Aqua Theon's OoMee Awarded Best New Drink Concept in 2025 Beverage Digest Awards

OoMee wins recognition for first-of-its-kind marine plant beverage and launches new ready-to-drink Matcha

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- OoMee, the marine plant beverage from Aqua Theon, has been awarded Best New Drink Concept in the 2025 Beverage Digest Awards, up against products from established brands Spindrift, Tractor Beverage Company, and Pura Soda. The prestigious recognition celebrates OoMee's unique formulation featuring Seabiotics™, a proprietary blend of marine-derived compounds like agar-agar, positioning the brand as a category-defining innovation in the beverage space.

Since 2018, The Beverage Digest Awards have recognized the latest innovations and fan-favorite beverages that are single-serve, ready-to-drink, packaged, and non-alcoholic. This year's competition drew hundreds of entries across 12 categories, with a panel of independent industry experts scoring each submission on innovation, product differentiation, and category potential. The award recognized emerging and established brands like Spindrift, PepsiCo, Cann, Vitamin Water, Oatly, Celsius, Bulletproof, Bodyarmor, and Huel. OoMee competed against three other finalists in the Best New Drink Concept category, where judges specifically sought beverages demonstrating innovative concepts with the potential to develop new product categories or extend consumer choice. OoMee met this criteria by introducing marine nutrition as a functional beverage foundation and was named the winner in the category.

As the functional beverage market nears $339 billion by 2026, OoMee is redefining the category beyond carbonation, caffeine, and probiotics. While seaweed is emerging as the next breakout ingredient in Western wellness, OoMee is leading the beverage aisle in bringing this centuries-old superfood into the mainstream. Its Seabiotics™ blend transforms agar-agar into a light, refreshing, and easily digestible drink that promotes digestion and satiety. On the heels of this award win, OoMee is launching a ready-to-drink canned fruity Matcha–featuring agar-agar, fruit, and organic green tea–to expand its portfolio and bring the wellness benefits of seaweed into a beverage fit for today's modern matcha consumer.

"It's incredibly validating to see OoMee recognized alongside some of the beverage industry's most respected names," said Alissa Miky, Founder and CEO of OoMee. "The beverage space can feel oversaturated, but at OoMee, we're building something that hasn't been done before. By leading with marine nutrition and Seabiotics™, we're transforming the industry and blending the ancient Japanese wisdom from my culture into a product that today's modern consumer is enjoying. This award confirms we're making waves in the industry by offering something genuinely new, innovative, and exciting."

Why OoMee is the Best New Drink Concept for 2026:

• Supports Healthy Habits: Agar-agar supports satiety and feeling fuller longer.
• Good for the Gut: Non-carbonated with no bubbles that cause bloat or discomfort.
• Clean & Light: 20 calories, no added sugar, less than 10 ingredients.
• A Healthy Swap: Quality, shelf-stable alternative to beverages filled with sugar, additives, or fillers.
• Allergen-free: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, alcohol-free, non-GMO.
• Fruit-Forward, Botanical Flavors: Strawberry & Hibiscus, Blueberry & Elderflower, and Peach & Lemon.

Since launching in spring 2025 under Aqua Theon Inc.–which also includes viral seaweed candy brand Misaky.Tokyo–OoMee has achieved remarkable traction with distribution across 700+ retail stores nationwide, including Sprouts, Raley's, and Bristol Farms, plus Amazon. The brand has grown from zero to more than 100,000 units sold in just six months, alongside booming direct-to-consumer sales.

OoMee represents a departure from the functional beverage status quo. Instead of fizzy, stimulant-heavy drinks that can cause bloat or energy crashes, OoMee delivers gut support and gentle energy through ocean-farmed ingredients with minimal environmental impact, introducing a new class of functional refreshment.

Learn more at oomee.life.

SOURCE OoMee