The Appointment
Unifying Spirits, the Pittsburgh-based creator of Boba POPS®, has named David Li, PhD, as Director of Research and Development, tasking him with engineering a new generation of functional popping pearls designed to carry protein, caffeine, and dietary fiber — a pivot that would extend the brand's patented technology well beyond its alcohol-infused origins.
Li holds a doctorate in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and dual bachelor's degrees in Mathematical Economics and Biochemistry from Wake Forest University, where he graduated cum laude. He previously rose to Director of Marketing at The Biotechnology and Life Sciences Advising Group, where he led market-sizing and competitive-mapping engagements for clients across cell therapy, medical devices, and surgical imaging. He also held an associate role with Oracle's Life Sciences Solutions group.
The Technology Case
The functional expansion is grounded in the same patented fill process that allows Boba POPS® to remain shelf-stable inside finished drinks — a manufacturing capability the company argues is directly transferable to functional ingredients. Boba POPS® has reached more than 6,000 retail doors in 45 states, with placement at Kroger and Albertsons, and has already extended into a ready-to-drink cocktail format under the Pop & Go™ line. That commercial footprint gives the functional pipeline an existing distribution network to build against.
Three categories anchor the new development roadmap. Protein-filled pearls will target the high-protein RTD segment, which the company cites as growing at roughly 10.0% annually through 2033. Caffeinated pearls would position Boba POPS® inside a global caffeinated beverage market estimated at $92 billion in 2026. Fiber- and probiotic-enriched variants would address gut-health demand — a category whose investor appeal was underscored by PepsiCo's $1.95 billion acquisition of Poppi in 2025. Experimentation on all three lines began this quarter.
What's Next
Li is simultaneously advancing the core Boba POPS® portfolio with new technology to keep differently flavored pearls distinct within a single drink — a near-term product feature that also functions as a proof-of-concept for the precision engineering the functional lines will require. "Boba POPS® gives me a proven, patented product to build on," Li said, "and I'm excited to take it far beyond the cocktail glass."
Harmon Rozycki, Chief Operating Officer of Unifying Spirits, framed the hire as a structural inflection point: "Protein, caffeine, and fiber are things millions of people reach for every single day. We believe our pearls belong right there with them." The appointment signals that Unifying Spirits intends to compete not just as a beverage-alcohol novelty but as an ingredient-delivery platform across the broader functional beverage and better-for-you food space — a segment that has attracted significant M&A and retail investment in recent years, as covered in F&B Industry News's ongoing tracking of RTD and wellness-drink deal activity.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
