Who Makes Liquid Death

Liquid Death canned water and beverages are made by Liquid Death, Inc., a privately held company founded by Mike Cessario and headquartered in Los Angeles.

The company launched in December 2018 with a single product, canned mountain water, and has since grown into a beverage brand valued at 1.4 billion dollars as of March 2024.

What surprises a lot of people is that Liquid Death is not owned by a giant beverage company like Coca Cola or PepsiCo. It is still an independent, privately held business, even though its skull branded cans and heavy metal marketing now sit next to soda and energy drinks from the biggest names in the industry.

In this article we will cover who owns Liquid Death, when it was founded, where its water actually comes from and who cans it, what products it currently sells, how it compares to Topo Chico and Poppi, and whether it is worth buying.

Who Makes Liquid Death?

Liquid Death is made by Liquid Death, Inc., which also operates under the name Supplying Demand, Inc.

The company was founded and is still led by Mike Cessario, a former advertising creative director who came up with the idea after watching concertgoers drink water out of energy drink cans at a music festival.

According to Wikipedia, Liquid Death has raised money from a wide mix of venture capital firms and celebrity investors, but it has not been acquired by a larger parent company, and it remains privately held rather than publicly traded.

As of March 2024, outside investment data valued the company at approximately 1.4 billion dollars, a notable figure for a business built almost entirely around flavored and plain canned water.

That kind of valuation puts a canned water startup in the same conversation as far larger, decades old beverage companies, which is part of why so many shoppers are curious about who actually owns it.

When Was Liquid Death Founded?

Liquid Death was founded on December 18, 2018, by Mike Cessario in Los Angeles, California.

Cessario has said the idea came from watching people drink water out of Monster Energy cans backstage at a Vans Warped Tour concert years earlier, which made him realize a boring product like water could be marketed like a rebellious energy drink.

The brand built its early audience through irreverent social media videos rather than traditional advertising, which helped it stand out on store shelves against long established bottled water brands.

Within a few years of launching, Liquid Death expanded from a single still water can into sparkling water, iced tea, and eventually energy drinks.

Where Does Liquid Death Get Its Water?

Liquid Death sources its water from natural springs rather than municipal tap water.

According to can labeling, the company’s water comes from springs in either Bland, Virginia or Mackay, Idaho, after the brand moved away from its original source in the Austrian Alps.

The actual canning is handled by a co packer, Wilderness Asset Holdings LLC, which operates a canning facility in Virginia rather than Liquid Death running its own factory.

This co packing model is common in the beverage industry, allowing a company to focus on branding and marketing while an established manufacturing partner handles the actual filling and canning process.

What Products Does Liquid Death Make?

Liquid Death started with plain and lightly flavored still mountain water sold in tall aluminum cans designed to look like an energy drink.

The lineup has since grown to include sparkling water flavors such as Mango Chainsaw, Severed Lime, and Convicted Melon, along with iced tea flavors like Grim Leafer, Rest in Peach, and Dead Billionaire.

The company is also launching energy drinks in January 2026, expanding further beyond its original canned water roots into a more direct challenge to established energy drink brands.

Liquid Death sells its products through a mix of major retailers, grocery chains, and its own website, a distribution strategy that mirrors how larger beverage brands reach shoppers rather than relying only on niche health food stores.

Liquid Death vs Topo Chico vs Poppi: How Do They Compare?

Liquid Death, Topo Chico, and Poppi all compete for the same shelf space among younger shoppers looking for a more interesting alternative to plain soda or bottled water.

Topo Chico built its reputation on sparkling mineral water and is now owned by Coca Cola, similar in structure to how Sprite sits inside the same Coca Cola portfolio.

Poppi grew as an independent prebiotic soda brand before PepsiCo acquired it for 1.95 billion dollars in 2025, putting it under the same corporate roof as brands like Gatorade.

Liquid Death stands apart from both because it has stayed independent rather than being folded into Coca Cola or PepsiCo, betting instead on its own branding to compete against beverage giants directly.

Is Liquid Death Worth It?

Liquid Death typically costs more per ounce than plain bottled water, so the price is easiest to justify if you actually enjoy the branding and flavored options.

The aluminum can is more recyclable than plastic bottles, which appeals to buyers who care about packaging waste, though the water itself is not meaningfully different from other quality spring water brands.

For shoppers who want a fun, attention grabbing drink for parties or as a soda alternative, the price premium tends to feel worth it, while strictly budget focused buyers may prefer a cheaper spring water brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who makes Liquid Death?

Liquid Death is made by Liquid Death, Inc., a privately held company founded by Mike Cessario and based in Los Angeles.

Is Liquid Death owned by a big beverage company?

No. Liquid Death remains an independent, privately held company and has not been acquired by Coca Cola, PepsiCo, or any other major beverage corporation.

Where does Liquid Death get its water?

Liquid Death sources its water from natural springs in Bland, Virginia or Mackay, Idaho, and the cans are filled by co packer Wilderness Asset Holdings LLC in Virginia.

How much is Liquid Death worth?

Liquid Death was valued at approximately 1.4 billion dollars as of March 2024, based on its most recent outside investment round at that time.