Caffeine-free Energy Drink With Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian just put her name on a drink that promises energy without the caffeine crash, and it is already sitting on shelves in more than 4,000 Walmart stores.

Quick Take

Kim Kardashian joined energy drink brand UPDATE as co-founder for its national relaunch announced February 24, 2026.
The drink uses paraxanthine, a caffeine alternative, instead of traditional stimulants.
UPDATE rolled out to more than 4,000 Walmart stores and is also sold online and at The Vitamin Shoppe.
The brand markets itself as zero sugar, zero calories, and free of artificial flavors or colors.

A Billionaire Signs On To A Drink She Already Loved

Kardashian did not just lend her face to a marketing deal. According to the relaunch announcement, her relationship with UPDATE started back in 2023 when she was a regular customer offering the founder unsolicited feedback on flavor and formula. By 2026, that feedback turned into a formal partnership, with Kardashian named co-founder alongside UPDATE founder Daniel Solomons.

The company describes the relaunch as ushering in “the next generation of science-based energy,” positioning itself against the jittery, crash-prone reputation of classic energy drinks. That framing matters. Millions of Americans drink energy beverages daily, and the industry has spent years fighting a reputation for spiking hearts and crashing moods by afternoon.

Kardashian is not new to building brands from scratch. She has already turned Skims into a shapewear powerhouse and built a reputation for spotting consumer trends before they hit the mainstream. Her entry into beverages follows a familiar celebrity playbook, but the ingredient story behind UPDATE is where things get more technical, and more interesting.

What Paraxanthine Actually Is, And Why It Matters

Paraxanthine is not a made-up marketing word. It is the main compound your body produces when it breaks down caffeine, and researchers have studied it directly as a stimulant on its own. A 2025 study found that a 200-milligram dose improved subjective feelings of energy, focus, and satiety, along with faster attention and processing speed.

The appeal is straightforward. Paraxanthine appears to deliver mental sharpness without some of caffeine’s rougher edges, though scientists studying it still recommend treating it with the same caution as caffeine itself, including keeping doses low and avoiding it late in the day. UPDATE’s formula pairs the compound with TSI Group’s enfinity paraxanthine ingredient and an Alpha-GPC additive from NNB Nutrition, according to industry trade coverage.

Walmart Shelves And A Viral Launch Campaign

UPDATE did not tiptoe into the market. The relaunch secured shelf space in more than 4,000 Walmart locations nationwide starting March 1, alongside continued sales through the brand’s own website and The Vitamin Shoppe. Five flavors, including berry, grape, peach, mandarin, and pineapple, rolled out as part of the push.

The marketing leaned into humor rather than hard science. UPDATE released a satirical 90-second “press conference” video featuring Kardashian fielding jokey questions, a campaign that quickly went viral online. Months later, the brand expanded with a “Focus Lab” pop-up event, signaling it wants staying power beyond a single launch news cycle.

Celebrity-backed beverage launches have a mixed track record once the initial buzz fades. Industry analysts note that star power can drive extraordinary first-year sales, but keeping that momentum going after the spotlight moves on is a much harder test. UPDATE now faces that exact challenge as it competes against giants like Red Bull and Monster.

The Regulatory Backdrop Consumers Should Understand

Energy drinks occupy a unique legal space. Because many are sold as dietary supplements rather than conventional soft drinks, they are not bound by the Food and Drug Administration’s caffeine limits that cap sodas at 71 milligrams per 12-ounce can. That gap has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers for over a decade.

Federal Trade Commission guidance requires companies to have solid evidence backing up health claims before running ads, not after. UPDATE’s zero-sugar, zero-calorie, caffeine-free positioning fits squarely into a category regulators watch closely, precisely because “clean” and “science-based” language moves fast while formal proof often lags behind the marketing rollout. Consumers weighing the hype deserve to know that context as they decide whether to reach for the can.