'What Is This?' — Poppi Drinkers Keep Spotting Mysterious Bits

Some drinks are just a little clumpy — kombucha, pulpy OJ, and unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the vinegar mother. Now, apparently, Poppi — a brand of prebiotic sodas — has joined the club. Poppi drinkers online have been posting and commenting about an as-yet-unidentified substance at the bottom of their cans. These mysterious bits differ in size, shape, and quantity, though it is unclear how much of this discrepancy is due to some of the posters having already consumed a portion of the sediment before photographing it.

In August 2025, one Reddit user who poured their Poppi into a clear glass discovered what appeared as fine brown grit (or "tiny seeds," as another commenter put it). This person said they "drank a lot of it" before noticing the sediment. In October 2025, another Redditor shared a photo of Poppi sediment after they drank most of the can. In this case, these are notably larger, almost resembling broken pieces of loose-leaf black tea (an ingredient not found in standard Poppi drinks). Several comments on these posts mentioned finding similar sediment in the sodas.

In December 2025, TikTok user @mikiminaj_ found a more copious quantity, and in a larger size, than these Redditors' findings. Describing the moment of discovery, the TikToker said, "I'm at the bottom of my can, and I feel something chunky." Poppi hasn't officially commented on the issue, but needless to say, the internet has theories.

One theory floating around (no pun intended) is that the bits could be related to the mother in apple cider vinegar — an ingredient in every Poppi flavor. The mother, a fermentation byproduct, is safe to consume, though it can give a cloudy appearance or show up as large, irregularly shaped clumps. However, not all the Poppi consumers' chunks resemble a vinegar mother. One Reddit commenter who claims to be in the sparkling beverage industry said, "Apple cider vinegar ... does have sediment but again not like this."

Another theory is that they could be bits of chicory root, an ingredient rich in prebiotic inulin. Olipop, a Poppi competitor, contains chicory root, whereas Poppi contains only prebiotics from cassava root fiber and agave inulin. Agave inulin is typically processed into a white powder, and it is unclear how Poppi prepares its cassava root fiber. The Reddit user who claims to be in the sparkling beverage industry also nixed the idea, saying, "That is not what inulin nor cassava root fiber [look] like." 

This Redditor provided perhaps the most concerning of all theories, saying, "My guess would say this is likely debris from the filler itself either because it wasn't cleaned properly or is in need of maintenance." To quell the potential for ick, Poppi might follow Olipop's lead and have an FAQ on the topic of "pulp and sediment." According to Olipop, these are pieces from natural vanilla beans. Alas, you won't find the word "vanilla" in Poppi ingredients — it must be included in "natural flavors." The mystery continues.