A life-threatening allergic reaction at age 20 drove Tulsa entrepreneur Anna Cobb to find a new purpose in creating a clean energy drink. Now, the Rejuvenation CEO has brought the world’s first sparkling okra water to Erewhon shelves.
“I had an allergic reaction to a synthetic energy supplement that left me on life support and in a coma,” Cobb told Fox23.
She explained to Canvas Rebel, “During the summer of my 20th birthday, I went to GNC to find an energy supplement to help me tackle my exhaustion of studying long hours and being your average sleep-deprived college student. After taking what I thought was a normal woman’s energy vitamin I suddenly felt my throat closing. As my life flashed before my eyes, I briefly remember seeing the fear on my grandmother’s face as 911 was rushing epinephrine through my veins. After being on a ventilator and in a coma for 1 week, I knew that my life was spared because my purpose was greater.”
She added, “I spent countless amounts of hours researching the harsh chemicals that are placed in energy supplements and beverages that almost took my life. During my matriculation at Tuskegee University, I noticed that my student body, faculty, and staff was suffering from lack of healthful food and beverage education.”
So, in her senior year, she transformed a personal research project into a thriving, campus-wide plant-based catering service. This business offered students, faculty, and the local community healthy soul food alternatives. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to prematurely close the venture and complete her final year remotely.
She said, “Right after my virtual graduation, is when I decided to launch my newest plant-based product. Rejuvenation. Rejuvenation is the 100% plant-based energy drink alternative that provides high energy with ingredients everyone can pronounce and without the negative effects of jitters or crashes. Turning my tribulations into triumphs has been the goal of my company this far.”
She told Canvas Rebel, “All of our products are handmade by an amazing team of women. We sing, we laugh, we talk. I will never forget how God has blessed us over the years. We started manufacturing out of my Mom’s townhome in a tiny kitchen with a spoon, a tea bag strainer, and a small crockpot. Not only did we not have any real utensils, we were selling Rejuvenation in gallon water jugs and water bottles that we would wash and slap our label on it. Every day I look at my bottles now in awe. We went from a staff of 3 to a staff of 8 women!”
In September 2025, Cobb introduced her second brand, O’kra, operating under the parent company Rejuvenation by VQC Inc., as shared with AfroTech.
This venture is promoted as the world’s first sparkling okra water, according to a press release. Cobb noted that her personal use of okra water led to benefits such as clearer skin, fewer mood swings, and a natural increase in energy.
“For generations, okra has been used in kitchens and communities as a healing food,” Cobb wrote in a LinkedIn post. “I wanted to honor that heritage while bringing it forward as a modern wellness product, the world’s first sparkling okra water.”
The O’kra brand, featuring flavors like pineapple and pomegranate, quickly became a success. According to data shared with AfroTech, the company sold 1,000 cans in the first week and reached 7,000 cans within the first month after its launch.
Cobb, who is personally familiar with the benefits of okra, which has been trending on TikTok for a few years, noted, “I cured my adult acne through okra, as well as losing fifty pounds.”
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The brand is now stocked at Erewhon, a retailer Cobb had always hoped to partner with.
“I can officially say that in under six months of O’kra, we have launched into Erewhon,” she said in a LinkedIn post. “The most luxurious grocery store in the U.S., known for its $26 smoothies and celebrity clientele, now holds a piece of ancestral history on its shelves. Choosing okra isn’t just intentional. It’s symbolic.”
She continued, “It speaks volumes about the kind of retailer Erewhon truly is, one willing to honor culture, heritage, and wellness in its most authentic form. For those who understand premium retail, this moment feels almost unreal.”
Cobb also successfully secured a regional launch for her product with Sprouts and Whole Foods, with future ambitions to expand its placement to beauty retailers such as Ulta and Sephora.
Over the next five to seven years, her goal is to develop a range of natural beverages formulated to aid with focus and digestion.
“My end-all, be-all goal for all of this is to be a health and wellness Coca-Cola,” said Anna.
Cobb’s impressive list of accomplishments includes acceptance into the ACT House accelerator program, securing a $100,000 investment and a meeting with Pharrell Williams by winning the Black Ambition competition, and gaining vital assistance from the Gradient Innovation Hub.
