Egremont Lad's Fizzy Pop Firm Gets Justin Timberlake on Board Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel Join Egremont-Born Actor's Protein Soda Firm
Marra Mode is how we'd tell you this in the Co-op. Switch it off for the straight version.
Matthew Postlethwaite from Egremont, who was in Peaky Blinders, started a protein pop company in America. Now Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have joined in.
Here's one for Egremont to be proud of. Matthew Postlethwaite, the Egremont lad who was in Peaky Blinders, has a drinks company in America, and Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have just signed up as co-founders.
Matthew lives in Los Angeles these days. The whole thing started with his gran back home, after her doctor told her she needed more protein. As he put it: "I started thinking about how we could make getting protein easier, particularly for people who don't enjoy traditional protein shakes."
What he came up with is PRODA, a fizzy pop with 10 grams of protein and no sugar, meant to taste like a normal soft drink. He set it up with Jeff Church, an American who co-founded Suja Juice. Joey Gonzalez, who chairs the gym chain Barry's, is on board too. Timberlake and Biel will help with the look of the brand, new flavours and who they team up with.
It's doing well. PRODA started out in a US supermarket chain called Sprouts and says it's now the fastest-selling protein soda over there, going by IRI sales data. They reckon they'll pass $20 million in sales in 2027. Flavours include Shirley Temple, Strawberry Lemonade, Golden Apple, Cherry Lime, Lemon Lime, Classic Orange and Root Beer.
Hollywood friends or not, he's not forgotten where he's from: "I grew up in Egremont, my family are still there, and it will always be home."
If you fancy trying it, it's sold through Sprouts, Amazon and drinkproda.com, with the company focused on the States for now.
PRODA, the American protein soda company co-founded by Egremont-born Peaky Blinders actor Matthew Postlethwaite, has brought in Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel as co-founders. He says the idea began with his grandmother back home in Egremont.
This is for Egremont, and for anyone who enjoys a story about someone from West Cumbria doing well a long way from home. PRODA, a drinks company co-founded by Egremont-born actor Matthew Postlethwaite, has announced that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel have joined as co-founders.
Matthew, best known for his role in Peaky Blinders, now lives in Los Angeles. He told the Whitehaven News the idea came from his grandmother, whose doctor had said she needed more protein in her diet. He said: "I started thinking about how we could make getting protein easier, particularly for people who don't enjoy traditional protein shakes."
The result is a fizzy soft drink with 10 grams of complete protein and no sugar. He built the company with American drinks entrepreneur Jeff Church, co-founder of Suja Juice. Joey Gonzalez, executive chairman of the fitness brand Barry's, has also joined as a co-founder. Timberlake and Biel will help shape the brand's creative strategy, flavours, products and partnerships.
PRODA launched in the United States through Sprouts Farmers Market and says it is now the fastest-selling protein soda in the country, according to IRI data. The company expects revenue of more than $20 million in 2027. It comes in seven flavours: Shirley Temple, Strawberry Lemonade, Golden Apple, Cherry Lime, Lemon Lime, Classic Orange and Root Beer.
Despite the Hollywood names, Matthew says the business is still rooted at home. He said: "I grew up in Egremont, my family are still there, and it will always be home."
The drink is sold through Sprouts, Amazon and the company's website, drinkproda.com, and the firm is concentrating on growing across the United States.