When Maria Sharapova launched her candy company, Sugarpova, in 2012, critics dismissed it as a side project, a distraction from tennis. But Sharapova had bigger plans. She wasn’t just lending her name to a product — she was building a brand.
From the start, Sharapova was hands-on, overseeing everything from product design to distribution. Her vision was to create premium candy that combined fun with quality, something both kids and adults could enjoy. The gamble paid off. Within a few years, Sugarpova grew into a multi-million-dollar business, stocked in over 30 countries and expanded into chocolates and lifestyle products.
What made Sugarpova different was Sharapova’s personal investment. She poured her competitive spirit into business, learning about entrepreneurship the same way she learned about tennis — through discipline, risk-taking, and relentless drive. She often joked that running a company was tougher than winning a Grand Slam, but her results proved otherwise.
Her success showed athletes everywhere that life after sports doesn’t have to mean fading away. Instead, it can be the start of something even bigger. By the time she retired in 2020, Sharapova wasn’t just a tennis champion — she was a self-made entrepreneur and investor, partnering with major companies and inspiring athletes to take ownership of their financial futures.
Sugarpova is more than candy — it’s a symbol of Sharapova’s evolution from competitor to CEO. And in many ways, it may be the sweetest victory of her career.
