL;DR: How Grüns Grew Like an AI Company
Grüns isn’t your average supplement startup.
Launched in 2023 by founder Chad Janis, the brand set out to reinvent daily nutrition — not with powders or pills, but with gummies.
In just two years, they’ve hit nine-figure annual recurring revenue, landed on the shelves at Target, Walmart, and Sprouts, and earned a $500M valuation.
Crazy part? They’ve done it by acting less like a wellness company…
and more like a tech startup.
They’ve treated their brand like a product in beta — testing, iterating, and listening to customers in real time — all while building one of the most engaging supplement brands on the internet.
We just surpassed $300M of ARR in 24 months! But this growth story isn’t ours -- it’s YOURS. 🐻
What’s fun for me in this article is the Grüns comparison to well-respected, hyper-growth AI… | Chad Janis | 46 comments
We just surpassed $300M of ARR in 24 months! But this growth story isn’t ours -- it’s YOURS. 🐻
What’s fun for me in this article is the Grüns comparison to well-respected, hyper-growth AI startups like Cursor. One big way we're different, as every great CPG brand must be? We’ve been profitable for over a year now.
When you read an article like this, I hope you feel what we feel: we're not at a finish line. We're just getting started and are 100% committed to continuously innovating and improving to deliver better nutrition for you, our customers and community.
I sat down with David Lidsky at Inc. Magazine to unpack what's driven our growth so far and to share a few of the promises we're bringing to you next! 👀
Some of the things I want YOU to celebrate with us:
- Retail expansion to 6,300 stores (👈 with 1 new retailer announcement I’ll share soon!)
- 1 BILLION gummies shipped!
- Limited-time drops like Raspberry Lemonade and Grünny Smith Apple, designed to celebrate you and keep Grüns fresh and fun as your daily nutrition supplement! Join our SMS subscription (it's free!) to hear about upcoming drops :)
- A holiday limited-time drop coming in 2 weeks that I’m sure will bring you joy! 👀
- New nootropics innovation with Nütrops (👈 massive Nütrops announcement coming soon too!)
- Immün sold out in one day (PSA: hop on the waitlist as we open new subscription spots!)
- In-house product development pushing gummy science forward with two in-house gummy R&D labs! Additional bold innovations coming soon.
- Serious testing and validation to ensure you always get the best. We take science and verification seriously.
If you haven’t tried Grüns yet and you’re wondering how we’ve grown this quickly, try one snack pack. I think you'll understand.
Thank you for celebrating this moment with me. It’s surreal for me to pause, even briefly, to appreciate the joy and nutrition we’re providing to millions.
Thank you. 💚
https://lnkd.in/gnmk4sj2 | 46 comments on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/posts/chadjanis_we-just-surpassed-300m-of-arr-in-24-months-activity-7386789403664252928-YFBP?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAnqVbgBfPzu6YY8jfjXQ1aPYKY2fwqTji0
3 Takeaways You Can Apply to Your Business
1. Make it a habit, not a product.
Grüns nailed something most brands overlook: convenience and consistency drive retention.
People don’t want to mix powders or swallow horse pills. They want something easy — even fun.
Eight gummies a day turned vitamins into a ritual.
Ask yourself: What would make your product easier, faster, or more enjoyable to use every single day?
2. Ship fast, fix fast.
In its first year, Grüns made five major formula and flavor changes based on customer feedback.
They didn’t wait for perfect — they launched, listened, and improved.
Ask yourself: Are you collecting real feedback from your buyers, and acting on it fast enough?
3. Stand out by breaking category rules.
While most supplement brands speak in sterile “doctor’s office” language, Grüns went bright, bold, and playful.
They built something that looks and feels different — shareable packaging, irreverent tone, and social-first storytelling.
Ask yourself: What’s the norm in your category? And how can you flip it so your brand feels fresh, not familiar?
The Bottom Line
Grüns proves you don’t need AI to grow like an AI company.
You just need to move fast, listen hard, and build a brand that people actually want to engage with every day.
