LIFEAID Charges Into C-Store, Military with FITAID Energy
Since its debut last Spring, LIFEAID Beverage Company’s FITAID Energy line has become one of the brand’s top selling products, with distribution across its network of 12,000 gyms and fitness clubs, as well as retail accounts like Nob Hill Foods, Harris Teeter, H-E-B and Kroger. Now, the performance energy line is helping the California-based brand open up new doors in the convenience and military channels, while deepening its presence in the natural channel with expansions in chains such as Sprouts.
FITAID Energy is available in four flavors: Mango Sorbet, Peach Mandarin, Blackberry Pineapple and Raspberry Hibiscus. Intended to compete within the performance energy set – which has maintained its rapid growth rate over the past year as brands like CELSIUS and C4 sign enter exclusive distribution agreements with beverage strategics – LIFEAID has positioned FITAID Energy as a cleaner and healthier alternative to those products, with each can containing 200 mg of caffeine from green tea, BCAAs, turmeric, electrolytes, vitamins, natural sweeteners and 15 calories.
At natural channel retailer Sprouts, where the line launched in October with two flavors, sales of the line have matched the velocities of its best-selling drinks and the retailer has since brought in a third flavor, said co-founder and CEO Orion Melehan. Meanwhile the Energy variety pack has become LIFEAID’s second best-selling SKU on Amazon.
“We have a clean product that meets the label readers’ criteria of purchase, and we’re seeing significant adoption from our existing customer base, but also attracting a lot of new-to-aisle customers that have been waiting for an all natural performance energy drink,” said co-founder and president Aaron Hinde.
While the energy line is helping to drive incremental sales in channels where LIFEAID has already established its core functional beverages, the brand is now working to make good on its promise to open up new channels with a push into convenience accounts.
As Q1 2023 gets underway, FITAID Energy will add 410 Circle K and QuikTrip stores in Arizona, with distribution through DSD house Hensley Beverage Company. In September, LIFEAID announced that NFL star Bishard “Budda” Baker – a safety for the Arizona Cardinals – had joined the company as an investor and minority shareholder. At the time, Melehan noted that LIFEAID’s products “super perform” in Arizona and Baker’s involvement would help the brand grow its business in the Grand Canyon State. While “higher level” marketing plans for this year remain under wraps, Baker will be involved in promoting the brand, the founders said.
“The c-store buyers know that there’s a whole natural shopper out there that cares about what they’re putting in their body – that usually is higher educated, has a higher income – that they want to attract, but they just haven’t had the products to really attract that type of consumer,” Hinde said. “And they’re now building out increased space for products like ours to really attract the health conscious consumer.”
FITAID Energy is also launching in Army & Air Force Exchange stores this month.
But while retail expansion is a priority, the company is still continuing to grow its online business; LIFEAID reported overall direct-to-consumer revenue surpassed seven figures over the Black Friday holiday shopping weekend in November. While Hinde noted that cost of customer acquisition has risen over the past year, LIFEAID has put an emphasis on referral based marketing to fuel ecommerce growth.
“I think for brands at this stage, the key to success is finding where your cheapest customer acquisition cost is,” Melehan said. “The days of just growing top line revenue at all costs are behind us now. Brands really need to focus on the economics, really need to focus on where their cheapest customer acquisition costs are, to continue to scale in this environment.”
Xicama Adds Mother’s Market
Prebiotic sparkling water brand Xicama announced last week that it is now available in all 12 Mother’s Market locations in Los Angeles.
“Ever since we steered our Xicama brand through Coachella, a pandemic, and now a global recession we never stopped believing in our mission, and our partners, investors, and supporters never gave up on us,” the company said in an email newsletter. “We worked tirelessly to do whatever it took to get on the shelf, and after all that work we are so excited to continue our retail expansion dreams.”
Available in Coconut Pineapple, Spicy Watermelon and Cucumber Ginger flavors, each 12 oz. can of Xicama contains 5 grams of prebiotic fiber. The drinks are also available in Walmart, Giant Eagle and Sears stores and are sold online through Amazon.
Jones Extends THC-Infused Mary Jones Line to Washington
Seattle-based Jones Soda Co. is expanding its cannabis-infused Mary Jones line to Washington, following its June launch in California, where it is sold in around 250 dispensaries.
According to a press release, the manufacturing for the expansion will be handled by CompCanna Inc. and distribution will be through Dogtown Pioneers, Inc., which the company said services 95% of Washington dispensaries.
The launch will include a “full portfolio of products across beverages and edibles at both low and high dose options,” including 10 mg and 100 mg THC–infused sodas in flavors like Root Beer, Berry Lemonade, Green Apple and Orange & Cream.
“Our home state of Washington is one of the country’s most robust recreational marijuana markets with annual sales of roughly $1.5 in 2021 and a projected $2.5 billion in annual sales by 2025,” said Jones president and CEO Mark Murray in the release. “Now that our Mary Jones business is off and running in California, bringing Mary Jones to Washington with a strong strategic partner like CompCanna makes perfect sense as we pursue our plans for international rollout in all recreational use markets.”