Wonderbelly is betting big on gut feelings.
After launching at Target in 2023, the clean digestive health brand founded by brothers Lucas and Noah Kraft will now be available in 5,505 CVS doors, bringing its total retail count to 10,000 stores nationwide. The brand’s goal? Go big in mass and compete with the heritage brands that have dominated the space for more than a century.
“We’ve always had this strong thesis-driven mentality around the company,” said Noah Kraft, also the brand’s chief executive officer. “We want to make sure that consumers know where to find us because we’re focused on retail.”
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Wonderbelly, which has grown 2,500 percent over the past year, was born out of Lucas Kraft’s experience with an eating disorder and subsequent recovery, which left him with digestive issues requiring consistent use of support products. Finding that the medications on the market weren’t up to par — they were packed with talc and ingredients the brothers felt were fillers — they set out to create an alternative.
The brand first disrupted the market with its Wonderbelly Antacid, $12, formulated with the FDA-approved monograph calcium carbonate and without talc, dyes, parabens and artificial sweeteners. In April, the brand took its mission a step further, launching its Bloat and Gas Relief, $12, which also competes with heritage brands that often have fillers similar to antacids. The launch, according to the brothers, has exceeded expectations, though they didn’t share specific sales figures.
“The second launch went as well if not better than the Antacid launch,” Noah Kraft said. “The response from consumers is exactly what we were looking for.”
CVS is a perfect fit, according to the brothers.
“The drug channel was the very natural next place for us to go,” said Noah Kraft. “It’s the largest channel where antacids are sold.”
In addition to the CVS expansion and new product development — Noah Kraft shared there’s another “imminent product [in] the pipeline” — the team also recently secured a $12 million series A led by Loft Growth Partners with participation from L Catterton, Silas Capital, Jeremy Liew, Andrew Abraham and previous investors.
“We have raised enough money to reach profitability, so we will be a self-sustaining business off this last raise, which gives us a lot of latitude to make [the] right decisions for the long term,” Noah Kraft said.
The team has three specific areas the funding will be allocated toward: research and development; headcount, and marketing, which the brand is just starting to invest more heavily in, according to Noah Kraft.
While Wonderbelly has a mission to creating clean alternatives to every product in the OTC digestive health segment, the team’s unusual flavors — like mango smoothie, strawberry milkshake and fruity cereal — are bringing in repeat customers.
“The number-one reason people recommend us is taste,” said Noah Kraft. “We want this to be a product you love.”
Additionally, to celebrate the launch of the Bloat and Gas Relief, the team created “An Adult’s Guide to Farts,” an educational and comical coffee table book written by Lucas Kraft.
“It’s another thing that I hope people recognize. It just sets us [apart],” Lucas Kraft said. “You’d never see that from a medicine company, any attempt to humanize or connect with the users of the product.”
The core Wonderbelly customer is a 25- to 45-year-old and is female-leaning, the brothers said. However, the duo have found that these Gen Zs and Millennials are bringing their parents into the fold.
“People give it to their parents and say stop using what you’re using,” said Lucas Kraft. “We fortunately have a product that people love to share and show people.”
With women dominating the brand’s customer base, a few key insights have popped up for the team.
“We have found that our most potent entry point for the consumer is pregnancy, so 72 percent of pregnant women suffer from heartburn,” said Noah Kraft.
The team has quickly responded, launching the Wonderbelly Baby Belly Rescue Bundle, $25, and bringing on an OB-GYN to their medical board. Additionally, many are seeking out the brand for weddings, bachelorette parties and other festivities.
While the brand is bullish on these moments of surprise-and-delight, the mission has stayed the same and continues to drive the business.
“Our aim is to be the go-to for all digestive health needs, specifically when it comes to medicine and you’re looking for effective fast relief for something,” Lucas Kraft said. “We want to be the name that comes to your head… and your belly.”
