YouTube’s creative ecosystem generated over $55 billion for the U.S. GDP in 2024, but many creators are finding that ad revenue alone isn’t a sustainable business model. Recognizing the unpredictable nature of ad revenue, top YouTubers are diversifying into product lines, brick-and-mortar ventures, and consumer brands that can withstand algorithm changes and policy shifts. For some, these ventures are growing faster and more sustainably than their YouTube channels.
Key Takeaways
- MrBeast’s Feastables snack brand generated roughly $250 million in revenue and over $20 million in profit in 2024, surpassing the profitability of his YouTube content.
- Emma Chamberlain’s Chamberlain Coffee expects revenue to exceed $33 million by 2025, with profitability projected for 2026 after overcoming supplier challenges in 2024.
- Logan Paul’s Prime energy drink, co-founded with KSI, achieved over $1.2 billion in sales in 2023, although sales cooled off by 70% in the UK between 2023 and 2024.
How Are MrBeast, Emma Chamberlain, and Logan Paul Diversifying Their Revenue Streams?
Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast to his 442 million subscribers, has become an aggressive entrepreneur, extending his brand far beyond YouTube. In November 2025, reports surfaced that he plans to open a theme park in Saudi Arabia inspired by his video content. MrBeast is also exploring a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and filed a trademark application for a mobile app offering banking, financial advisory, and crypto exchange services. In February 2026, MrBeast acquired Step, a banking app targeting Gen Z users. What began with a merchandise store has exploded into a broad business portfolio, most notably his Feastables snack brand.
Feastables’ initial product, the “MrBeast Bar,” generated over $10 million in sales within its first 72 hours, selling over 1 million bars at launch. In 2024, Feastables generated roughly $250 million in revenue and over $20 million in profit, while his media business lost approximately $80 million, according to Bloomberg. Other ventures include his packaged food brand Lunchly (co-founded with YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI), the toy line MrBeast Lab, MrBeast Burger, and the analytics platform Viewstats. He even attempted to buy the U.S. operations of TikTok by joining the American Investor Consortium.
How Are Beauty and Baking YouTubers Expanding Their Brands?
Emma Chamberlain, who rose to fame as a teen vlogger in 2016, now has over 12 million subscribers and success in the beverage industry. She launched her coffee brand, Chamberlain Coffee, in 2019, offering various products, including cold brew, coffee pods, ground and whole bean options, tea, and matcha. Other YouTubers have followed suit, such as Jacksepticeye with his Top of the Mornin’ Coffee brand and Philip DeFranco with Wake & Make Coffee. In 2023, Chamberlain Coffee introduced ready-to-drink canned lattes and reached approximately $20 million in revenue, according to Forbes. The brand recently opened its first physical location in January. Although Chamberlain Coffee faced some challenges in 2024 due to supplier issues, it’s expected to rebound, with projected revenue growth of over 50% by 2025, reaching more than $33 million, according to Business Insider.
Rosanna Pansino, with 14.8 million subscribers, is known for her baking tutorials and themed treats. Beyond YouTube, Pansino has released several cookbooks that have been well-received, expanding her Nerdy Nummies brand. She also sells baking tools at several retailers, such as Amazon.
How Are Other YouTubers Diversifying Their Businesses?
Logan Paul (23.6 million subscribers) gained attention through his energy drink brand, Prime, which achieved rapid viral success in 2022. The brand, co-founded by YouTuber KSI, surpassed $1.2 billion in sales in 2023. However, it has since faced declining sales, regulatory scrutiny for its high caffeine content, and lawsuits from business partners. Sales have particularly cooled in the U.K., where revenue dropped by about 70% from 2023 to 2024, according to Business Insider. Another venture of his, Maverick Apparel, made between $30 million and $40 million in 2020.
Ryan’s World, hosted by 13-year-old Ryan Kaji, is another prominent YouTuber. In addition to his YouTube success, Kaji has expanded his brand through a line of toys and apparel that generated over $250 million in revenue in 2020. Kaji and his family have since diversified their ventures, including launching a TV show and an app that provides educational content tailored for children.
Products/Companies Mentioned
- MrBeast — YouTube creator with 442M subscribers, Feastables brand, theme park plans.
- Feastables — Snack brand founded by MrBeast, $250M revenue in 2024, chocolate bars.
- Emma Chamberlain — YouTube vlogger with 12M subscribers, Chamberlain Coffee brand.
- Chamberlain Coffee — Coffee brand founded by Emma Chamberlain, $20M revenue in 2023.
- Logan Paul — YouTube creator with 23.6M subscribers, Prime energy drink, Maverick Apparel.
What This Means
- For content creators: Diversifying revenue streams beyond ad revenue and brand deals can lead to more sustainable and profitable businesses.
- For investors: YouTube creators are building valuable consumer brands, offering investment opportunities in high-growth potential businesses.
- For the tech industry: The shift towards creator-led brands is reshaping the retail landscape, with YouTube stars becoming significant players in consumer goods.
Source: techcrunch.com
