North Dakota Duo Launches Ax-Water, An Aronia Berry-Infused Beverage

FARGO, N.D., June 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — North Dakota natives, Blake Johnson, CEO and Wade Gronwold, COO, have released ax-water, aronia berry-infused and disruptor in the beverage industry. The super water hit the shelves of retailers in March locally, and has since grown regionally, with national deals in the works.

“There are thousands of tasty drinks out there. We didn’t just make another one,” said Blake Johnson, CEO. “We decided to shake things up in the beverage industry. My father, a doctor, and myself, approached it from an overall health perspective. Whereas my business partner Wade came at it from the fitness side. It’s a berry/beverage you need to have in your life!”

ax-water’s aronia berry has 3x more antioxidants than a pomegranate

The benefits of the aronia berry are abundant:

  • Cardiac and digestive benefits
  • Force against free radicals
  • Speed up recovery time after workouts and associated inflammation
  • All-natural, No preservatives
  • Low sugar and low calorie
  • Doesn’t need to be refrigerated due to the unique hot fill process that allows for a 2-year shelf life

“The science behind the brand and the berry is what initially peaked my curiosity,” said Mike Christianson, Portfolio Manager at Beverage Wholesalers, Inc. “The more I discussed the product with them and educated myself on the berry, the more interested I became. It is a product that has the potential to change the functional health and wellness beverage category. There has been very little research done on aronia berries compared to the category as a whole, but every time a study is completed, the results of how much more beneficial it is compared to its peer group is impressive,” he continued. “It is an engaging product, and requires education to a degree, but it has been received extremely well by the consumer. In general, people know we need antioxidants and that they are good for you, but they don’t know why or what they do.”

About ax-water

Blake Johnson, Civil Engineer by trade, has hobby farmed aronia berries since 2012. In light of their significant health benefits, he teamed up with Wade Gronwold to get aronia berries into the people’s hands. Ax-water was born. They currently have three flavors, and more to come, with the plans to include a sparkling line. Read about us in Fargo Inc! here: http://www.fargoinc.com/startup-spotlight-ax-water/.