Juisi, which markets a line of cold-pressed and high pressure processed juice blends, recently gained distribution in a range of retailers. The products are now available in specialty food chains Kings and Balducci’s, with distribution managed by Gourmet Guru. Kings has 24 locations in northern New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, while Balducci’s operates six markets in stretching from Virginia to Connecticut. The grocers carry the entire Juisi line with the exception of Carrot Orange, which is launching the beginning of next month.
This week, Juisi debuted in 200 Harris Teeter stores (with distribution via Haddon House), which carry the brand’s Watermelon, Chocolate Almond and Kale Punch varieties. Juisi also recently launched in Cibo Express stores located at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports. With the added distribution, Juisi products are now represented in stores in Northeast, North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions of the U.S.
Across the country, Vibrant Earth Distribution has become the exclusive distributor in Colorado for GT’s Kombucha’s Classic line. Commonly known as the company’s “Black Label” products, the kombucha drinks are created using GT’s original formulation, which often yields more than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).
Because of the alcohol content, Colorado requires a wholesaler of the products to have what is often colloquially called a 3.2 liquor license, referring to beverages that are 3.2 percent alcohol by weight (approximately 4 percent ABV). These products can only be sold at grocery stores and convenience stores; liquor stores cannot sell them.
GT’s Classic Kombucha is sold in just five Whole Foods locations in the state — each with a 3.2 license — along with a handful of other small, independent distributors. Despite the limited distribution, Jill Latham, the founder of Vibrant Earth, described the products as “flying off the shelf.” While GT’s Enlightened and Synergy products are carried by UNFI in the state, Vibrant Earth is the only distributor of the Classic line in Colorado.
Latham launched the distribution company following the sale of her cold-pressed juice brand of the same name. Vibrant Earth also works with NuBru, a line of cold brew coffees that are high pressure processed, and Boulder-based UpStart Kombucha.
As previously reported, ready-to-drink coffee brand Whynatte is entering nearly 1,500 locations of Kroger and Kroger-owned subsidiaries, including Fry’s, Ralph’s, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fred Meyers and Dillons. The recently announced distribution gains will put the brand in 25 states across the country. A recent reformulation of Whynatte — including a swap out of artificial sweeteners for natural ones, among other changes — has opened the doors for the brand to play within the natural channel through new distributors including UNFI, KeHe and DPI.
Speaking of KeHE, the Double-Cola Company has recently signed on with the distributor and specialty food broke E.F. Reimann to expand the national presence of its Thailand-sourced MINOKU coconut water.
Additionally:
- A month after obtaining placement at Albertson’s Markets nationwide, Cocozia has announced additional distribution gains at all nine locations of Texas gourmet grocer Central Market.
- Recently launched Detox Water has appointed Abraham Natural Foods as its distributor in New York City. The Brooklyn-based brand will now have access to Abraham Natural Foods’ 2000+ accounts in the Big Apple.
- pHenOH 7.4 is entering Whole Foods’ Northern California region, by way of the company’s partnership with Richmond-based natural products distributor Dove Distributors. At the end of 2014, the brand expanded into the East Coast market, partnering with Natural Wayz Beverages