As the better-for-you beverage space becomes more crowded, prebiotic iced tea brand Halfday is standing out with a refreshed brand identity that brings prebiotic benefits and flavor to the forefront, according to Co-founder Mike Lombardo in this episode of Brand Alchemy.
The rebrand arrives at a critical moment of growth for the startup, which expanded from 2,000 to 7,000 retail doors in just six months, according to Lombardo.
Evolving to keep pace with consumer preferences
The Halfday team spent nearly a year developing the rebrand, which officially rolled out in spring 2025, Lombardo said. The decision was sparked by rapid retail expansion and a need to communicate the product’s value more clearly to consumers.
“We noticed some gaps in how we were communicating the value of the brand,” Lombardo said. “We felt like we could do a better job of showing who we are, what we do, why you should drink Halfday over other sugary iced teas.”
Halfday redesigned its can to feature a cleaner layout with horizontal text for shelf readability and more prominent claims around flavor and functionality. The new look retains the brand’s signature bright color palette while introducing thoughtful color associations for each SKU.
For example, the peach iced tea features peach-orange tones with yellow accents to match the fruit’s interior, while the lemon black tea leans into a vibrant blue-and-yellow scheme to evoke summer refreshment, he explained.
The updated front-of-pack now explicitly calls out “prebiotic iced tea” – which contains 6 grams in each 12-ounce serving – a change from earlier iterations that omitted the term altogether. The packaging also calls out the sugar content (between 3-5 grams of sugar from organic cane sugar).
“We never had prebiotic on the front,” Lombardo noted of the original packaging. “We felt like the education was not quite there yet.”
With greater consumer familiarity around gut health, the team felt confident putting the functional callout front and center, he added.
For comparison, gut health sodas like Olipop contain 9 grams of prebiotic fiber and between 2-5 grams of stevia and Daytrip which contains between 5-7 grams of prebiotic fiber and 5 grams of organic cane sugar.
Welcome to Brand Alchemy
Brand Alchemy is a monthly multimedia series from FoodNavigator-USA that delves into the art and science of transforming products into brands. In this series, we explore how strategic design, compelling marketing and creative packaging shape CPG products into lasting impressions that resonate with consumers and drive sales.
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From personal health journey to national brand
Halfday’s origins are rooted in Co-founder Kayvon Jahanbakhsh’s personal health journey. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 18, Jahanbakhsh began exploring dietary changes and discovered the benefits of prebiotics. He started mixing them into hot tea, which eventually led to a refreshing cold version – and the seed for Halfday.
“One summer, he made an iced version of that, and that iced version was sort of this ‘aha’ moment for us,” Lombardo recalled.
Inspired by nostalgic iced tea brands, but unsatisfied with their sugar content and lack of functional benefits, the founders saw a whitespace.
“The average age of iced tea brands is almost 50 years old when you look at the top selling iced tea brands in the country,” Lombardo said. “None of them were speaking to our desires as a modern consumer.”
Marketing moves: leaning into content and culture
Halfday is ramping up its digital marketing efforts, with a focus on influencer content and in-house video production. A recent April Fool’s Day prank on Halfday’s marketing director where one employee pretended to turn off her video camera so should make a cocktail with a can of Halfday created a “viral” moment for the brand on social media, Lombardo explained.
“We are starting to build out more on the digital side of marketing,” said Lombardo. “Leaning into content and meeting the consumer where they are consuming that content.”
The team is exploring experiential marketing, focusing on the leisure associations of iced tea. “With a brand name like Halfday, it just feels right” to know “the iced tea consumption occasion is generally one of leisure and relaxation.”
Packaging with purpose
From the start, Halfday has been packaged in 12-ounce cans – a decision informed by both cost and consumer behavior.
“When it comes to shipping on ecomm, a 12-ounce standard can is probably your most cost-effective,” Lombardo said. “We also thought about the serving size,” and while “it’s not a beverage that you’re necessarily drinking all day, it’s a nice moment of refreshment.”
With the rebrand now in market and retail growth accelerating, Halfday is focused on building awareness and trial across both digital and physical channels in the upcoming year, he added.
