Recess

Recess is a New York-based functional beverage brand that makes sparkling waters, powders, and alcohol-free mocktails built around one idea: helping you feel calm. Founded by Ben Witte, Justin Hauser, and David Hess, it positions itself as the answer for people who are stressed and overstimulated but don't want a sedative or a hangover.

The Lineup

Recess Mood is the centerpiece. The sparkling water pairs a magnesium blend with L-theanine and lemon balm. Each can has 53mg of magnesium from a mix of magnesium L-threonate, magnesium ascorbate, and active vitamin B6. The brand built the formula around magnesium L-threonate, a form it says has been shown to raise brain magnesium levels.

Recess Mood Powder takes the same idea into stick packs and scoops, so you can drop it into whatever you're already drinking. A serving has 1.6g of a magnesium blend (L-threonate, glycinate, and citrate, plus active B6), 200mg of L-theanine, 180mg of passion flower extract, and electrolytes. The brand says one serving covers half the daily recommended magnesium and suggests up to two a day.

Recess Zero Proof goes after the cocktail crowd. These are 0% ABV mocktails made with ingredients like ginger, orange peel, and lime zest, plus L-theanine, lemon balm, and 10mg of caffeine from guayusa. The pitch is a balanced lift for social settings rather than a wind-down.

The original Recess line is a hemp-infused sparkling water with 10mg of broad spectrum hemp extract, ginseng, lemon balm, and L-theanine.

Positioning

Recess skips the energy-drink playbook and the supplement-aisle look. The branding leans soft and creative, the copy is lowercase and conversational, and the formulas are low in sugar and calories. It's a mood-forward alternative to both caffeine and alcohol, sold through categories where "calm" is still being defined.

Recess is for people who want a functional drink for winding down, staying even-keeled, or skipping the booze at a social event. In a crowded relaxation and mood-drink segment, it stands out by building the whole brand around calm instead of treating it as a side benefit.