What started as a way for Chloé Di Leo to encourage her kids to drink more water is now — just a few months later — a startup making a splash on the wedding industry.
Di Leo, the founder, launched My Drink Bomb LLC in Houston at the beginning of summer 2018. She tells InnovationMap that the product was inspired by bath bombs, fizzing once added to a beverage. She created the company with her husband, William Roberts. Together, they own a few local businesses, and Di Leo also is also a jewelry designer at her own store, Chloé Di Leo & Co.
The first flavor created she created for The Bomb Squad, the line for children, was bubblegum, but now she has seven different flavors online, including Strawberry, Birthday Cake, Watermelon, and more.
"Our kids took some to school and came home with some pocket change," says Di Leo. "They weren't supposed to sell it, but the kids liked it."
One day, her kids came home with $40, and she knew the idea was taking off.
The Bomb Squad line quickly transformed into Mixologi, a version of the product meant to be added to alcohol for cocktails. Di Leo tells InnovationMap that the addition stemmed from dinner parties she was hosting with her husband. She put the five major ingredients of a cocktail into a drink bomb.
"It's basically a mixer you drop in," she says. "We wanted to make it super easy and fun to use."
There are currently 23 Mixologi flavors available online, including Margarita, Moscow Mule, Pina Colada, Cosmo, and more. Custom flavors are available and take six to eight weeks to perfect the flavor and recipe before delivery.
To begin crafting the cocktail flavors, Di Leo says that she traveled to Tulum to spend time with a mixologist in Mexico and came back to the states with recipes for the drink bombs.
"Six months later, here we are," says Di Leo.
The company also offers a hangover bomb, crafted from activated charcoal and zesty tangerine extract to reduce headaches and reduce and release toxins in your body, according to the My Drink Bomb website.
The company gained attention after Sabrina Bryan of The Cheetah Girls reached out to Di Leo after finding the company on Instagram. Bryan wanted Mixologi to supply drink bombs for her wedding in October 2018. Custom flavors are available and take six to eight weeks to perfect the flavor and recipe before delivery.
In Spring 2019, Di Leo shares that My Drink Bomb plans to create and launch a coffee and tea drink bomb. She also hopes to create a drink bombs geared toward detox, anti-aging, health, and fitness, and Di Leo wants to work with a mixologist and a health and fitness expert.
In addition to new flavors, My Drink Bomb is heading to local brick and mortar stores — and she has her eye on a few local boutiques and spas, as well as all 20 flagship Specs store.
"When you have an idea, just keep working hard," Di Leo says. "A simple idea can turn into something beautiful."