‘Call Her Daddy’ host Alex Cooper’s Unwell beverage business is shutting down

Top podcaster Alex Cooper's beverage business, Unwell Beverage Co., is shutting down, revealing the difficulties online creators face when trying to expand into new ventures away from their primary content. In 2025, Cooper joined forces with Nestlé SA to launch the brand, which debuted as Unwell Hydration and offered three flavors containing electrolytes, vitamins, and caffeine.

The company soon added protein- and energy-focused beverages to its lineup. The drinks, which often appear in Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast episodes, aimed to differentiate themselves by marketing to women, as Cooper noted that the energy drink market is often targeted at men. In May, the company launched a limited-edition "red, white, and blueberry" flavor exclusively at Target.

Cooper's foray into beverages complemented her broader ambitions to grow beyond being just a podcaster. She and her husband Matt Kaplan founded Unwell, which encompasses both her podcast business and his movie and TV production work. Soon, the duo expanded their network with other podcasts and produced TV shows for Hollywood studios.

In April, Bloomberg reported that Unwell was struggling due to juggling multiple ventures, including executive turnover, underperforming shows, and staff issues. The company declined to comment on the matter. Cooper recently raised $500 million in funding, led by Hollywood super agent Patrick Whitesell, to fuel the growth of her network and the ad agency she recently launched.