Theplugdrink
Founded 2019 · 59 employees on LinkedIn · 18 known investors
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The Plug sells liver-support supplements made from a blend of 13 plants, fruits, and flowers based on Traditional Korean Herbal Medicine (Hanyak), sold directly to consumers. Its products aim to support liver, gut, and overall health, including recovery from drinking, and are offered as a drink and pills.
Also known as The Plug · The Plug Drink · The Plug Drink, Inc.
Founders & leadership
Theplugdrink was founded in 2019 by Justin Kim.
Investors · 18
Also in the syndicate · 16
Company profile
researched Aug 2026The Plug Drink, Inc. ("The Plug") is a Los Angeles, California-based functional wellness company that makes plant-based liver health supplements. Its two product lines are The Plug Drink, a 15-calorie recovery beverage, and The Plug Pills, a zero-calorie capsule format; the two are also sold together as a "Plug Power Duo" combo and, since June 2025, in a Pill Jar format. Products are positioned as daily liver support that also addresses digestion and gut health, cholesterol and immunity, energy, hydration and post-drinking recovery.
The formulation draws on Hanyak (traditional Korean herbal medicine) and combines 13 plants, fruits and flowers plus vitamins, including milk thistle, turmeric, oriental raisin tree (DHM), dandelion, schisandra chinensis, pueraria lobata (kudzu), chrysanthemum, honeysuckle flower, artemisia, morus alba, pine needles, alder tree, purslane, licorice root and vitamins B1, B2 and B6, along with electrolytes in the drink. The company states its proprietary Plug Blend carries a 10.83g herbal concentration, up from the 3.6g concentration cited in 2021, and that a clinical study approved by the Korean Ministry of Food & Drug Safety showed reductions in AST and ALT liver enzyme levels of 15.77% and 22.50% respectively. An enhanced "5.0" formula was introduced in February 2024.
Founding story
The Plug was founded in 2019 by brothers Ray and Justin Kim, who, after observing the prevalence of fatty liver disease in the United States and South Korea's herbal recovery innovations, set out to adapt Korean herbal medicine into a modern wellness product for the U.S. market, starting with The Plug Drink and later adding pill formats.
Business model
The Plug sells consumer supplement products — a bottled recovery drink, pills, and drink-plus-pill combos — through its own e-commerce site and through retail distribution. Unit pricing starts at $3.39 per bottle, $1.75 per pill and $3.00 per drink-plus-two-pills combo, with subscription-style customer communications referenced in company announcements.
Revenue comes from product sales through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and wholesale/retail channels; LeadIQ estimates annual revenue in the $10M-$25M range as of July 2026.
Traction
The Plug reported expansion to more than 700 retail locations within six months in 2021, over 500 stores including GNC and 7-11 by January 2023, a No. 147 ranking on the 2024 Inc. 5000, nationwide distribution in Total Wine & More from September 2025, and its first profitable month in August 2025. Estimated annual revenue is $10M-$25M and headcount approximately 54 as of July 2026.
Latest developments
In October 2025 the company announced $5 million in equity and debt funding to fund marketing and retail rollouts, with the round left open to additional strategic investors. It said it was in the final stages of a project intended to raise gross margins by 40%, was developing new packaging formats and ingestion methods, had announced a partnership with a $500 million nutrition telehealth company, and had recorded its first profitable month in August 2025.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
The Plug positions itself as a leading plant-based liver health supplement and functional recovery brand, claiming to be the first plant-based recovery drink and to have the highest herbal concentration in its category. It was ranked No. 147 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. Companies cited as comparable include kencko, MatchaBar, Recess and 2 Towns Ciderhouse.
Differentiators cited by the company include a plant-based 13-ingredient Korean herbal formula, a clinical study approved by the Korean Ministry of Food & Drug Safety showing AST/ALT reductions within 7 days, an herbal concentration stated as 25x higher than competitors, a dual-action drink-plus-pill regimen, and formulations that are vegan-friendly, non-GMO, gluten-free, and free of added sugar, caffeine, fat and cholesterol.
Technology
The product is built on a proprietary herbal formula ("The Plug Blend") of 13 plants, fruits and flowers derived from traditional Korean herbal medicine, supported by a clinical study approved by the Korean Ministry of Food & Drug Safety. The company reports working on new packaging formats and ingestion methods for the same formula. Its website stack includes Shopify-style e-commerce with React, Visual Website Optimizer, Rebuy Engine, Amazon ALB and Web Vitals.
Go-to-market
The company combines direct-to-consumer online sales with retail expansion and marketing partnerships. Early growth came from DTC traction plus a Southern California retail presence, expanding to more than 700 retail locations by late 2021 and over 500 stores including GNC and 7-11 by early 2023, followed by nationwide placement in all Total Wine & More locations in September 2025. It has used in-store roadshows (including with Sam's Club), a brand ambassador affiliate program, event and hospitality activations, celebrity investors, and sports and lifestyle partnerships such as UFC 264/TAO Group and LezVolley. Capital raised in 2025 is earmarked for increased marketing investment and further retail rollouts.
Consumers seeking liver health support, hangover and post-drinking recovery, hydration and general wellness, including active and health-conscious buyers; company materials cite the prevalence of fatty liver disease, said to affect 1 in 3 Americans.
Geography
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with retail distribution across major U.S. cities, including early presence in Southern California and state-wide coverage in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and nationwide placement in Total Wine & More. The company brought in Korean venture funds in 2025, and a third-party directory lists staff across North America, Asia and Europe.
History
Founded in 2019, the company built early traction through direct-to-consumer sales and Southern California retail, partnered with the UFC for UFC 264 and TAO Group in 2021, and closed a $1.5 million seed round in October 2021 with investors including Jack Harlow, Backend Capital and Kaieteur Capital. Red Door Capital Partners invested in February 2022, and by January 2023 the company had raised $2.5 million total from investors including Jack Harlow, Red Door Capital, Backend Capital, Blue Equity and Kombo, with products in over 500 stores. It launched an enhanced 5.0 formula in February 2024, ranked No. 147 on the 2024 Inc. 5000, released The Plug Pill Jar in June 2025, expanded into Total Wine & More nationwide in September 2025, and announced a $5 million equity and debt venture round on October 3, 2025 that spanned the prior 14 months and remained open to additional strategic investors.
Risks & controversies
Product benefit claims on the company's site are accompanied by asterisked disclaimers, and health-related assertions such as cholesterol reduction, immunity and liver cleansing rest on the company's own clinical study and marketing materials. Third-party directory figures for revenue, headcount and cumulative funding are estimates and differ in framing from company announcements; the October 2025 round remained open rather than fully closed.
Compiled by commissioned research from 4 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 8
launches, deals, and filingsThe Plug expanded distribution into all Total Wine & More locations nationwide.
The company launched The Plug Pill Jar format during its venture round period.
The company announced to subscribers a partnership with a $500mm nutrition telehealth company.
The Plug Drink, Inc. was ranked No. 147 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list.
The Plug Drink launched an enhanced 5.0 version of its formula.
LezVolley partnered with The Plug Drink as its plant-based recovery drink partner.
The Plug partnered with the Ultimate Fighting Championship as an Official Partner for UFC 264, and with TAO Group.
Liquid I.V. co-founder Hayden Fulstone was onboarded as The Plug's fourth advisor, joining an advisory board that includes Ethelbert Williams, Thor Richardson, John Terzian, Brian Toll and Tony LaPenna.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 4
primary sources listed
- Theplugdrinktheplugdrink.com · web
4 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Theplugdrink do?
- The Plug is a Los Angeles plant-based liver health supplement brand selling a Korean-herbal recovery drink and pills.
- Who founded Theplugdrink?
- Theplugdrink was founded by Justin Kim in 2019.
- Who are Theplugdrink's investors?
- Theplugdrink's investors include Entrepreneur Ventures, Kombo Ventures.