Suplmnt, The Country's First Black-owned Insulated Water Bottle Brand

Now, more than ever, Black entrepreneurs are spreading their reach across an array of industries. Bringing innovative ideas and refreshed approaches to many products, techniques, and technologies while meeting needs that can have transformative effects.

Following a health scare, New Jersey native and CEO of Suplmnt, Jairus Morris, decided to turn a lifestyle change into a business with purpose.

“I had chronic dehydration, and I was having issues with my kidneys,” said Morris who started to have complications during the pandemic. “I was able to actually start hydrating and drinking more water and getting more active. I was able to reverse those results and now I'm perfectly healthy."

“Growing up in the inner city no one taught me, or my peers, the importance of drinking water and staying hydrated. In the majority of our households, high-sugar drinks such as Kool-Aid and soda were our only source of hydration. It wasn’t until later in life that I realized the health issues plaguing my family and friends had major roots in poor diet and hydration,” Morris states on Suplmnt's website.

Suplmnt is the first Black-owned insulated water bottle company in the U.S. The brand is steeped in sneaker culture and geared toward the Black and Brown communities taking style, culture and health into account. Committed to investing 10% of net sales into bottles and resources for its give-back program, Suplmnt is spreading the importance of proper hydration.

“I wanted to use the brand to be that pillar within the community. I feel like drinking water is the start that everybody can take.”

And Morris is spot on. Staying properly hydrated is linked to many health benefits, a study published this year in the journal eBioMedicine identified proper hydration as a major factor in significantly lowering the risk of developing chronic diseases. Proper hydration was also linked to looking and being biologically younger.

Through their give-back program, Suplmnt will provide free single-wall water bottles and educational materials regarding the importance of hydration to youth groups and sports programs in urban communities.

Suplmnt recently collaborated with Snipes and Adidas for a Juneteenth community initiative at their Brooklyn and Baltimore stores and continues to connect with other companies who believe in the brand.

As a Black business owner Morris credits consistency and self-belief to the growth of Suplmnt. “Staying consistent is one of the main reasons why we've been able to accomplish what we have accomplished so far,” said Morris. "And a lot of stuff that’s really happening and growing in the pipeline is really all based on being consistent." Along with the support of his wife, family friends and city, Suplmnt continues to grow in a lane all its own.