Plenty of distribution news coming our way in the last couple of weeks, as both early-stage and established beverage companies announced new agreements with wholesalers from across the U.S.
Last week, Xyience unveiled the details of a new partnership with Polar Beverages that is expected to dramatically increase the availability of its Xenergy drinks in the New England market.
In a statement, Xyience praised the deal with Polar, a Worcester, Mass.-based distributor and producer of carbonated beverages, as one that could result in new shelf space for Xenergy “in thousands of retail doors, including convenience stores like convenience like Sunoco A+, Circle K, Alliance Energy and Nouria, along with grocery and specialty stores, both major chains and independents.”
Continuing on a path toward becoming a nationally represented brand by 2017, soft drink marketer Cheerwine has announced a co-packing and distribution agreement with Buffalo Rock Co., a Birmingham, Ala.-based wholesaler. Buffalo Rock is the largest independent, privately owned Pepsi bottler in the U.S., and has begun manufacturing Cheerwine products at its state-of-the art production facility, according to a statement from the soft drink brand.
Buffalo Rock will ship Cheerwine to its 14 distribution centers, which serve more than 15,000 retailers across the South and bring the sodas to more than 6.5 million new customers in Alabama, western Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. The new distribution of Cheerwine follows an expansion of the brand to the Pacific Northwest at the end of 2013, in which the company signed bottling and distribution agreement with Pepsi Beverages Co. and 13 independent Pepsi bottlers in the region.
Another soft drink brand, albeit of the organic variety, has added new distribution on the other side of the country. SIPP eco beverage co., Inc., which markets the Sipp line of sparkling organic beverages, has partnered with Real Soda In Real Bottles, to distribute the brand’s four SKUs in Southern California.
In a statement, SIPP noted that Real Soda also distributes in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Colorado and Nevada and that the agreement offers Sipp an opportunity to expand into those states as well. The brand is currently represented in Northern California, Texas and along the East Coast.
In other distribution news:
- True Me Brands LLC announced that its True Nopal Cactus Water will be available on the shelves in Ralph’s, Fry’s, QFC and King Soopers stores beginning in mid-September 2014.
- CUBA Beverage Company has announced a new distribution deal with Core-Mark to bring its “Herbal Energy Juices” to Portland, Oregon and Spokane, Washington.
- KonaRed Corporation, which manufactures a line of juices and nutritional supplements infused by its Hawaiian CoffeeBerry, stated that its products are now available at more than 50 Fred Meyer Stores in Washington and Oregon.
- The Pulse Beverage Corporation’s announced that its Natural Cabana Lemonades are now carried at Raley’s Family of Fine Stores in 120 locations throughout California and Northern Nevada. The company also revealed that Albertsons’ Southwest Division will now carry its Natural Cabana Coconut Water, as well as the brand’s Limeade and Raspberry Limeade at over 100 stores throughout Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Southern Utah and El Paso, Texas.