Surprising celebrity food and drink ranges
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Food hall of fame
As if being a world-famous celebrity wasn’t enough, these stars have dipped a toe in the business world too, creating their own – often bizarre – food and drink ranges or collaborating with brands. From Ed Sheeran’s hot sauce to Snoop Dogg’s cereal line, here we explore the strangest celebrity food and drink brands of all time.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most surprising celebrity food brands ever to have existed, counting down to our favourite of them all.
We’ve based our ranking on the reception to each food and drink range at the time of its launch, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.
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33. Vodka, Dan Aykroyd
Ghostbusters and Blues Brothers legend Dan Aykroyd is co-founder of premium vodka brand Crystal Head, which comes in what is, arguably, the coolest bottle shape ever. When 21,000 bottles were stolen in 2011, the actor joked that he was “happy that some consumers will be afforded the opportunity of tasting it at significantly lower than retail price”.
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32. Vegan food, Heather Mills
British TV personality (and former Mrs Paul McCartney) Heather Mills has become renowned for her vegan food brand, VBites – following a path blazed by McCartney's late wife, Linda, whose vegetarian foods can still be found in freezer aisles. Dedicated to providing meat-free and dairy-free alternatives, the company has been running since 1993 but went into administration in late 2023. For now, though, VBites continues to produce vegan takes on fish fingers, cheese, chicken pieces, bacon and burgers.
31. Sweets, Maria Sharapova
Former tennis star Maria Sharapova used to have a candy empire called Sugarpova. The high-end brand reflected her fun, fashionable and sweet side and included kitsch chocolates, truffles, gummies and gumballs. Although it was an initial success, the star closed the company around three years ago to concentrate on new ventures.
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30. Whiskey, Bob Dylan
From winning Grammys and Academy Awards for his music to showing paintings at art exhibitions, Bob Dylan is by no means short on talent. His latest venture is a whiskey brand comprising a straight rye whiskey, a double barrel whiskey and a Tennessee straight bourbon. The musician initially wanted to call the brand Bootleg Whiskey after his series of albums, but settled on Heaven’s Door.
29. Cake mixes, Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen is famous for many things: she's a television host, cookbook author and model, and she's married to singer John Legend. She's a foodie, too. Her brand, Cravings, comprises cookware, recipes and dinnerware, and her latest release is a new line of cake mixes. The range includes Chrissy's Ultimate Banana Bread Mix, Buttermilk Mochi Pancake Mix and Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix.
28. Soda, Blake Lively
Blake Lively joined the long line of celebrities launching drinks brands in 2017, releasing Betty Buzz, a range of alcohol-free sparkling mixers. Fans can choose from flavours such as Meyer Lemon Club Soda, Sparkling Grapefruit, Sparkling Lemon Lime and Ginger Beer. It wasn't long before she got in on the alcoholic action, though – in 2023, she launched a range of low-alcohol sparkling cocktails under the brand name Betty Booze.
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27. Wine, Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie bought Château Miraval, a country estate and winery, in 2008. While many celebrity wines have been poorly received, Miraval wines are well-respected in the industry and have won many awards. After the pair split in 2016, Jolie sold off her shares in the estate, but Pitt is continuing with the business. He even reopened a music studio on the estate, where Pink Floyd recorded part of their album The Wall.
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26. Tequila, Kendall Jenner
Anything released by supermodel and Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kendall Jenner is bound to generate buzz. So, when she launched 818 Tequila in May 2021, its products practically flew off the shelves. By July that year, the brand had already exceeded sales forecasts for its first two years of business. However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing; some critics have accused the star of appropriating Mexican culture in her TV adverts. Jenner has since announced plans to give back to the community of Jalisco, Mexico (where the tequila is produced) by turning the company's waste into bricks for housing.
25. Doughnuts, Danny Trejo
From actor to taco master, there isn’t much that Danny Trejo hasn’t turned his hand to, so it came as no surprise when he launched a doughnut shop in LA in 2017. From the doughnut boxes to the staff T-shirts, Trejo's Coffee & Donuts is plastered with illustrations of Trejo's face – and the sweet treats here are sugary, sticky and incredibly tasty. Popular flavours include Maple Pig (a maple syrup–glazed doughnut with candied bacon) and Quinceañera, a glazed doughnut with a strawberry buttermilk drizzle and fruity pebble topping. If you're in America, you can buy the doughnuts online, too.
24. Gin, Ryan Reynolds
There’s no shortage of celebrity-owned drinks brands out there, but Aviation Gin is probably one of the most famous, all thanks to Ryan Reynolds and his tongue-in-cheek ad campaigns. The Deadpool star (and Wrexham A.F.C. owner) joined the brand in 2018 and has been synonymous with the batch-distilled gin ever since. In 2020, Aviation Gin was sold to Diageo, a European alcohol company, for a whopping $610m (£486m). Despite this, Reynolds remains co-owner and a big part of the gin's brand identity.
23. Baking kits, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Buffy the Vampire Slayer star-turned-entrepreneur Sarah Michelle Gellar is one of the co-founders of Foodstirs, a brand whose aim is to encourage parents to connect with their kids through baking. The utterly Instagrammable range includes kits with everything you need to make fluffy pancake stacks, double chocolate sea salt brownies, and sweet sugar cookies.
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22. Hot sauce, Dexter Holland
Offspring frontman Dexter Holland no doubt feels pretty fly after coming out with his own range of hot sauces, Gringo Bandito. Varieties include Original Red, Super Hot Sauce, Green Habanero and Spicy Yellow. Fans can also purchase exclusive merchandise, from bandanas and T-shirts to stickers and colour-changing mugs, from the Gringo Bandito website.
21. Popcorn, Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers' latest venture comes in the form of a classic cinema snack. Popcorn lover and father of former Jonas Brothers guitarist, Greg, Rob Garbowsky had been perfecting a sweet and salty popcorn blend for a while before he introduced it to the brothers a few years ago. Backstage Popcorn quickly became a snack the band would eat before shows – and it finally made its way onto the foodie market in early 2024. It comes in four flavours, including Indian Spice Mix and Rob’s Original.
20. Tequila, George Clooney and Rande Gerber
Another day, another celeb-backed tequila brand. Academy Award–winning actor George Clooney used to co-own a tequila brand called Casamigos with his best pal Rande Gerber – husband of supermodel Cindy Crawford. They got the idea on holiday after craving a tequila they could sip neat (and that didn't give them a hangover the next day). Clooney and Gerber sold the company for $1 billion (around £760m) in 2017.
19. Granola bars, Kristen Bell
Granola bar brand This Saves Lives, from The Good Place actor Kristen Bell, donates one packet of food to malnourished children for every bar sold. Not just ethical, the bars come in delicious flavours such as Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter and Madagascar Vanilla Almond & Honey. There are child-friendly versions, too.
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18. Mac 'n' cheese, Patty LaBelle
Legendary singer and actress Patti LaBelle made a foray into the food world in 2008, launching her hugely successful brand, Good Life. The star started out by offering a line of hot sauces, but the range has since expanded exponentially to include a whole host of classic recipes. Expect everything from sweet potato pie and this mac 'n' cheese to buttermilk pancakes and chocolate chip waffles.
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17. Irish cream liqueur, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey, the multi-award winning singer, has branched out into the liqueur business. She launched her own brand of Irish cream liqueur, Black Irish, in August 2021, to much excitement. However, the singer quickly became embroiled in a trademark battle, as a Dublin-based spirits company was already bottling its drinks under the same name. The Irish company has since had to forfeit the trademark, allowing Carey to keep the name.
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16. Condiments, Paul Newman
Late actor Paul Newman lives on through his line of Newman’s Own pasta sauces, dressings, pizzas, chocolates, cookies and other snacks. All profits from the venture go to charity, and the company website reports that, to date, more than $600m (£477m) has found its way to good causes.
15. Tequila, Dwayne Johnson
Launched in March 2020, Teremana is made at a family-owned Mexican distillery in the highlands of Jalisco – and it benefits from the backing of film and former WWE star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Credited as the founder of the company, Johnson has big plans for Teremana, which achieved record sales in its first year. He has since teamed up with Mast-Jägermeister for a global expansion of the brand.
14. Hot sauce, Ed Sheeran
Music superstar Ed Sheeran had a new release in 2023 – and it wasn't one of his usual pop songs. Instead, he put his name (and face) to a new range of hot sauces, Tingly Ted's. The sauces, available worldwide, come in two flavours: Tingly (a medium hot sauce with fresh lemon notes and smoky flavours) and Xtra Tingly (a spicier mix for those who want to turn up the heat). The singer-songwriter claimed that "there really isn’t anything they don’t go with – except bananas".
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13. Flavoured water, Beyoncé
As a business-savvy pop star, it would be more of a surprise if Beyoncé hadn’t worked with a drink brand – so when it came out that the singer had become one of the key investors in flavoured water brand Lemon Perfect, it didn’t shock fans. The star backed the brand in 2022 following a big investment, stating that it was "an easy decision to invest” in something healthy, affordable and accessible to all. The hydrating drinks brand comes in a variety of tasty flavours, from Dragon Fruit Mango to Original Lemon.
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12. Coffee, Tom Hanks
Multi-award winning actor Tom Hanks has spent much of his career working on film and television projects centred around moments in American history. His latest venture, Hanx, is a coffee brand that gives back to military veterans and their families, with 100% of the net profits going directly to organisations that help provide support and resources. A few products are available, including ground coffee, pods and sachets.
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11. Pasta sauces, Jon Bon Jovi
Back in 2012, Jon Bon Jovi's father released a line of tomato sauces called Bongiovi – so this one is more of a family-run business than a venture conducted by the Livin’ on a Prayer singer alone. The sauces are described by John Bongiovi Sr. as "a truly Italian-American experience", and the inspiration for the recipes came from none other than Great Grandma Bongiovi, who lived in Sicily.
10. Baby food, Jennifer Garner
A mother of three, actor Jennifer Garner has made a foray into the baby food industry. Once Upon a Farm, started in 2018, is as wholesome as it gets; the organic, baby health-food pouches come in flavours such as avocado, mixed berry and blueberry. The brand also sells full meals, from tomato pasta to curried carrots and beans. To top it off, some of the produce is grown on Garner's own family farm.
9. Pancake and waffle mixes, Zac Efron
High School Musical star Zac Efron made a surprise move from acting to the world of food when he joined Kodiak Cakes as chief brand officer in 2022. Recognisable by its signature bear mascot, the brand has become renowned for its protein-packed breakfast and snack options, made with whole grains. Popular products include flavoured flapjack and waffle mixes, energy-boosting breakfast bars and sticky fruit syrup.
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8. Frozen foods, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson may be better known for belting out soulful hits – but back in the early 2000s, the star launched a frozen food brand. Inspired by Southern home-cooked dishes, the range included red beans and rice, seafood gumbo and a down-home pot roast. They were available from 2004-09 and haven't made a return to supermarket shelves since.
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7. Frozen pizza, Lewis Capaldi
Believe it or not, Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi released a line of frozen pizzas in 2022. Known for keeping it real with his fans, he shared how his cooking skills are... limited. “Do I ever cook?... I can do cheesy pasta... I can do chips in the oven,” he told The Scottish Sun. It makes sense, then, that his foray into the food and drink world was with two flavours of frozen pizza: The Big Sexy Meaty One and The Big Sexy Cheesy One. Sadly, they're no longer available.
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6. Cereal, Snoop Dogg
Rapper Snoop Dogg is no stranger to the food and drink industry, with a cookbook, a (now defunct) nutritional supplements company and a rumoured upcoming hot dog brand under his belt. He also recently launched a cereal brand, Snoop Cereal, with No Limit Records founder Percy Miller. The range features flavours such as Fruity Hoopz with Marshmallows, Frosted Drizzlers and Cinnamon Toasteez, and a portion from each sale goes directly to charities that help tackle homelessness. It hasn’t been easy to get this one over the finish line, though; the star was forced to rename the brand from ‘Snoop Loopz’ due to concerns from competitors.
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5. Limoncello, Danny DeVito
Hoping to break into the beverage industry, actor and filmmaker Danny DeVito released a limoncello brand back in 2007. The launch came after he appeared on chat show The View in 2006, apparently still intoxicated from a big night out drinking the lemon-flavoured spirit with George Clooney. DeVito’s Limoncello was made with organic lemons from the Sorrentine Peninsula region in Italy and featured a novelty scratch-and-sniff label. Unfortunately for fans, it's no longer in production.
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4. Cereal, Mr. T
Do you remember Mr. T’s old-school cereal venture? The American actor may be best known for his role in the 1980s TV hit The A-Team, but he also dabbled in the world of food, too. Manufactured between 1984-93, Mr. T’s Cereal was made by the Quaker Oats Company and primarily included corn and oats that were formed into the shape of the letter T. Though it wasn’t the healthiest of choices (there was a lot of added sugar), it did have a successful run before it was discontinued.
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3. Steaks, Donald Trump
These days, Donald Trump is better known for politics rather than food production – but in 2007, he was heading up his own line of mail-order steaks. Trump Steaks, on sale for between $200 (£159) and $999 (£794), were advertised as the greatest steaks in the world. However, if you didn't try one at the time, it’s now too late; Trump Steaks were discontinued just two months after they launched.
2. Whipped cream, Cardi B
In 2021, American rapper Cardi B launched Whipshots – a range of alcoholic whipped creams. Although it might have seemed like a bizarre move at the time, the boozy offerings have proved popular, winning legions of fans. The whipped creams are infused with vodka and come in a variety of flavours, from caramel and mocha to limited-edition offerings like lime and strawberry.
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1. Gelato, Cher
Did we expect Cher to release a gelato brand? No. But do we love it? Absolutely! The world-famous singer launched Cherlato in 2023, with an ice cream truck – plastered with a picture of her face, naturally – available to hire in the Los Angeles area. Today there's a host of innovative flavours to try, with fun names like Breakfast at Cher’s Coffee & Donuts and Chocolate XO Cher.
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