Who Makes Owala Water Bottles

Owala water bottles are made by Trove Brands, a private company based in Lehi, Utah, that also owns BlenderBottle and Whiskware.

The Owala brand itself only launched in March 2020, though its parent company has sold shaker bottles since Kim and Steve Sorensen founded BlenderBottle back in 2000.

Many shoppers who discovered Owala through social media assume it is a brand new startup, without realizing it comes from the same family business behind a shaker bottle in millions of gym bags.

This guide covers who owns Owala, when the brand launched, where its bottles are actually made, and how it compares to Stanley and Hydro Flask.

Who Owns Owala?

Owala is owned by Trove Brands, a privately held company founded by the husband and wife team of Steve and Kim Sorensen in Orem, Utah.

The couple led the company together for more than two decades before announcing a leadership transition in September 2023.

Their son Michael Sorensen became chief executive officer effective January 1, 2024, while Steve and Kim moved into board roles.

Trove Brands remains a family controlled business rather than a private equity or publicly traded company, which is unusual for a brand growing this quickly, according to independent company records.

You can read more about that leadership transition on the official Trove Brands announcement.

Steve Sorensen is also known for inventing the original BlenderBall wire whisk, the small metal ball that made BlenderBottle a bestseller decades before Owala existed.

When Was Owala Founded?

Owala launched in March 2020 as a new brand under the company now known as Trove Brands.

The brand was built around Steve Sorensen’s patented FreeSip spout, a design that lets users sip or gulp from the same opening.

That single design detail helped Owala stand out in an already crowded water bottle market dominated by older brands.

Owala has been the fastest growing water bottle brand in the United States for three straight years, largely driven by social media attention, according to business research coverage of the brand.

Where Are Owala Water Bottles Made?

Owala designs its bottles from Trove Brands headquarters in Lehi, Utah, but does not manufacture them domestically.

Like most stainless steel drinkware brands, Owala bottles are produced by contract manufacturers overseas, primarily in China.

Trove Brands manages quality control and design specifications from the United States while outsourcing the actual metal forming and coating work.

This approach mirrors how nearly every major insulated bottle brand on the market handles production today.

Buyers rarely see the Trove Brands name printed anywhere on an Owala bottle, since the company markets each of its brands independently rather than as a single house brand.

What Products Does Owala Make?

Owala’s flagship product is the FreeSip bottle, which combines a straw opening and a wide mouth spout on the same lid.

The company also sells the Flip water bottle, a simpler single opening design aimed at buyers who want a more traditional bottle.

Kids sizes and a range of limited edition colorways have become a major part of Owala’s marketing and repeat purchase strategy.

Trove Brands sells Owala alongside its original BlenderBottle shaker bottles and Whiskware food storage containers.

Owala vs Stanley vs Hydro Flask: Who Makes Each?

Owala, Stanley, and Hydro Flask all compete for the same shelf space, but each brand has a very different corporate structure behind it.

Stanley is made by Stanley Black and Decker’s consumer products division, though the drinkware line is licensed and operated somewhat separately from the tool company.

Our guide on where Stanley cups are made covers that licensing structure in more detail.

Hydro Flask is owned by Helen of Troy, a publicly traded consumer products company that also owns brands like OXO and Osprey.

You can read more in our breakdown of where Hydro Flask is made.

Owala remains the only one of the three still controlled by its original founding family rather than a larger public parent.

Both Stanley and Hydro Flask have been around far longer than Owala, yet Owala has still managed to outgrow both of them in recent search interest and social media buzz.

Is Owala Worth It?

Owala bottles are generally well reviewed for their leak resistant lid and the flexibility of the FreeSip spout design.

Fans frequently cite the wide range of colors and sizes as a reason they own multiple Owala bottles instead of just one.

Some critics note the price sits close to established competitors despite Owala being a newer entrant to the category.

For buyers focused on the sip and gulp spout design specifically, most reviewers consider Owala a strong option worth the cost.

Owala also sells replacement lids, straws, and carrying accessories separately, letting owners refresh an older bottle instead of buying a brand new one.

Frequently Asked Questions About Who Makes Owala Water Bottles

Who makes Owala water bottles?

Owala water bottles are made by Trove Brands, a private company based in Lehi, Utah, founded by the Sorensen family.

Is Owala owned by BlenderBottle?

Owala and BlenderBottle are sister brands, both owned by the same parent company, Trove Brands.

Are Owala water bottles made in China?

Yes, most Owala bottles are manufactured by contract factories in China, even though the brand is designed in Utah.

Is Owala a new company?

The Owala brand launched in 2020, but its parent company has made drinkware since founding BlenderBottle back in 2000.