Made from water kefir, Belly Dance's fermented fizz is your vegan, low sugar, caffeine-free hit.
When Hannah Calder and Harriet Armston-Clarke met while teaching yoga, they quickly bonded over a shared belief in balance. They cared about health and well-being but not at the expense of fun. Both were juggling work, movement and day-to-day life, and often found themselves searching for food and drink that supported their lifestyle without feeling clinical or restrictive.
"We wanted something that was good for your gut but still felt fun," says Hannah. "Most functional drinks either taste too medicinal or take themselves too seriously. We kept asking, where's the one we'd actually want to drink on a Friday afternoon?"
Harriet Armston-Clarke and Hannah Calder
That question revealed a clear gap in the market. Many drinks were filled with artificial sweeteners or lacked real flavour.
While kombuchas and kefirs were starting to gain traction, Hannah and Harriet saw an opportunity to create something different. Something that supported gut health but was also enjoyable, colourful and easy to understand.
That was the beginning of Belly Dance. A sparkling water kefir soda made with live cultures, real fruit juice and natural ingredients.
Created to support gut health in a way that felt light and refreshing.
No artificial sweeteners, no overcomplicated health claims. Just something that worked and tasted good.
From idea to formulation
The pair began experimenting in their kitchens, testing water kefir grains with different fruit juices, flavourings and fermentation times. Early batches were far from perfect, but each version brought them closer to something they were proud of.
"We had so many jars in the fridge," Hannah laughs. "Some were amazing, others were terrible. But every trial helped us learn what worked and what didn't."
They also knew the brand had to feel as good as the drink tasted. From day one, they imagined something bold, playful and colourful. Something that stood out on the shelf and felt different from most health drinks. With the help of experienced friends, they developed the visual identity, tone of voice and packaging design, drawing on their shared values and honest tone.
"We didn't want it to feel like a supplement in disguise. Belly Dance needed to have joy and flavour and a bit of fun," says Hannah. "We always say we wanted it to feel like your best friend who's into gut health but still goes out on the weekend."
Launching with momentum
After securing a UK co-packer and completing shelf life and lab testing, Belly Dance launched in October 2024.
Just two days later, they won the Taste and Rate bar competition powered by GS1 UK at the Bread and Jam Festival.
"We were still catching our breath from the launch," says Hannah. "We spent the whole day handing out samples and chatting to people and just felt grateful to be there. Then to win the competition on top of that was amazing."
Voted for by buyers, founders and attendees, the award gave them a surge of confidence and brought visibility at a critical moment.
"It helped open conversations we wouldn't have had otherwise," she says. "When you're that early stage, it was amazing to get such great interest in our product!”
Growing with intention
Following their launch, the pair focused on growing steadily. They built relationships with independent cafés, wellness shops and food retailers, delivering some of the early orders themselves and taking time to understand what their customers needed.
They were deliberate in their rollout, starting local, learning quickly and scaling carefully. "We went door to door with samples, emailed cafés we liked, and showed up to events with cans in our backpacks. You have to make your own luck at this stage."
"We're still very hands-on which allows us to hear from our consumers first-hand about what they think of the product so we can evolve as we go.”
They placed huge value on sampling, using every opportunity to let people taste the drink, understand the brand and offer honest feedback.
Getting the foundations right
Alongside their creative and commercial focus, they worked carefully to make sure all the practical building blocks were in place. That included sourcing the right canning partner, meeting food safety and labelling requirements, registering barcodes and ensuring compliance from the start.
“Having GS1 in our corner early on really helped,” says Hannah.
"We knew we had to get our barcodes and product data right if we wanted to grow. But what we didn't expect was how helpful the community side would be."
"It's easy to feel like you're the only one figuring it out. But there's a whole ecosystem of people who've been there and are willing to share what they've learned. You just have to ask."
They continue to work closely with GS1 UK, looking for new ways to connect with community partners and find growth opportunities that align with their stage of business.
“It's not just technical support,” Hannah adds. "It's access to events, introductions and networks that help us move forward in a considered way."
Looking back on the past year, Hannah says that starting with a clear mission and fun brand helped them stay focused. Testing everything early, listening to feedback and not being afraid to ask for help all played a crucial role. So did taking the time to understand the technical and operational side of the business.
"Don't wait until it's perfect," she says. "Launch it, learn from it... then probably laugh about it! There will always be things you don't know, but if you keep asking questions and surrounding yourself with good people, you'll figure it out."
She believes that building a product-based brand is never a straight line – it’s a real rollercoaster! Staying curious, open and focused on what works makes a real difference.
Looking ahead
With three flavours in the market and early retail traction, Belly Dance is focused on expanding its footprint carefully.
That includes continuing to show up at events, strengthening customer relationships and refining operations behind the scenes.
"We're still learning every day," says Hannah. "But we believe in the product and the brand we've built. It's something we genuinely love and seeing other people enjoy it makes the hard work worth it."
For early-stage founders, Belly Dance is a reminder that great products often begin with simple questions and that with curiosity, consistency and the right support network, it is possible to turn a kitchen experiment into a brand that truly resonates.