Pittsburgh, Pa. — Ready®, a protein-centric functional snack and beverage company, has been named to Bain & Company’s 2026 Insurgent Brands list for the second consecutive year. The list highlights independent consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands outperforming their categories through sustained growth and innovation. Ready® now reaches more than 45,000 retail outlets nationwide.
The recognition underscores Ready®’s expansion in the functional protein snack and beverage sector. Founder and CEO Pat Cavanaugh emphasized the brand’s focus on better-for-you, active lifestyle consumers: “Being named an Insurgent Brand is meaningful, given the criteria required, and underscores our brand’s ability to resonate authentically with better-for-you, active lifestyle consumers over an extended period of time. As we continue to expand our share within functional protein snacks and drinks, we’re proud we’ve been able to drive incrementality for our retail partners.”
Bain & Company defines insurgent brands as independent companies generating over $35 million in annual revenue, growing more than ten times their category’s average rate over five years, and maintaining positive growth in the past two years. Brands acquired by larger CPG companies within the last two years are also eligible.
Charlotte Apps, executive vice president of Bain’s Consumer Products practice, noted, “We’ve now seen a decade of sustained momentum from insurgent brands driving exceptional growth and disruptive innovation in the consumer products sector, and this year is no exception. Looking ahead, we expect insurgents will continue to outgrow the market as health and wellness trends, retail dynamics, and technology further disrupt the industry.”
Brand portfolio and retail reach
Ready®’s portfolio includes protein and snack bars, plant-based functional snacks, and functional protein and hydration drinks. Its products are available at Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, The Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, Wegmans, Meijer, and Circle-K, among other retailers. The company also partners with more than 200 colleges and universities to provide student-athletes with functional nutrition.
High-profile athletes are co-owners of the brand, including Aaron Donald, NFL defensive tackle, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA two-time MVP. Ready® is the official snack and sports drink of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and maintains a national partnership with Susan G. Komen® to support breast cancer initiatives.
Why it matters
Ready®’s consecutive recognition on Bain’s Insurgent Brands list signals a broader trend in CPG: functional, performance-oriented products are increasingly mainstream. The company’s growth demonstrates how brands that combine better-for-you positioning, scalable retail distribution, and celebrity partnerships can disrupt established categories. For industry observers, Ready® exemplifies how independent brands leverage retail velocity, social engagement, and product innovation to maintain category leadership.
Editor’s note: Source86 perspective
For food and beverage manufacturers, Ready®’s recognition illustrates the growing influence of insurgent, performance-focused products in the CPG sector. As consumer demand shifts toward functional nutrition, brands must align ingredient sourcing, R&D, co-manufacturing, and retail readiness to capture opportunity efficiently.
At Source86, we help brands manage private label production, bulk ingredient supply, and FSQA oversight to ensure products can scale without compromising quality. The Ready® case underscores the importance of strategic retail placement, influencer engagement, and portfolio diversification in driving sustained growth. Brands that anticipate demand and optimize their supply chain are positioned to capitalize on these insurgent market dynamics. Let’s talk.
FAQs
A: Brands must be independent or recently acquired, generate more than $35 million in Nielsen IQ-tracked revenue, outgrow their category by 10x over five years, and maintain positive growth for two consecutive years.
A: Ready® items are available at major retailers, including Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, The Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, Wegmans, Meijer, and Circle-K.
A: Yes, Aaron Donald and Giannis Antetokounmpo are co-owners, and the brand supplies more than 200 colleges and universities with products for student-athletes.
External source: Ready® Recognized on Bain & Company’s 2026 Insurgent Brands List for Second Consecutive Year
