PopSugar

PopSugar
Available inEnglish
Founded2006; 20 years ago (2006)
Headquarters
San Francisco, California,
U.S.
Owners
FoundersLisa Sugar
Brian Sugar
ProductsPopSugar, PopSugar Must Have, Beauty by POPSUGAR
Parent
Websitepopsugar.com
LaunchedMarch 2006; 20 years ago (2006-03)

PopSugar is an online American pop culture and wellness publication, founded in 2006 by married couple Brian and Lisa Sugar. The company is part of American digital holding company VM Publishing, LLC, a subsidiary of PMX Global, LLC, unit of Penske Media Corporation.

PopSugar features lifestyle content targeted towards women 18–34, across topics such as beauty, entertainment, fashion, fitness, food, and parenting, on mobile, video, and social media.

History

Husband and wife Brian Sugar and Lisa Sugar founded Sugar Publishing Incorporated, in 2006, after a suggestion by blogger Om Malik that Lisa turn her celebrity gossip hobby into a company. Brian became CEO and Lisa Editor-in-Chief, and they added venture capitalist Michael Moritz to the board.

In 2007, the company announced a name change to Sugar Inc. along with the acquisition of ShopStyle, a fashion shopping search engine, followed by acquisitions of Starbrand Media, FreshGuide, and Circle of Moms in 2012. In 2013, the company officially changed its name from Sugar Inc. to PopSugar Inc., and announced that it was profitable and had grown to over 450 employees.

POPSUGAR logo used from 2015 to 2024

In 2019, American digital holding company Group Nine Media acquired PopSugar in an all-stock transaction. In June 2024, Popsugar underwent a significant rebrand by owner Vox Media, renaming the namesake publication to PS with a greater focus on women's health, fitness, and wellness. In June 2026, Penske Media Corporation, then the largest shareholder of Vox Media, acquired several brands from the company, including Popsugar.

Operations

Headquartered in San Francisco, PopSugar Inc., was funded by Sequoia Capital and Institutional Venture Partners. The company also has offices in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, and New York.

PopSugar previously operated the PopSugar Must Have subscription, which was service that sent subscribers a monthly box of items curated by PopSugar editors. It also offered special edition boxes with retailers such as CFDA, Neiman Marcus, and Target. The final PopSugar Must Have box was released in Summer 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Company Overview of PopSugar, Inc". Bloomberg Business. Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  2. ↑ Morell, Katie (March 13, 2013). "Lisa and Brian Sugar of PopSugar: From Blog to Multimillion-Dollar Media Giant". Openforum. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Can Sugar Break Through?". Digiday. July 30, 2012. Archived from the original on December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  4. ↑ Arrington, Michael (October 16, 2006). "Sequoia Invests in Blog Network Sugar Publishing". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  5. ↑ Ostrow, Adam (September 25, 2007). "Sugar Publishing Acquires Social Shopping Site ShopStyle". Mashable. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  6. ↑ Weisenthal, Joseph (May 21, 2008). "Sugar Publishing Acquires TV Shopper Starbrand Media". PaidContent.org. Archived from the original on June 23, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Sugar Publishing Acquires FreshGuide". xconomy.com. June 8, 2010. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  8. ↑ Rao, Leena (February 21, 2012). "Sugar Inc. Acquires Social Network And Community For Mothers Circle Of Moms". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  9. ↑ Claire Cain Miller (February 20, 2013). "PopSugar, a Web Site for Women, Gets a Makeover". bits.blogs.nytimes.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  10. ↑ Tracy, Marc; Lee, Edmund (2019-10-07). "PopSugar Acquired by Group Nine Media in Latest Digital Media Deal". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-10-08. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  11. ↑ "Popsugar Relaunches as "PS" with New Editorial Focus on Making Wellness More Accessible". Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  12. ↑ Schultz, Ray. "'Popsugar' Is Rebranded As 'PS', With A Heightened Focus On Women's Wellness". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
  13. ↑
  14. ↑ Lockwood, Lisa (1 August 2013). "Eileen Carty Promoted at PopSugar". WWD. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  15. ↑ "PopSugar, Inc.: Private Company Information". Businessweek. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  16. ↑ "FYI – POPSUGAR Must Have Subscription is Ending". www.mysubscriptionaddiction.com. Retrieved 2026-08-05.