We sat down with the founders of Hydrink, Gurinder Mann-Gray and Gurpreet Mann, to have a chat about everything from what inspired them to create Hydrink to their plans for the future.
Drinking enough water? A chore. Taking your vitamins? A juggling act. Combine them, and you’ve got a symphony of small tasks that somehow manage to feel monumental each day.
First, there’s the ever-present water bottle, usually clad with some form of motivational message telling you to keep chugging. Then come the multivitamins: One for your energy, one for your immune system, another for glowing skin.
It’s like a kaleidoscope of capsules, tablets, and gummies that leave you wondering if you’re fuelling your body or starring in a pharmaceutical infomercial.
What if it didn’t have to be this way? What is nutrition and hydration teamed up, sparing you from piecing together your well-being, one formula at a time?
One effortless action for total health—now that’s something to drink to.
That was the vision of Auntie and nephew-turned-business-partners Gurpreet Mann and Gurinder Mann-Gray, who set out to create a universal formula that covers all the essentials of hydration and well-being.
With Hydrink, they accomplished just that: one drink, 15 key nutrients, over 100 benefits, and two unforgettable years in business.
As part of our Founders Series, we sat down with Gurpreet and Gurinder, the founders of Hydrink, to discuss launching a startup, navigating the boundaries between family and business, and leveraging each other’s strengths.
The Birth of Hydrink
You often hear about the importance of identity. For businesses, it means total clarity on what you offer, the problem you’re solving, and the values that drive you forward.
And from day one, Gurpreet and Gurinder were crystal clear on their mission: to create products that not only addressed hydration gaps but also elevated overall health and well-being.
“The idea came about 2 years ago,” Gurpreet explained. “I wanted to create something original from a branding perspective so consumers could instantly understand what we’re about – hence the name Hydrink.
“The plan is to position ourselves as leaders within the niche – one day! Our name doesn’t leave too much to the imagination, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. From my previous experience, and until recently, hydration has always been overlooked.
“We know people don’t adequately hydrate themselves and being hydrated provides an array of benefits for everyone’s health and performance goals.
“Our vision was to combine synergistic ingredients and formulas to help people improve their everyday lives—whether at work, during exercise, or just in the day-to-day—through the power of hydration!”
Though the vision for Hydrink was clear, transforming it into a tangible brand was an entirely different challenge. Fortunately, Gurinder brought a wealth of experience to the table, having founded Rituals Hair Lab 14 years ago.
For Gurpreet, however, scaling Hydrink was uncharted territory.
“I had NEVER, EVER anticipated or even had the thought of launching a business,” he admitted. “It escalated from a thought, and here we are!”
“Having no prior business knowledge or experience in e-commerce, I had to digest a lot of information before we decided it was something we wanted to do. “
“The additional pressure and possible scrutiny of being a dietitian was also something I had to contend with going into this specific industry.”
“The whole concept served as a challenge. I knew it would be uncomfortable, but the chance to build a brand that could genuinely improve people’s lives was too good to pass up. So, I took the plunge—and figured it out as I went.”
While both Gurinder and Gurpreet have revelled in watching their concept come to life—and in the opportunity to shape Hydrink around their vision and values—the journey hasn’t been without its hitches.
Building the brand has demanded countless late nights, weekends of hard work, personal sacrifices, and for Gurpreet, an ongoing battle with imposter syndrome.
When asked about the hardest part of launching a new business, Gurinder shared: “The hardest part is managing uncertainty and finding product market fit.
“In the early stages, we had to balance various challenges—market research, financial pressures, and building a brand presence—while also dealing with unexpected obstacles.
“To overcome this, a combination of resilience, adaptability, and planning has been key. We had a manufacturing disaster to contend with which led to an eight-month delay in launching. It was stressful, but we got there in the end!”
And get there they did. After a postponed launch, Hydrink made its debut in the health and fitness world with its first product: Switch On.
Formulated by dieticians and underpinned by science, Switch On is a tropical-flavoured drink packed with 15 key nutrients and over 100 health benefits.
It’s caffeine-free, made with real fruit, naturally sweetened, third-party tested, gluten-free, and suitable for vegans.
To say Gurinder and Gurpreet put a lot of effort into the details would be a seismic understatement. Every aspect, from the dosage to the packaging, has been meticulously considered, as Gurpreet explains:
“The ingredients are non-GMO and dosed according to scientific evidence and recommendations. It’s a product meant for daily consumption.
“The packaging is of the highest spec and fully recyclable, and everything has been manufactured in the UK. It’s a universal drink in that it can enhance cognitive performance and energy to support your workday, overall health, energy levels, and exercise performance.”
With one product under their belts, the duo is far from resting on their laurels. In fact, Gurpreet was emphatic when asked if more products and flavours were in the pipeline.
“Absolutely,” he said. “We’re currently exploring new SKUs based on the latest research to support people’s health and performance, and we’re eager to make our products more accessible to everyone.
“We’re passionate about being innovative and creating products that offer solutions to people’s everyday challenges—through the power of hydration.”
Hydrink: A Family Affair
Many would caution against muddying the waters between business and family. The potential for conflict and blurred boundaries is enough to deter most from even considering it.
Yet Gurinder and Gurpreet tossed the rulebook aside when pairing up as the founders of Hydrink. Rather than concentrating on potential friction, the pair are far more focused on playing to each other’s strengths.
“It’s something we’ve heard and been very conscious of,” Gurpreet explained. “But for us, it’s simple—we have expertise in different areas of the business and a mutual respect for each other.
“Gurinder excels with her business acumen and strong relationship-building skills, having worked with highly reputable, established brands within the health and beauty industry over the last two decades!
“That said, we still challenge each other’s way of thinking to make sure we’re not overlooking anything. Because of that respect, we can always come to an agreement that’s in the best interest of Hydrink.
“Ultimately, we both want to help others live a fulfilling life, and that’s what drives us. We know the impact Hydrink can have.”
Joining in on the appreciation, Gurinder added: “Product development is undoubtedly Gurpreet’s area of expertise. He has a remarkable ability to identify which ingredients work in perfect synergy to create effective, high-quality products.
“His evidence-based approach not only ensures that our offerings are scientifically sound but also gives us the credibility and trust we need in the market.
“Gurpreet holds advanced qualifications, including an MSc in Dietetics and a Pg Certification in Human Nutrition, and is a registered member of both the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). To put it simply—his expertise speaks for itself!”
Now we’ve set the scene, I think it’s time for some quickfire questions with the founders of Hydrink.
Questions With Gurinder & Gurpreet, Founders of Hydrink
Q: How do you balance your day job and running a start-up?
Gurpreet: I don’t think balance exists as a start-up. In the beginning, it involves a lot of mental work, where it doesn’t feel like you’re actually doing anything other than constantly trying to overcome imposter syndrome and continuous doubt. People who run businesses will know that it’s not 9-5. A lot of evening and weekend work is required, with a lot of sacrifice just to get started.
Q: What is your least favourite part of running a business?
Gurinder: Long hours and the uncertainty of success. Although we know we have a great product we need to constantly work on brand awareness and client acquisition which can be exhausting.
Q: Favourite?
Gurinder: We get to build something unique and shape the business according to our vision and values. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing our idea come to life.
Q: Describe your perfect customer in 5 words or less.
Gurpreet: Striving to be the best version of themselves. Sorry, more than 5!
Q: Wave a magic wand… what does Hydrink look like in 3 years?
Gurpreet: When anyone thinks about hydration, we want Hydrink to be the first name that pops into people’s heads! We hope our brand has a positive impact on more people’s lives, has a range of products and access to new sales channels e.g. retail. To get to the level we want, we know that we will need to build a team and partnerships (including investments) to support the areas where we don’t excel.
Q: Tell us about your business history.
Gurinder: I have an extensive background in managing businesses within the hair, beauty, and wellness industries. Fourteen years ago, I founded Rituals Hair Lab, a company dedicated to providing innovative hair care solutions.
Over time, the business has evolved to stay at the forefront of industry trends, now specialising in hair loss treatments and bespoke hair care tailored to individual needs. My focus is on supporting clients experiencing hair loss due to cancer treatments, alopecia, or thinning hair, offering compassionate care and effective solutions.
A key highlight of my journey has been building meaningful partnerships with the NHS and the Little Princess Trust, enabling us to make a greater impact by improving access to high-quality hair care, wigs and hair systems for those who need it most. These collaborations underscore our commitment to helping individuals regain confidence and feel their best, even in challenging times.
Q: How did Hydrink become the name of the business?
Gurpreet: We wanted to find an original brand name that people could instantly associate with what we do. It was purposefully selected to position ourselves within the hydration niche. It’s a combination of ‘hydration’ and ‘drink’. We provide products that people drink to support their hydration and goals. It’s original and simplistic. We ultimately position ourselves as a ‘health and performance hydration brand’.
Q: TikTok or IG?
Gurinder: Both are really important! However, we feel TikTok gives us the opportunity to have more exposure to support brand awareness (and future customers) as a start-up as it has a lower cost to entry from a marketing perspective – hence why TikTok is one of our current marketing strategies.
