Miramar-Based Happy V Wants to Keep Your Vagina Healthy and Happy

Daniella Levy wants you to have a healthy vagina. The 30-year-old founder of the Miramar-based women's supplement company Happy V speaks from experience.

"I sort of started Happy V by accident," Levy tells New Times from her walking pad via Zoom, moving a strand of hair out of her face. She says a five-year-long battle with bacterial vaginosis (BV) led her to start the company.

In her early twenties, Levy experienced chronic BV, essentially an imbalance of bacteria inside the vagina. It's the most common vaginal infection for women and not the most fun.

At first, she wasn't sure what was happening between her legs. "When we're younger, especially in Hispanic households, sex and vaginal health aren't really spoken about," says the Fort Lauderdale native. So, as one does, she Googled her symptoms. The Internet told her it could either be a bacterial infection...or cancer. Fortunately, it was the former. But despite countless cycles of antibiotic treatments, Levy's condition failed to improve.

"It takes a toll on your mental health and self-esteem," she admits. "The symptoms associated with bacterial vaginosis are vaginal odor, discharge, and irritation. There's a lot going on down there, so you start to isolate yourself. I didn't want to put myself in a position where anyone would notice my symptoms."

After nearly five years — and five different gynecologists — Levy decided to turn to more natural remedies rather than constant pharmaceutical prescriptions. She found forums online and discovered many other women shared her experience and frustrations.

"It's all very debilitating," says Levy. "BV even impacted my dating life. I started seeing someone, but I didn't want to be intimate with him because I was embarrassed."

When she finally spoke to her partner about her condition, it changed her life. She learned his family worked in the dietary supplements industry and owned its own manufacturing company in Miramar. "It was definitely a serendipitous moment," she says with a smile.

Levy was able to tap into his team of biochemists, nutritionists, and formulators, and began to experiment with a supplement specifically geared to vaginal health.

It took about four months of testing different strains and formulas to create the brand's first product, a prebiotic and probiotic daily supplement. Once Levy tested it for herself and verified the results (no more fishy odor or discharge), she knew she had to share it with other women.

Levy started working on Happy V in 2017 and launched the company in 2019. At first, she admits, there was no business plan or go-to-market strategy. She just had a great product — and manufacturer — that she knew would help a lot of people.

Levy still uses her now-husband's factory to produce Happy V and its products. Having access to your own manufacturer is a game changer, she explains. When companies need to go through a third party to produce, they lose a level of oversight. "Transparency for us, in every area of Happy V, is very important to me."
During the pandemic, Levy was able to sit down and strategize to grow Happy V. She built a team and expanded her product line. Using input from her existing customers, she developed new products for women's health and wellness.

Currently, Happy V produces six core products: the original prebiotic and probiotic to support vaginal pH and gut health (ideal for battling bacterial vaginosis); capsules to help with digestion and bloating; liquid chlorophyll drops to detox the body; d-mannose and cranberry pills to combat chronic UTIs (these come in both capsules or powder packets); and menopause relief pills to help reduce hot flashes and night sweats.

"We've really focused on these core products because we know that these are the ones that really work," says Levy. "They're going to help you achieve your wellness goals."

Levy emphasizes the importance of staying innovative as a company, including developing options that don't necessarily come in pill form. She says Happy V is cognizant of all the supplements women are already taking and aims to lessen the number necessary to achieve their goals.

Happy V also prioritizes keeping its products affordable. The original prebiotic and probiotic formula sells for $40 per bottle on Amazon, where it has more than 5,000 reviews and a 4.4-star rating. The company also offers subscription options via its website so customers can bundle and save.