Is Ryan Trahan The Next YouTube Billionaire?

Okay, Ryan Trahan launched his new brand Joyride on 13th February 2024. You have to give it for the launch video crafted by the incredible Sticks guys, featuring MrBeast, Colin and Samir, Mark Rober, Airrack, and Haley Pham.

But it’s not been roses everywhere, Ryan and Joyride have been accused of leading a massive disinformation campaign to convince the audience that he started a new candy company (apparently, from what he says in his video) on the contrary, the company was founded in 2008. That’s what pissing fans the wrong way, let’s dig deeper into the history of Joyride (Project 7, Inc?).

Ryan Trahan has partnered with Joyride as Chief Creative Officer to bring his vision of crafting delicious candy without incorporating any unhealthy ingredients. This collaboration has led up to the Joyride Sour Strips Launch Pack in four different flavors: Strawberry, Green Apple, Pink Lemonade, and Blue Raspberry.

The product was listed on the JoyrideSweet’s website (in limited quantity) for $25; they’re already sold out now. Joyride Sour Strips will be available nationwide at Target stores in June.

But what’s interesting to take a close look at, is: will Joyride have an insane growth congruent to other creator-led brands like Prime and Feastables and put Ryan Trahan on track to becoming the very few YouTuber billionaires?

Joyride’s origins can be traced back to 2008 when Tyler Merrick founded Project 7, a manufacturer and supplier of candy products with a vision to provide better sweet treats while also helping fund critical areas of need, like hunger, clean drinking water, and shelter.

Currently headed by Angela Shepherd, Project 7 is a CPG product incubation firm/venture studio (in the food & manufacturing space) that has re-launched its Joyride brand; the distribution-first approach with a charismatic figure having distribution in-place.

These are how most incubators operate, while the face of Joyride is Ryan Trahan, the company that they are backed by maintains a discreet presence; and that company is Project 7.

They are best described as white-label product incubators. Their strategy is to collaborate with influencers, jointly developing and promoting products tailored to the influencer’s audience. In return, the influencer markets the products to their audience in exchange for equity.

Joyride is one such brand they have incubated. How much of Joyride does Ryan Trahan own? and How much Joyride is worth?

These are the questions, I’m personally very excited to find out the answers of!