‘Love Island USA’ Star Amaya Espinal Lands Collaboration With Billion-Dollar Prebiotic Soda Brand Poppi
Amaya Espinal is collaborating with a billion-dollar soda brand.
As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Espinal rose to fame after her appearance on Season 7 of Peacock’s “Love Island USA,” where she ultimately won. The New York native is also a cardiac nurse who earned a degree from a two-year program in 2021.
In a TikTok video, she sits in the same car her mother purchased for her 21st birthday, and she admits that life looked very different just a year ago. She’s right, since now she has more than 7 million followers across TikTok and Instagram alone after appear on the show. She also gained a slew of brand deals, which include Hourglass Cosmetics, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Fenty Beauty, Garnier USA, and her latest Poppi. Pepsi acquired this prebiotic soda brand founded by Allison Ellsworth for $1.95 billion earlier this year.
At the Clover x Shark Tank Summit, held in September at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Ellsworth explained that the brand follows an 80/20 rule: allocating most of its annual operating plan and budget to planned cultural or major retail moments, while reserving the rest for timely, culturally relevant opportunities.
“For example, ‘Love Island’ was going really viral this summer. We did an Amaya Papaya meme and we were like, ‘Let’s make this flavor.’ It got picked up by people. It went viral,” Ellsworth recalled while onstage at the summit. “We got hundreds of thousands of views and likes. So much so we had a DM waiting for her when she got out and we were able to do that within three months. And we’re a huge company now.”
A post on Poppi’s Instagram confirms that the collaboration has officially kicked into gear, with the flavor “Amaya’s Island Colada” now available as a limited-edition offering.
“I launched my collaboration with Poppi. I think it’s called Amaya Colada. So happy to be sharing this project with you guys. I’m very passionate about it…” Espinal expressed on TikTok. “My life last year was completely different compared to what it is now. And earlier this year, it wasn’t the most easiest year because I did go through a really dark time. I went through a tragic loss of… it was a me vs. me moment. For me to still have faith and for me to keep on pushing forward… Now I have a Amaya Colada.”
She continued, “These are happy tears, by the way. But I’m feeling really, really blessed and thankful.”
@amayaelizabeth_ One to one with you all 🫶🏼
