From Energy Pioneer to Wellness Innovator: How Karma Water’s Founder Is Redefining the Functional Beverage Industry

CJ Rapp, the creator of Jolt Cola, targets the industry’s “dirty secret” of nutrient degradation with patented Push Cap technology.

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (Nov. 4, 2025) — The beverage entrepreneur who launched the modern energy drink category in 1985 is now leading a wellness revolution that challenges how the industry handles ingredient potency. CJ Rapp, known for disrupting the market with Jolt Cola, is now driving the growth of Karma Water, a functional beverage brand utilizing patented technology to solve a critical problem competitors ignore: the rapid degradation of active ingredients in premixed drinks.

Rapp’s trajectory from “all the sugar and twice the caffeine” to holistic wellness reflects a broader shift in consumer priorities over the last four decades. However, his latest venture is built on a scientific insight rather than just raw stimulation.

Solving the “Premixed” Problem

When Rapp founded Karma Culture LLC in 2011, he addressed a fundamental flaw in beverage manufacturing: vitamins, probiotics, and antioxidants deteriorate rapidly when premixed with water. Light exposure, temperature fluctuations, and shelf life all contribute to the erosion of potency. Consequently, consumers paying premium prices for functional beverages often receive only a fraction of the nutrients promised on the label.

Karma’s solution creates a new standard for shelf stability. The company’s patented Push Cap technology stores active ingredients in an airtight, moisture-free chamber separate from the water. This hermetic seal protects the nutrients until the consumer activates the cap seconds before drinking. Independent laboratory testing confirms that this delivery system enables Karma to deliver significantly higher levels of active ingredients compared to traditional premixed alternatives.

“We built the energy category in the 80s on intensity, but today’s consumer is looking for longevity and efficacy,” says CJ Rapp, CEO and Founder of Karma Water. “The industry has a dirty secret: if a vitamin-enhanced drink has been sitting on a shelf for six months, the potency just isn’t there anymore. With Karma, we are ensuring that if it says ‘probiotic’ or ‘energy’ on the label, that is exactly what your body gets.”

The Evolution: Jolt to Karma

Rapp’s influence on the beverage landscape is foundational. Jolt Cola gained cult status in the late 80s and 90s, establishing the route-to-market systems that many functional beverages use today. By pioneering relationships with beer distributors when traditional soda bottlers refused to carry competitors, Rapp helped create the “New Age” beverage distribution model.

Today, that experience is applied to a portfolio that prioritizes clean ingredients over excess.

• Karma Energy Water: A stark contrast to Jolt, this line features 150mg of natural caffeine from green tea and Cognizin® Citicoline, a clinically studied nootropic for mental clarity. It contains no artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, or preservatives.
• Karma Probiotic Water: Features 2 billion BC30® probiotic cultures, a highly stable spore-forming probiotic strain that supports digestive and immune health.
• Karma Stick Packs: An expansion into portable wellness, bringing Karma’s hydration technology to the on-the-go market.

As Karma expands its retail footprint and prepares for national distribution of their new Karma Stick Packs, the brand continues to push the industry toward greater transparency.

For more information about Karma Water and its proprietary technology, visit www.drinkkarma.com

About Karma Water

Karma Culture LLC, based in Pittsford, N.Y., is a manufacturer of naturally enhanced flavored waters featuring patented Push Cap Technology. Founded in 2011 by beverage innovator CJ Rapp, the company is dedicated to delivering optimal ingredient potency. The portfolio includes Karma Probiotic Water for digestive and immune support, Karma Energy Water for natural focus, and Karma Stick Packs for on-the-go hydration. All Karma Water products are naturally sweetened, vegan, non-GMO, and free of preservatives, gluten, and lactose. The brand is available in retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Wegmans, Kroger, Publix, and Sam’s Club.

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Heather Holmes
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