After putting business on pause during 2020 due to the pandemic, hemp-infused superfood beverage brand Adapt SuperWater is seeking to become a staple in professional sports team locker rooms while introducing new product innovations.
Founded in 2019, the Hermosa Beach, California-based brand is located at the intersection of three beverage categories: functional, hemp-infused and electrolyte hydration. Currently offered in two varieties – Immunity (Pomegranate Hibiscus) and Recovery (Mango) – each 14 oz. bottle is enhanced with 25mg of hemp extract and sweetened with monk fruit. The new Sleep (Tart Cherry Kiwi) and Focus (Watermelon, Beet & Lime) varieties are slated to join the mix on July 1.
Also launching on July 1 is the brand’s new On-The-Go single-serve drink mix. Mirroring the brand’s RTD products, the powdered mix will be available in the same four flavors and contain 25mg of hemp, providing athletes and nutritionists the opportunity to bring Adapt on the road.
“Being an athlete and seeing how guys like Tom Brady are able to elongate their careers by using products that are healthy and good for them spurred us to create a hemp-infused coconut water that is a natural, healthy alternative to Gatorade and Body Armor within the locker rooms,” said Adapt Brands founder and CEO Richard Harrington.
Adapt’s RTD beverages retail for $19.99 per 4-pack and $59.99 per 12-pack online and at select retailers throughout Southern California.
Looking to set a precedent for the next generation of functional hydration beverages and alternative medicines within sports, Adapt SuperWater in 2022 became the first NSF-certified for Sport hemp beverage on the market. The certification guarantees to consumers that no banned substances are in the product and it’s safe for athletes to consume.
“Because I sat [through] every single compliance meeting while I was playing [in college], I knew the importance of the NSF certification,” said Harrington. “That was always a barrier for a lot of my friends, our athletes to use the product.”
As a former college football player at Oregon State University who suffered multiple injuries during his career, Harrington utilized CBD and hemp extract as an alternative to opioids. He hopes that Adapt can help do the same for other athletes.
“I want to expand our line to combat the opioids for that function. [For example], there are a ton of opioids and synthetic supplements for energy. But what CBD helps with, in an energy or caffeine product, is you get the upper without the jitters, which to me, that’s focus,” said Harrington.
The brand currently has 18 investor-athletes, including MLB second baseman Jason Kipnis, Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk, professional volleyball player Colton Cowell and professional soccer player Matt Polster, among others. Additionally, Adapt holds wholesale contracts with six professional teams in major U.S. sports leagues.
“The drinks being NSF certified tells me it’s a safe product that I don’t have to worry about. I like that it gives me the upper hand,” said Kirk in a statement provided by Adapt. “Another great thing about Adapt is the community around it – the other athletes that are involved, the people around the brand itself and the product are definitely the main reasons why I decided to become an Adapt athlete.”
Though the brand’s locker room presence accounts for roughly 50% of its sales, the brand has spent the past year working on proof of concept in retail. In what Harrington has dubbed a “Richie versus Goliath” story, Adapt grew from zero to more than 150 retail locations in SoCal in 2022, including GROW Manhattan Beach and Hank’s Organic, through self-distribution.
The brand has announced an upcoming partnership with EarthBar that will serve as an intermediary between the professional athlete and the everyday athlete. In what is slated to be at least a year-long partnership, Adapt will launch in all California EarthBar locations (including 23 located inside Equinox gyms).
Ultimately, the brand is on a mission to provide a healthy alternative to synthetic beverages, supplements and opioids as professional sports leagues begin to remove cannabis and hemp from their banned substance lists. In June, the MLB announced teams and the league itself would be permitted to partner with NSF-certified for Sport CBD brands.
Looking ahead, in conjunction with the new product releases, Adapt will use 2023 to scale its regional distribution in key markets and expand its locker room presence.
“We want to continue to push into locker rooms and really take over the refrigerator space and be the athlete’s choice of hydration and recovery beverage,” said Harrington. “That’s where I see a huge void in the locker room is a healthy recovery beverage and a healthy recovery product.”