This post will read a bit different from our usual ones. It’s not a how-to or a hydration hack. It’s our origin story: why we started MDRN, what we believe in, and what drives us.
Ever looked at the back of a typical sports drink and wondered, "What is all this stuff?"
Our founder Gabe Valdez did. As a dad of four and fitness buff, he kept turning bottles around in the grocery store, squinting at ingredients lists filled with weird stuff he couldn't pronounce.
"I just wanted something I could feel good about sharing with my whole family and drinking myself everyday," Gabe explains. As a husband and father, he wasn't just looking for something to fuel his own workouts. He wanted hydration he could confidently give to his family to use at their sports practices, pack in school lunches, and recommend to friends without hesitation.
That frustration sparked something: a question that wouldn't go away: What if hydration could be simple again?
Brothers With a Mission
Gabriel teamed up with his brother Ben, an executive with serious business chops, to tackle this challenge. While many startup stories feature college roommates or tech colleagues, MDRN began with something stronger: family.
The Valdez brothers share a simple belief: hydration impacts everything about how we feel and function. From morning energy to workout recovery to mental clarity, water (and what's in it) matters.
The MDRN Difference
When the brothers couldn't find hydration products they'd confidently share with their own families, they made the leap to create something new.
MDRN Hydration was born out of a clear values-driven take on hydration:
-
Great taste without excessive sugar or sweeteners
-
Ingredients that actually work (backed by science, not trends)
-
Nothing artificial or unnecessary
-
Formulated for everyone’s daily life, not just extreme athletes
While other brands were adding more sugar, more colors, and more buzzwords, MDRN went in the opposite direction – focusing on what really matters.
For Everyone, Every Day
At MDRN, we believe hydration isn't just for marathon runners. It's for parents packing school lunches, office workers hitting that mid afternoon crash, and anyone who wants to feel good in their body.
That's why MDRN products are built differently. The brothers worked with experts to create formulas with:
-
B-complex vitamins for natural energy
-
Magnesium citrate and potassium for muscle function
-
Natural monk fruit sweetener (no sugar crashes!)
-
Antioxidant-rich extracts like green tea and blueberry
-
Zero artificial colors or flavors
But perhaps most importantly – nothing confusing. No weird ingredients we can’t stand behind 100%. Just honest hydration that works.
Growing Something Good
Today, the company continues to grow under Gabe's product-focused leadership and Ben's business expertise. Together, they lead the company with values grounded in their original mission: making hydration simple, trustworthy, and effective by building a company that uplifts the daily lives of real people.
We’re not here to just sell drinks or build another profit-first sports beverage brand. There are already plenty of those. Our mission is simpler: to give people an easy, honest way to feel noticeably better, every single day.
So in a world of bogus and buzzword stuffed wellness trends and overhyped products, we aim to ensure there's something refreshing about MDRN's approach – like a cool drink of water when you really need one.
Whether you're chasing your kids around the backyard, training for your first Spartan Race, or just trying to drink less soda, MDRN believes everyone deserves hydration that helps them feel more like themselves.
And that's a family value of ours we think is worth sharing.
Next, we’ll return to our regular rhythm with ingredient deep dives, hydration tips, helpful insights, and wellness reads. We hope this gives you a better feel for where we’re coming from, and why we care so much about what goes into your bottle.
Rooted in Family, Designed for Real Life: The MDRN Story
This post will read a bit different from our usual ones. It’s not a how-to or a hydration hack. It’s our origin story: why we started MDRN, what we believe in, and what drives us.
Ever looked at the back of a typical sports drink and wondered, "What is all this stuff?"
Our founder Gabe Valdez did. As a dad of four and fitness buff, he kept turning bottles around in the grocery store, squinting at ingredients lists filled with weird stuff he couldn't pronounce.
"I just wanted something I could feel good about sharing with my whole family and drinking myself everyday," Gabe explains. As a husband and father, he wasn't just looking for something to fuel his own workouts. He wanted hydration he could confidently give to his family to use at their sports practices, pack in school lunches, and recommend to friends without hesitation.
That frustration sparked something: a question that wouldn't go away: What if hydration could be simple again?
Brothers With a Mission
Gabriel teamed up with his brother Ben, an executive with serious business chops, to tackle this challenge. While many startup stories feature college roommates or tech colleagues, MDRN began with something stronger: family.
The Valdez brothers share a simple belief: hydration impacts everything about how we feel and function. From morning energy to workout recovery to mental clarity, water (and what's in it) matters.
The MDRN Difference
When the brothers couldn't find hydration products they'd confidently share with their own families, they made the leap to create something new.
MDRN Hydration was born out of a clear values-driven take on hydration:
Great taste without excessive sugar or sweeteners
Ingredients that actually work (backed by science, not trends)
Nothing artificial or unnecessary
Formulated for everyone’s daily life, not just extreme athletes
While other brands were adding more sugar, more colors, and more buzzwords, MDRN went in the opposite direction – focusing on what really matters.
For Everyone, Every Day
At MDRN, we believe hydration isn't just for marathon runners. It's for parents packing school lunches, office workers hitting that mid afternoon crash, and anyone who wants to feel good in their body.
That's why MDRN products are built differently. The brothers worked with experts to create formulas with:
B-complex vitamins for natural energy
Magnesium citrate and potassium for muscle function
Natural monk fruit sweetener (no sugar crashes!)
Antioxidant-rich extracts like green tea and blueberry
Zero artificial colors or flavors
But perhaps most importantly – nothing confusing. No weird ingredients we can’t stand behind 100%. Just honest hydration that works.
Growing Something Good
Today, the company continues to grow under Gabe's product-focused leadership and Ben's business expertise. Together, they lead the company with values grounded in their original mission: making hydration simple, trustworthy, and effective by building a company that uplifts the daily lives of real people.
We’re not here to just sell drinks or build another profit-first sports beverage brand. There are already plenty of those. Our mission is simpler: to give people an easy, honest way to feel noticeably better, every single day.
So in a world of bogus and buzzword stuffed wellness trends and overhyped products, we aim to ensure there's something refreshing about MDRN's approach – like a cool drink of water when you really need one.
Whether you're chasing your kids around the backyard, training for your first Spartan Race, or just trying to drink less soda, MDRN believes everyone deserves hydration that helps them feel more like themselves.
And that's a family value of ours we think is worth sharing.
Next, we’ll return to our regular rhythm with ingredient deep dives, hydration tips, helpful insights, and wellness reads. We hope this gives you a better feel for where we’re coming from, and why we care so much about what goes into your bottle.