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B C B U S I N E S S . C A
M A R C H 2 0 2 5
disappointment. The South American
tea, known for its caffeine kick, is
traditionally sipped from a gourd
through a metal straw. But the
canned drink she tried—made by
California-based Guyakí—was much
sweeter than the loose-leaf version
her Chilean grandfather drank.
"I thought it was really gross,"
Letizia says of the product. She was
on the hunt for milder sources of
caffeine, and Paige Cey, a classmate
from university, was on a similar
journey at the time. The pair met at
UVic, where Letizia studied econom-
ics and Cey business. They bonded
over their passion for entrepreneur-
ship and decided to start a company
together in 2022.
Benny makes maté-based energy
drinks with adaptogens for stress
relief and a jitter-free caffeine boost.
"The first batch was super disgust-
ing," Letizia admits. The founders
experimented with hundreds of
recipes and invited Caroline Lewis, a
naturopathic doctor, to help perfect it.
Online, a 12-pack of Benny is $57
before tax—not exactly an attractive
price for students. But Letizia says
Benny is concentrating on wholesale
for its beverage sales, with cans typ-
ically priced at $4.99 in-store: "We're
more focused on everyday conve-
nience and grocery stores, where we
can catch people in their routines."
"I feel like even an Americano is
$5 these days," adds Cey. "It's been
14 months and the response that
we've had so far is blowing us away."
With flavours like blackberry yuzu,
peach lychee and raspberry hibiscus,
Benny sold over 100,000 cans in
its first year of business. Now, the
brand is venturing into new territory:
liposomal energy gels.
"We're calling them Instant
Energy," Letizia explains. "They come
in little gel packs where you can suck
it, squeeze it, pour it into your water.
It also tastes really great on its own."
As of December, there are around
Anthony Green
Keeley McCormick
