Mom Crush: Meet the Monmouth County Moms Behind Sippi Kids

Amanda Bybel Kutner, Carli Bybel and Gina Melnick didn’t set out to reinvent the kids’ drink aisle—they just wanted their kids to drink more water. Between birthday parties and sports practices, the Tinton Falls, Lincroft and Fair Haven moms kept seeing a pattern: kids reached for juice boxes over water bottles. Then it clicked: What if there was a sustainable swap for plastic bottles and sugary drinks? Sippi Kids boxed water (with a fun design and straw) was born from that simple idea.

New Jersey Family: What was the inspiration behind Sippi Kids, and when did the idea first come to you?

Gina Melnick: As moms, our inspiration was honestly our own daily frustration. Between birthday parties, sports, camp, car rides and lunchboxes, it felt impossible to find a simple water option made specifically for kids. The idea really clicked at a birthday party when we watched our kids struggling with plastic water bottles while reaching for juice boxes instead. We thought, ‘Why doesn’t this exist already?’

NJF: Was there a moment with your kids when you realized drinking water needed to feel more exciting?

Amanda Bybel Kutner: Absolutely. We realized kids were not rejecting water—they were rejecting the experience around it. The second water became fun, easy and familiar in a juice box-style format with a straw, everything changed. Suddenly our kids were excited to grab water first.

NJF: What was behind the decision to make Sippi Kids only still water—no sugar, flavors or additives?

Carli Bybel: We didn’t want to create another sugary kids’ drink disguised as healthy. We wanted something parents could feel genuinely good about saying yes to every single day without overthinking ingredients or labels. It’s not basically water. It’s only water. That’s it. Nothing else!

NJF: How did you come up with the juice box design?

GM: We wanted hydration to feel exciting for kids while staying simple for parents. The bright playful packaging was intentionally designed to feel fun, familiar and lunchbox-friendly, while also being a more sustainable alternative to plastic bottles. We even added a space for parents to write their child’s name because we know the reality of sports practices, camps and busy mornings.

NJF: What was the process like going from idea to execution? How did you begin this daunting process?

ABK: We honestly just started. None of us came from the beverage industry, but we knew the problem was real because we were living it every day as moms. We spent countless late nights researching packaging, manufacturers and logistics while juggling kids and businesses. It became one of those ideas we simply could not stop thinking about.

NJF: You describe Sippi Kids as a ‘mom hack’ to make water more enticing for kids. What has the response to it been like?

CB: Parents are overwhelmed and constantly making hundreds of tiny decisions every day. Sippi simplifies one of them. It feels like a realistic swap parents can make without a battle, and honestly the response has been emotional. Moms keep telling us, ‘Why didn’t this exist sooner?’

NJF: How did you think about pricing, and what should parents know about the cost compared with juice boxes, bottled water or other lunchbox drinks?

GM: We wanted Sippi to feel accessible while still delivering a premium product experience. Parents are already spending money on juice boxes, sports drinks and bottled water, so our goal was to create something that could realistically replace those options while feeling exciting enough that kids genuinely ask for it.

NJF: Sustainability is a core part of the brand. Can you explain how this played a role in product development?

CB: It was important to us from day one to create something better for families while also thinking about the future our kids are growing up in. We loved the idea of using mostly paper-based packaging and creating an option that felt more thoughtful than another disposable plastic bottle.

NJF: What surprised you most about how quickly Sippi Kids took off?

ABK: Honestly, the speed and passion behind the support. New Jersey businesses and families have embraced us. The biggest reaction we hear over and over is, ‘I can’t believe nobody thought of this before.’ It has spread so organically because parents understand it.

NJF: As three moms building this together, how have your experiences shaped product development?

GM: Every single part of Sippi was shaped by our lives as moms. From fitting perfectly in cupholders and lunchboxes to avoiding spills in the car and making hydration easier and more appealing at sports practices, we built the product around the chaos of parenting because we are living it, too.

NJF: What is your biggest hope for Sippi Kids in the coming year?

CB: Our hope is to continue growing throughout New Jersey and beyond while helping normalize clean hydration for kids. We also have an exciting summer ahead filled with local events, pop-ups and community activations.

NJF: What’s your advice for launching a business?

ABK: Don’t wait until you feel fully ready because you probably never will be. Start messy, learn quickly and stay connected to the reason you started in the first place. Some of the best businesses are built by people who simply cared enough about a problem to solve it.

NJF: What do you love to do in Monmouth County and throughout New Jersey with your kids?

ABK: We are always outside with our kids whenever we can be. We love beach days at the Jersey Shore, local coffee and matcha runs, playground hopping, farms, birthday parties, community events and honestly just finding little everyday adventures together around Monmouth County. New Jersey has such an incredible sense of family community and that has played a huge role in building Sippi.

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