YETI moved beyond coolers, and it seems to be the smartest move the brand made in years

YETI may have built its reputation on ultra-durable coolers, but the company’s latest results show just how far it has moved beyond its original category.

Today, drinkware is the biggest engine of the business, contributing about 65% of the sales mix, and it’s helping fund a deliberate push into bags, gear and new lifestyle products.

Over the past few years, YETI has steadily broadened its portfolio, and leadership now says the payoff is becoming clear.

As CEO Matt Reintjes put it, “the business is more balanced and resilient than it’s ever been,” pointing to the growing mix of categories and markets supporting the brand’s performance.

Hydration becomes the headline act

Drinkware seems to be a standout success for the brand known for its bear-proof coolers.

The segment grew again in the latest quarter, continuing to account for the majority of sales as the category expands beyond insulated bottles into a wider ecosystem that includes travel mugs, food storage and wellness-focused products.

Reintjes said consumers have responded strongly to the brand’s latest launches, noting that “consumers responded to our innovation across both Drinkware and Coolers & Equipment,” a trend that helped drive momentum toward the end of the year.

Products such as the Yonder shaker bottle illustrate how YETI is pushing drinkware into new use cases, tapping into fitness and everyday carry scenarios while also creating a platform for future iterations built on acquired technologies.

Bags point to the next phase

While drinkware continues to do the heavy lifting, the most telling developments are happening elsewhere in the portfolio.

YETI has been steadily building out its bags and equipment lineup, and the launch of the Skala hike packs signals a deeper commitment to the category.

Designed for trail use, the range expands the brand’s reach into core outdoor pursuits and complements its growing ecosystem of everyday and adventure gear.

The strategy reflects a familiar YETI playbook: acquire specialist expertise, refine it through the brand’s design lens and scale it globally.

The success of existing bag lines suggests that the approach is resonating, encouraging the company to continue broadening its equipment offering alongside its core hydration products.

Growth is coming from abroad

Geographically, momentum outside the US is adding another layer of diversification.

International sales grew 25% in the last quarter, with Europe, and specifically the UK, highlighted as a key momentum market, with plans to scale further across the region.

The results paint a picture of a company in transition. Drinkware still underpins the financial story, but YETI is clearly using that strength to invest in adjacent categories and new product platforms.

Summing up the trajectory, Reintjes said the company is seeing “solid demand” and that “the strategy we’ve been building over the last few years is showing through in the numbers,” reinforcing the sense that YETI’s evolution beyond coolers is no longer just a plan – it’s already happening.