key takeaways
- Litt and Gilman co-founded Hiya Health in 2019 to bring a “smart” children’s multivitamin to the market.
- Here’s how he grew his self-funded business to a $205 million acquisition and annual sales of over $134 million.
When Darren Litt’s daughters were little, he asked his pediatrician for tips to keep them healthy. The doctor recommended a daily multivitamin, but when Litt ordered the brand on Amazon, the product that arrived intrigued her: gummy vitamins in their plastic tubs stuck together with a layer of sugar on the bottom.
Image credit: Courtesy of Hiya Health. Darren Litt.
“I thought, If I don’t give it to my kids, why should anyone?Lit remembers. “So I asked friends, ‘Is this what you give your kids?’ And almost everyone said the same thing: ‘Yes, the kids love the taste, but we’re not sure it’s good for them.'”
One of those friends was Litt’s former colleague Adam Gilman; They had the same idea, and a light bulb went off: What if they created a “smart version” of the type of multivitamin they wanted for their kids? “No sugar, no gummies, just what kids really need,” says Litt.
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It was 2019 and the beginning hi healthChildren’s health and wellness brand acquired by USANA $205 million cash deal Last year.
We applied Silicon Valley discipline to children’s health.
Both co-founders had professional backgrounds in technology, which came in handy during Hiya’s product-development phase, Litt says. Litt and Gilman had to continually ship, test, and improve while listening closely to feedback from other parents—their first formula was changed three times in a year.
“Simply put, we applied Silicon Valley discipline to children’s health,” Litt explains.
Litt also notes that Hiya is self-financedThe co-founders “remained incredibly disciplined,” investing every dollar in improving the product or deepening trust with parents, especially around cash flow.
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Hiya launched as a direct-to-consumer product with a clear incentive for parents – vitamins for kids without unnecessary sugar and added substances – but the brand also needed to grow and win over its young consumers to make a lasting impact in the children’s health and wellness space.
Through those thousands of conversations with parents in the early days, the business developed a deliberate approach to the “whole experience” with its product. “We see our product not just as a vitamin you put in your mouth, but as an experience that kids love,” Litt says. Some of those experiential elements include a refillable bottle that kids can decorate with stickers and a game that changes every month.
Additionally, Hiya’s strategic partnership Kids’ favorite brands like Disney and Mattel have helped accelerate its growth path. Hiya wanted its potential partners to share its commitment to putting kids first and strengthening young consumers’ enthusiasm for the brand.
“Kids don’t wake up excited about vitamins, but they wake up excited about vitamins,” Litt says. disney Princesses, Pixar characters, Hot Wheels and Barbie.”
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We refused to compromise on safety, quality and testing.
Hiya’s growth strategy has been successful: the business is projecting net sales of more than $134 million for 2025, with more than one million parents purchasing its DTC subscription.
According to Litt, two significant challenges have emerged during Hiya’s rapid growth: the continued need to change the perception that widely spread “sugar gummies” are as healthy as parents may believe, and continuing to grow the business responsibly.
“We grew very fast, probably as fast as any direct-to-consumer company, but we refused to compromise on safety, quality and quality. testsLit says. “We overcame both (challenges) by sticking to the core Heia principle: children always come first.”
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These days, Litts and Gilman’s roles at Hiya remain the same as they were before the brand acquisitionLitt still serves as CEO and Gilman as president,
“My work is create a brand Parents are trusted most with their children’s health,” Litt says. “Now I have a much bigger engine behind us to do that.”
Your instincts help you see what others have missed.
Looking ahead, Lit sees Hiya growing into a complete children’s health system spanning hydration, gut health, immune support and more. Co-founder hopes brand can help create healthy habits In every part of the child’s day.
For other entrepreneurs considering starting a Business In his own, especially wellness, Litt emphasizes the importance of trusting your instincts and listening to the data – because both matter.
“But don’t overindex on any of these,” says Litt. “Your instincts help you see what others missed (and solve problems), and data keeps you honest.”
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key takeaways
- Litt and Gilman co-founded Hiya Health in 2019 to bring a “smart” children’s multivitamin to the market.
- Here’s how he grew his self-funded business to a $205 million acquisition and annual sales of over $134 million.
When Darren Litt’s daughters were little, he asked his pediatrician for tips to keep them healthy. The doctor recommended a daily multivitamin, but when Litt ordered the brand on Amazon, the product that arrived intrigued her: gummy vitamins in their plastic tubs stuck together with a layer of sugar on the bottom.
Image credit: Courtesy of Hiya Health. Darren Litt.
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