{{Short description|German water bottle manufacturer}} {{COI|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = air up GmbH | logo = | logo_caption = | logo_upright = <!-- default: 1 --> | logo_alt = | type = GmbH | industry = Bottle manufacturer | founded = 2018 | defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | fate = | successor = <!-- or: successors = --> | hq_location_city = Munich | hq_location_country = Germany | area_served = <!-- or: areas_served = --> | key_people = * Jannis Koppitz * Simon Nüesch * Christian Hauth * Magdalena Jüngst * Tim Jäger * Fabian Schlang | products = water bottle that enhances plain water with flavour | revenue = >€200 million<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Zoe |date=2024-05-17 |title=Air Up: scent-flavoured water bottle becomes latest playground craze |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/17/air-up-scent-flavoured-water-bottle-becomes-latest-playground-craze#:~:text=From%20nothing%20five%20years%20ago,for%20growing%20brands%20these%20days. |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> | num_employees = >300<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Gillner |first=Susanne |date=2023-04-25 |title=Air up: Umsatzwachstum von 75 Prozent in einem Jahr |url=https://www.wuv.de/Themen/Commerce/air-up-Umsatzwachstum-von-75-Prozent-in-einem-Jahr |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Werben & Verkaufen}}</ref> | parent = | website = {{URL|https://air-up.com}} }}
'''air up GmbH'''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-01 |title=air up GmbH |url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/de/D2601V_HRB247202 |access-date=2026-05-17 |website=OpenCorporates}}</ref> is a water bottle manufacturer headquartered in Munich, Germany.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Atmaca |first=Elif |date=2024-03-15 |title=Geschmack durch Duft? Air-Up-Wasserflasche im Check |url=https://www.faz.net/kaufkompass/quickcheck/air-up-wasserflasche-im-quickcheck/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoffmann |first=Catherine |date=2023-04-24 |title=Wenn Leitungswasser nach Kokos schmeckt |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/muenchen-getraenke-air-up-bachelorarbeit-1.5819228?reduced=true |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Süddeutsche Zeitung}}</ref> The company claims to have developed a drinking system that works through scents by means of retronasal smell.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Skowronek |first=Max |date=2024-11-01 |title=Expansion in Europa und den USA: Wie Air Up den Einzelhandel erobern will |url=https://www.businessinsider.de/gruenderszene/business/expansion-in-europa-und-den-usa-wie-air-up-den-einzelhandel-erobern-will/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> The company employed more than 300 employees by 2023.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" />
== History == === Foundation and expansion (2018–2022) === Founded in 2018 by Fabian Schlang, Tim Jäger, Lena Jüngst, Simon Nüesch, and Jannis Koppitz,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Mathewson |first=Fiona |date=2021-09-29 |title=Münchener Trinkflaschen-Startup Air Up kassiert 40 Millionen Euro |url=https://www.businessinsider.de/gruenderszene/food/air-up-40-millionen-d/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> the idea for air up emerged in 2016 during the product design studies of Jüngst and Jäger. Their aim was to develop a flavoured water option without added sugars.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Koerth |first=Katharina |date=2022-04-02 |title=Der zweifelhafte Hype um die Duftwasserfirma Air Up |url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/air-up-der-zweifelhafte-hype-um-die-duftwasser-firma-a-37a1f095-86c3-400b-a51a-f2f68060aa45 |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Der Spiegel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-23 |title=Lena Jüngst |url=https://www.forbes.at/artikel/lena-juengst |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Forbes}}</ref>
Within the first six weeks of its establishment, the company sold 80,000 bottles via online marketplaces and offline retail.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clawson |first=Trevor |date=2022-04-21 |title=New Tricks – Why A German Water Bottle Startup Has Attracted Investment From Pepsico |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevorclawson/2021/10/18/new-trickswhy-a-german-water-bottle-startup-has-attracted-investment-from-pepsico/ |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Forbes}}</ref> By 2019, their bottles were being sold online.<ref name=":1" />
The company subsequently expanded across Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands,<ref name=":0" /> France, Belgium, the United Kingdom,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ströbitzer |first=Sophie |date=2022-01-13 |title=Die Nase trinkt mit |url=https://www.forbes.at/artikel/die-nase-trinkt-mit |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Forbes}}</ref> Italy, and Sweden.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2022-07-13 |title=Start-Up Agentur Tres Bien begleitet Air Up jetzt auch in den USA |url=https://www.wuv.de/Themen/Agentur/Start-Up-Agentur-Tres-Bien-begleitet-Air-Up-jetzt-auch-in-den-USA#:~:text=Guillaume%20Champeau%20(l.),Up%20sogar%20in%20die%20USA.&text=75%20Prozent%20der%20Amerikaner%3Ainnen%20sind%20chronisch%20dehydriert. |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Werben & Verkaufen}}</ref> In 2022, air up made its entry into the US market<ref name=":6" /> and introduced eleven new flavours that same year.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Bothe |first=Claudia |date=2024-03-19 |title=Es gibt kein nachhaltiges Produkt |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/karriere-hochschule/air-up-gruenderin-es-gibt-kein-nachhaltiges-produkt-19576997.html |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung}}</ref>
Over the years, the company has raised over €60 million through various funding rounds, attracting investments from beverage company PepsiCo and venture capitalist Frank Thelen. In the fiscal year 2022, air up reported a revenue increase of 75%, reaching approximately €160 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schimroszik |first=Nadine |date=2023-12-15 |title=Air Up wehrt sich gegen Greenwashing-Vorwürfe |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/gadgets/start-up-check-air-up-wehrt-sich-gegen-greenwashing-vorwuerfe/100003017.html |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Handelsblatt}}</ref>
=== Recent developments (2022–2024) === Between 2022 and 2024, air up invested over €20 million in production improvements. To ensure sustainable production practices, the company has relocated its bottle manufacturing from China to Europe: The production of the tritan bottles is located in Austria, while the pods are produced in the Netherlands.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dörr |first=Rebecca |date=2020-01-20 |title=Air Up: Die neue Generation die Trinkflasche |url=https://www.mz.de/leben/air-up-die-neue-generation-die-trinkflasche-3139999 |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Mitteldeutsche Zeitung}}</ref><ref name=":7" />
In 2023, over 10,000 sold counterfeit air up products were recorded. This led to significant revenue losses for the company – over €10 million – as some customers opted for these cheaper imitations instead of the original product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nowshin |first=Sadia |date=2024-02-22 |title=How going viral on TikTok cost this startup €10m in revenue |url=https://sifted.eu/articles/air-up-copycats |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Sifted}}</ref>
By early 2024, however, air up had sold over 5 million bottles and achieved a tenfold increase in revenue within three years.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Gorgs |first=Claus |date=2024-05-07 |title=Wie Air Up erfolgreich eine Illusion verkauft |url=https://www.manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/handel/air-up-die-flasche-ist-nicht-mehr-genug-a-df67fb27-f99b-4551-8129-96432bf94135 |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Manager Magazin}}</ref>
== Product and technology == The core principle behind air up is retronasal olfaction,<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2023-10-12 |title=Review: The Air Up Water Bottle |url=https://www.wired.com/review/air-up-water-bottle/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |magazine=Wired}}</ref> a process where scents are detected through the nasal cavity as air is exhaled, enhancing the perception of taste.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Heilmann |first1=Stefan |last2=Strehle |first2=Gundel |last3=Rosenheim |first3=Kati |last4=Damm |first4=Michael |last5=Hummel |first5=Thomas |date=2002-04-01 |title=Clinical Assessment of Retronasal Olfactory Function |url=http://archotol.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/archotol.128.4.414 |journal=Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery |language=en |volume=128 |issue=4 |pages=414–418 |doi=10.1001/archotol.128.4.414 |pmid=11926917 |issn=0886-4470|url-access=subscription }}</ref> By leveraging this biological mechanism, air up creates the impression of drinking flavoured water without actually incorporating any flavours, sugars, or additives into the liquid.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2022-09-15 |title=Cleverer Anreiz für Wassermuffel |url=https://www.test.de/air-up-im-test-5914249-0/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Stiftung Warentest}}</ref>
The air up bottles are made from durable, BPA-free plastic<ref name=":3" /> or alternatively from steel. The sizes for the plastic bottles range from 650 mL to 850 mL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ludlow |first=David |date=2023-07-20 |title=Air Up Water Bottle Review |url=https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/air-up-water-bottle |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Trusted Reviews}}</ref> The bottles feature a built-in straw.<ref name=":3" /> The straw directs airflow through the scent pods as users drink, allowing the aromas to reach the olfactory receptors. This creates the perception of flavoured water in the brain.<ref name=":4" />
Scent pods are small, interchangeable cartridges located at the top of the bottle. Each pod contains aromas from plant-based ingredients and can flavour several litres of water.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":3" /> The pods are made from recyclable materials and available in different flavours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ströbitzer |first=Sophie |date=2022-01-13 |title=Die Nase trinkt mit |url=https://www.forbes.at/artikel/die-nase-trinkt-mit |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-27 |title=Wasser trinken, Limonade schmecken, Plastik sparen? Wir haben Air up getestet |url=https://www.watson.de/nachhaltigkeit/im-test/710438390-wasser-trinken-limonade-schmecken-plastik-sparen-wir-haben-air-up-getestet |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Watson}}</ref>
== Reception == In January 2022, Daniel Böniger wrote in ''Der Bund'' that the drinking bottles from air up had become a "must-have for teenagers", while questioning the price point of the bottles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Böniger |first=Daniel |date=2022-01-19 |title=So teuer kann Wassertrinken sein |url=https://www.derbund.ch/so-teuer-kann-wassertrinken-sein-324513553295 |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Der Bund}}</ref> Jelmer Luimstra analysed in Business Insider Nederland in 2023, that the cost for the pods per litre is on average lower than the cost for the same amount of fizzy or flavoured drinks bought in supermarkets, however, customers only save money over a longer period of time due to the initial cost of the bottle. Luimstra also said that the strength of flavour varies between the pods.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Luimstra |first=Jelmer |date=2023-02-23 |title=Zijn geurpods van waterfles Air Up goedkoper dan gewone frisdrank? We keken naar het prijsverschil met goedkope Aldi-frisdrank en Coca-Cola |url=https://www.businessinsider.nl/air-up-geurpods-prijs-frisdrank-coca-cola-vergelijken/ |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=Business Insider Nederland |language=nl-NL}}</ref>
Katharina Koerth wrote in ''Der Spiegel'' in April 2022 that air up is one of the most successful startup brands in Germany. Through research into the company's practices however, Koerth commented that the website claimed that the scent pods are made from recycled materials, which upon further investigation turned out to be untrue, with company management stating that the pods have not been made from recycled materials, but from recyclable materials. The mistake on the website was acknowledged and the wording was changed shortly after. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Koerth |first=Katharina |date=2022-04-02 |title=Der zweifelhafte Hype um die Duftwasserfirma Air Up |url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/air-up-der-zweifelhafte-hype-um-die-duftwasser-firma-a-37a1f095-86c3-400b-a51a-f2f68060aa45 |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Der Spiegel}}</ref> Zoe Wood of ''The Guardian'' suggested in May 2024 that air up "might keep children away from sugary drinks".<ref name=":8" />
In an October 2024 article, Elisabeth Gerstendorfer of ''Kurier'' quoted Klaus Dürrschmid from the ''Institute of Food Sciences'' in Vienna. He said that air up uses only "food-grade flavours" which pose "no toxicological risk" and comply with legal standards applicable to the food and beverage industry.<ref>"Das „Duftwasser“ im Check". ''Kurier''. 2024-10-25.</ref>
Max Skowronek from ''Business Insider'' wrote in November 2024 that air up had "managed to grow from a small startup to a successful company within a few years".<ref name=":0" />
== References == <references responsive />
Category:Manufacturing companies of Germany Category:German companies established in 2018 Category:Companies based in Munich