The most effective supplement in the world, by a wide margin, is a white powder that tastes like chalk. For decades, that has been the primary barrier to entry for creatine monohydrate, a molecule proven to boost muscle strength, recovery, and cognitive function. Create Wellness, a New York startup, is betting that the solution is not a better-tasting powder, but a gummy. It’s a simple, almost obvious idea that asks a more complex question: can you turn a niche bodybuilding staple into a daily wellness habit for everyone else?
Since co-founding the company in December 2022, Dan McCormick and Sienna Mori have positioned their creatine gummies as the accessible, convenient alternative to the tubs of powder that dominate supplement store shelves [Perplexity Sonar Pro Brief]. The bet is that a familiar, candy-like format can overcome the taste and mixing hassle that has kept creatine in the gym bro aisle. It’s a classic consumer packaged goods play, and the company’s recent $20 million Series B, led by Alliance Consumer Growth with participation from Impact Capital and Unilever Ventures, suggests investors see a path to scale [NutraIngredients, March 2026].
The CPG Wedge
Create’s strategy is pure consumer goods logic. Identify a proven, underpenetrated ingredient with a clear efficacy story, then package it in a format that removes friction. For creatine, the science is settled; it’s one of the most studied supplements in sports nutrition. The problem has always been the user experience. McCormick, who previously worked in operations and business development at companies like Away, observed this mismatch firsthand [The Org, 2026]. The gummy is the wedge, designed not for athletes optimizing their tenth of a gram, but for health-conscious consumers looking for an easy add to their morning routine.
The company has moved quickly to establish retail presence, a critical moat for any DTC-born CPG brand. Its products are now on shelves at The Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, Wegmans, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Target [Forbes, 2026]. In April 2026, it began a nationwide rollout of a Creatine + Electrolytes product in Target stores, a significant vote of confidence from a mass merchant [Morningstar/PR Newswire, 2026]. This omnichannel footprint, combined with NSF certification and third-party testing for quality, aims to build trust beyond the core fitness audience [Onward Checkout+].
The Investor Playbook
The Series B round reveals the kind of company Create aims to become. Alliance Consumer Growth, the lead investor, specializes in scaling high-potential consumer brands. Perhaps more telling is the participation from Impact Capital, the family office of Mike Repole, the entrepreneur who co-founded vitaminwater and BODYARMOR before selling them for billions [NutraIngredients, March 2026]. Repole’s playbook is written in beverage aisles across America: take a functional ingredient, wrap it in charismatic branding, and drive it into mainstream distribution. His involvement is a signal that Create is being viewed through a lens of mass-market potential, not just supplement niche.
The funding history shows a rapid acceleration.
2024 Series A | 5 | M USD
2026 Series B | 20 | M USD
The capital is earmarked for expanding retail distribution, consumer education, product innovation, and marketing,the full CPG scale-up checklist [NutraIngredients, March 2026].
Where the Formula Could Fizzle
For all its momentum, Create’s bet faces real-world pressures. The wellness gummy category is already crowded with vitamins, melatonin, and CBD. Standing out requires continuous marketing spend, and retail shelf space is expensive real estate won through velocity and trade promotions. Then there is the competition.
- Ingredient commoditization. Creatine monohydrate itself is a generic, inexpensive raw material. The brand’s premium is entirely built on format, branding, and convenience, which can be vulnerable to private-label imitation once the market is proven.
- Retail execution. Securing a nationwide Target rollout is one thing. Maintaining velocity, managing out-of-stocks, and funding the co-op marketing demands of big-box retailers is another, often capital-intensive, operational lift.
- The powder incumbent. The established giants of sports nutrition, like Optimum Nutrition or MuscleTech, have deep relationships with the core creatine user and vast marketing budgets. They could decide to launch a competing gummy line tomorrow, leveraging their existing distribution and credibility.
The company’s answer, implied by its hires and investor base, is to out-execute on brand building and retail partnerships before that happens. Job postings for a VP of Growth Marketing and multiple video editor roles point to a heavy focus on social and brand content to drive demand [Workable, 2026].
The Next Twelve Months
The coming year will be about proving the unit economics of this candy-coated science experiment. Success won’t be measured by social media buzz, but by repeat purchase rates at Target and the ability to expand the line beyond a single hero product. The involvement of investors like Repole suggests the ambition is to build a portfolio brand around performance wellness, not just sell a single SKU.
A back-of-the-envelope calculation highlights the scale of the bet. If a single 60-count bottle of Create gummies retails for around $30, the company would need to sell over 650,000 bottles just to generate the $20 million it just raised in its Series B. That’s before accounting for the cost of goods, marketing, and retail margins. The real goal is to move a volume that makes that math trivial, turning occasional buyers into daily users.
Ultimately, Create Wellness isn’t just competing with other gummy brands. Its true incumbent is the classic plastic tub of unflavored creatine powder,a product that is brutally effective, dirt cheap, and historically unpleasant to consume. To win, Create must convince millions of people that the premium for taste and convenience is worth it, transforming a laboratory staple into a pantry staple.
Sources
- [Forbes, 2026] Create Wellness retail availability | https://www.forbes.com/
- [Morningstar/PR Newswire, 2026] CREATE WELLNESS ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT GROWTH CAPITAL ROUND FROM LEADING CPG INVESTORS | https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20260330ny79010/create-wellness-announces-significant-growth-capital-round-from-leading-cpg-investors
- [NutraIngredients, March 2026] Create raises $20M in Series B to expand creatine access and innovation | https://www.nutraingredients.com/
- [Onward Checkout+, undated] Create Wellness product claims | https://onwardcheckout.com/
- [Perplexity Sonar Pro Brief, undated] Company overview and founding details | https://www.perplexity.ai/
- [The Org, 2026] Dan McCormick career background | https://theorg.com/
- [Workable, 2026] Create Wellness, Inc. - Current Openings | https://apply.workable.com/create-wellness-inc/