We're so honored to share that EllyPop was recently featured on the Honest Health podcast with Jeffrey Burke (Season 3, Episode 33)! Jeffrey sat down with our co-founders, Dr. Amanda Watters and Dr. Jackie Kirihara, for a conversation all about organic electrolyte freezer pops, and what makes EllyPop a gentler, more natural hydration option for kids and families.
Being featured on Honest Health means a lot to us. It's a platform built around real conversations with the people behind health-focused brands, and getting the chance to share the EllyPop story with Jeffrey's audience feels like a genuine recognition of the work Dr. Amanda and Dr. Jackie have put into this company from day one. We're beyond grateful to Jeffrey for having us on, and for taking the time to dig into the why behind EllyPop, not just the what.
[Check out the full episode here] to hear Dr. Amanda and Dr. Jackie tell the whole story in their own words.
A Little Background on EllyPop
For anyone who caught the episode and wants to know more (or missed it and is discovering us for the first time!), here's the short version of how EllyPop came to be.
The idea was first inspired back in 2017, when Dr. Amanda Watters was working in pediatric primary care. In that role, she saw firsthand just how quickly children can become dehydrated, and how much parents needed convenient, healthy options they could reach for in the moment. As a naturopathic doctor, her go-to recommendation was often homemade herbal tea pops, things like ginger tea for an upset tummy or chamomile to help little ones wind down at night. They worked, but they also asked a lot of busy parents who didn't always have the time to brew tea and freeze it themselves.
That gap between "what actually helps" and "what's realistic for real families" is where EllyPop began to take shape.
Dr. Amanda brought the idea to Dr. Jackie Kirihara, a fellow naturopathic doctor she met while attending the same doctorate program. Dr. Jackie was instantly drawn to the vision, and paired her own entrepreneurial spark with Dr. Amanda's clinical insight to help turn a homemade remedy into something families everywhere could enjoy. With the added support of her designer husband and business-savvy dad, Dr. Jackie helped bring the branding and business side of EllyPop to life.
Together, that partnership evolved into thoughtfully formulated freezer pops made with organic fruit juice, herbal tea, and essential electrolytes. After years of development, that original 2017 idea became a reality in 2025 with the launch of our two flavors: Wild Cherry, for when your throat needs a little love, and Sweet Peach, for when it's your tummy that needs it.
Meet the Founders
Dr. Amanda Watters is EllyPop's CEO. Her inspiration for the brand came directly from her work in pediatric primary care during residency, where she saw firsthand how important it is for parents to have quick, healthy hydration options on hand. Alongside her interest in hydration, Dr. Amanda has long been passionate about finding creative ways to bring the benefits of herbal tea to families who might not otherwise sit down for a hot cup of it. Many kids (and plenty of adults!) are far more excited about a freezer pop than a teacup, even when it delivers the same botanical benefits.
Dr. Jackie Kirihara is EllyPop's CMO. Her passion for helping families rethink children's health took root while she was attending her doctorate program alongside Dr. Amanda. When Dr. Amanda first shared the idea for a fun, approachable, hydrating herbal tea pop, Dr. Jackie was all in, bringing her love of building brands from the ground up to the table. Outside of EllyPop, she continues to serve her community as a naturopathic doctor and midwife at an integrative functional medicine clinic in Portland, Oregon, and teaches in the Pediatrics course at the National University of Natural Medicine. She's also a proud mom of two EllyPop-loving daughters, so she knows firsthand what it's like to want better options for her own kids.
Why This Story Matters
A lot of "healthy" kids' products are designed by marketing teams first and formulated second. EllyPop came together the other way around: it started in a naturopathic doctor's clinic, shaped by years of watching real families search for something that was both effective and genuinely appealing to their kids. Dr. Amanda and Dr. Jackie still practice clinically today, which means the EllyPop formula isn't just doctor-approved on paper, it's shaped by what they continue to see working with real patients and families, week after week.
That's the heart of what came through in the podcast conversation, and it's the same heart behind every box of EllyPop that leaves our warehouse.
Try EllyPop for Yourself
Whether you heard about us through Honest Health or you're just finding us now, we'd love for you to give EllyPop a try. Shop Wild Cherry and Sweet Peach at ellypop.com, or find us at New Seasons Market, Amazon, Market of Choice, and select retailers nationwide.
Have questions about ingredients, wholesale partnerships, or anything else? Reach out any time at hello@ellypop.com. And if you haven't yet, be sure to give the full Honest Health episode a listen; it's a great look into where EllyPop came from, and where we're headed next.