Andrea Khan of ZYN shares how the business started, how it’s grown, and what the future holds.

It was a visit home to Pakistan, their native country, that inspired brothers and Milwaukeeans
Asim and Qasim Khan to launch their lifestyle brand, ZYN, says Andrea Khan, Asim’s wife.
“My husband and brother-in-law went on a family trip back to Pakistan with their parents about
nine years ago,” she explains. “Their dad is unfortunately diabetic, and after that 18-hour plane
ride, he had really bad neuropathy, which involved pain and swelling in his foot.

“… They got to their aunt’s house, and she whipped up this concoction with turmeric paste,”
Andrea continues. “She put it on his foot, wrapped it up, and, an hour later, the pain and swelling
was totally gone.” This was the brothers’ “ah-ha” moment, she adds, the rest, they say, is history.

An abundance of research, including a better understanding of curcumin, the bioactive ingredient
of turmeric, followed. “They really wanted to create a drink with turmeric,” Andrea says of the
brothers’ thought process. “That way, it was super easy to digest and consume. Liquid format
means it’s more bio available — or leads to increased absorption in your body.” The drink would
also be suitable for all ages, she adds. (Andrea and Asim share three very active children.)

And thus, ZYN was born. The product is available in ready-to-drink cans, which boast four
different flavors, or as a drink mix — in either a stick-pack format or in canisters, and also
available in four flavors. “The main difference between the two products is that the stick-packs
have electrolytes in them and the cans don’t,” explains Andrea. ZYN is now sold in nearly
10,000 retail locations across the United States, she adds, and also in the United Kingdom,
Mexico, and Puerto Rico, with plans to soon expand to Hong Kong. In Wisconsin, the product
can be found in Metcalfe’s, Meijer, red bag Sendik’s, Metro Market, Woodman’s, and Outpost,
among others. “In early April, we are launching in CVS nationwide, as well,” Andrea says,
noting that the company is piloting a major health and wellness campaign. “We are, by far, the
smallest brand that will be on this end cap, so that is super exciting.”

There is still much expansion and growth to be had, though, says Andrea. An initiative that is
proving especially fruitful — and, no doubt, properly aligns with ZYN’s wellness-minded
mission — is the company’s partnerships with professional and collegiate sports teams, which
now stock ZYN in their locker rooms. This year, Andrea also brought on six athlete investors.

It’s clear the future remains bright for ZYN — and, perhaps even more noteworthy, rooted in
admirable practices, as well. “We are a certified B-Corp,” Andrea explains. “Our mission centers
around people, planet, and purpose. It’s a different way to incorporate, from a business
standpoint, and we have to get re-certified every three years. As part of the certification process,
they’re looking at every process of the business — sourcing, carbon footprint, our community
give back. We’ve been a B Corp since the very beginning, and we’ve maintained that.”

To learn more about ZYN or to purchase the product online, visit https://drinkzyn.com/.