New York Spring Water (NYSW) has beefed up its distribution network and sales team.
On Monday, the makers of spring water and functional products announced new distribution partnerships with Carlson Distributing of Salt Lake City, Savannah Distributing of Savannah, Ga., R.S. Lipman of Nashville, Tenn., Wasatch Distributing of Ogden, Utah, and Winkel Distributing of Richfield and Hurricane, Utah. With the new partnerships, NYSW has secured placement in Kroger stores in Atlanta, Giant Carlisle, Giant Landover, Harmon’s Neighborhood Grocery, Reams Food Stores, Holiday Oil, select 7-Eleven locations and independent stores.
Beverage veterans Clark Wright and Craig Robertson, who joined the NYSW team in June, led the forming of the partnerships for the company. Wright has previously worked in sales and account management for Cytosport, the makers of Muscle Milk, Danone, which produces Evian, and Castle Rock Spring Water. Robertson previously worked with Crazy Mountain Brewery and OhYeah! Nutrition.
“Working in line with great DSD partners allows us all to strategically grow sales through rapid consumer awareness and purchase,” Robertson said in a release. “We’re excited to bring NYSW to this year’s [National Beer Wholesalers Association] show and to have the brand in the company of the top beverage distributors in the country.”
NYSW’s added distribution follows the company’s July launch of Vbee!, a functional line of kid’s beverages. In March, the company announced three formula extensions to its VBlast! line: VBlast Refresh, VBlast Antioxidant and VBlast Immunity.
“With emerging brands there is always a learning curve getting into the marketplace,” Wright said in the release. “With the DSD partners and retailers we already have on board, we have been able to develop a proven marketing mix for the distributors, their sales representatives and retailers. We’re looking forward to replicating these programs with our new DSD partners and retailers significantly expanding availability to consumers.”