Former Red Bull Executive Builds California's Next Lifestyle Beverage Company
Serkan Barutcu, Founder and CEO of Surfwater California and former Red Bull executive, presents the company's premium aluminum-bottled lifestyle water at a California luxury resort.
Former Red Bull executive Serkan Barutcu shares how Surfwater is building a California lifestyle brand around wellness, sustainability, and premium hydration.
From Red Bull to Surfwater: How Serkan Barutcu Is Building California's Next Lifestyle Beverage Company.”
SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, August 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- California has always been a place where ideas are tested before they influence the rest of the world.— Serkan Barutcu, Founder & CEO, Surfwater California
Technology. Entertainment. Fitness. Nutrition. Sustainability.
For decades, trends born in California have eventually become global movements.
Former Red Bull executive Serkan Barutcu believes the next transformation may be taking place in one of the most overlooked categories of all:
Water,
His company, Surfwater California, was founded around a simple philosophy: Water More. Live Longer.
But Surfwater was never intended to become just another bottled water company.
Instead, it was designed to become a California lifestyle company built around wellness, sustainability, movement, travel, sports, entertainment, and healthy living.
"We didn't want to build another water brand fighting for shelf space," says Serkan.
"We created a brand that represents California and the way people want to live today."
California Is More Than a Market
California ranks as the fourth-largest economy in the world, and every year, 275 million people visit the state.
They come for the beaches, the mountains, the restaurants, the entertainment industry, sporting events, culture, and, increasingly, wellness.
"When people visit California, they're looking for California," says Barutcu.
"When I travel to Italy, I want Italian wine, not Australian or German wine. When I visit France, I look for French products. The same applies everywhere. When people come to California, they want to experience California through California brands."
That observation became one of the foundations of Surfwater.
According to Barutcu, consumers increasingly prefer products that reflect the places they're visiting.
They want stories.
They want authenticity. They want brands that embody the places they're visiting rather than products they can easily find back home.
A Different Kind of Beverage Company
Before founding Surfwater, Serkan spent many years helping build one of the world's most recognizable beverage brands while working at Red Bull.
That experience shaped his understanding of consumer behavior, market development, brand positioning, and the implementation of global distribution models.
But it also revealed something important.
Consumer expectations were changing. Health consciousness was becoming mainstream.
Sustainability was becoming more important. Zero-plastic packaging was becoming part of the conversation.
And hydration was evolving from a basic necessity into a lifestyle choice.
"People are becoming much more intentional," says Barutcu.
"They're paying closer attention to what they consume. They're investing in their health and longevity."
Consumers increasingly prefer authentic, local brands over products that feel mass-produced and universally available.
The Future of Water Is Changing.
Water occupies a unique position in consumers' lives because it's consumed and enjoyed every single day.
As a result, people are asking new questions.
Where does this water come from?
Which company owns it?
How is it packaged?
Does it align with my values?
At the same time, awareness surrounding sustainability and microplastics continues to grow.
"Water is no longer just water," says Barutcu.
Surfwater chose fully recyclable and refillable 16-ounce aluminum bottles because the packaging aligned with the company's philosophy.
The company spent years testing environments, product placement, consumer behavior, and product-market fit before pursuing expansion.
"Proof before growth," says Barutcu.
"We wanted to understand where consumers connected with the product and whether we could create something that people genuinely needed and wanted."
According to the company, that validation phase has now been completed.
The next chapter focuses on expanding throughout California and pursuing a new objective:
Becoming California's bottled water brand.
More Than a Water Company
"Surfwater isn't really about surfing," says Serkan.
"Surfing isn't just about waves. It's about movement, freedom, and discovering new. Today, people surf waves, but they also surf
That philosophy eventually inspired the company's identity.
And it also inspired its message.
Water More. Live Longer.
Will Surfwater become California's next major lifestyle beverage company?
Only time will answer that question. But one thing already seems clear.
Consumers are changing.
The way people think about hydration is changing.
And California continues to lead that transformation.
Surfwater isn't trying to become another bottled water company.
It's trying to become California's lifestyle brand, with a vision that extends far beyond bottled water.
It's a simple idea.
Water More. Live Longer.
Jessica Frank
Surfwater California
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