Distribution Roundup: Lemon Perfect Enters Big Geyser

Lemon Perfect Enters Big Geyser, Expands Whole Foods

Cold-pressed lemon water maker Lemon Perfect will ship on Big Geyser trucks in the New York metro area beginning in April, founder and CEO Yanni Hufnagel told BevNET in a phone call today.

According to Hufnagel, the brand was previously distributed in the Northeast with Rainforest Distribution, but will leave that partnership this spring after the company signed with Big Geyser in January.

“This is the opportunity for the company and an opportunity we are going to bust the door down through,” Hufnagel said. “It feels like a real partnership more than anything else between us and Big Geyser at this time.”

Lemon Perfect had previously been available only through cold chain distribution, which Hufnagel said limited its growth potential. But this year, the company transitioned to a shelf-stable formula, allowing it to enter the Big Geyser system. Hufnagel said the company has now stopped shipping its previous version and anticipates all products available in the market will be shelf-stable by May.

As well, the brand will launch a sparkling line at Natural Products Expo West 2020 next month. The line will retail for $1.69 per 12 oz. can.

“We flipped the entire equation for the business on its head,” he said. “I quickly realized I can’t stand on stage and be authentic in our mission of trying to democratize drinkable wellness if we can’t get Lemon Perfect everywhere. And ultimately there just aren’t the route to market opportunities in a cold chain ecosystem.”

Lemon Perfect, which is now available in roughly 1,500 stores nationwide, also announced an expansion in Whole Foods adding the Southern Pacific region, which covers Arizona, Southern California and Southern Nevada. The brand first entered the retailer last summer in the Northeast and Rocky Mountain regions.

“I think all great brands are built in the natural channel and there’s no more of an iconic retailer in that channel than Whole Foods,” Hufnagel said. “For us, they’ve long been an incubator of disruptive or emerging brands that deliver on their consumers desires for great tasty yet healthy options, and we think we provide both, so we think this is a brand that was built in a lot of ways to have success in Whole Foods.”

Hufnagel said Lemon Perfect is primarily focused on going “inch wide, mile deep” in the brand’s core Northeast and Southern California markets, but is also exploring expansion in the Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest and the Southwest.

In addition to Whole Foods, Lemon Perfect launched this month in 600 Target stores nationwide. According to Hufnagel, early sales in the retailer are double early expectations. The brand will also launch on Amazon on April 1 and expects to be in 5,000 total retail doors by the end of the summer and in 10,000 doors by January 2021.

CLEAN Cause Goes Chainwide in Whole Foods

Yerba mate energy drink CLEAN Cause will rollout chainwide in Whole Foods Market stores next month, the company announced this week, expanding on its current presence in the retailer’s Northeast and Southwest region stores.

Speaking with BevNET, CLEAN Cause founder and CEO Wes Hurt said the expansion is an early sign that yerba mate, which has seen traction in West Coast retail where consumers are more familiar with the category, is beginning to grow nationwide. He noted that the brand’s sales are “trending in the right direction very quickly.”

“When I talk about strategy, we’re finding that even in the conventional channel where we’re executing well, there’s quick adoption,” Hurt said. “The flavor profile, even though the name [yerba mate] is kind of exotic, our flavors are really easy. It’s not polarizing, it doesn’t taste exotic.”

Hurt said the brand is aiming to go “coast to coast” with its retail footprint this year. In addition to Whole Foods, CLEAN Cause is available in about 7,000 retail outlets nationwide, including chains such as H-E-B, Safeway and Fry’s Food Stores.

“Now we have a stake in the ground that we can start to build around,” Hurt said. “[Whole Foods] is a really great anchor account to build brand awareness and now we can go focus with the right partners in the right regions with the greatest opportunity for adoption based on the demographics and the retail footprint, and really just win where we know we can.”

Kill Cliff Adds Publix, Weis Market

Functional beverage maker Kill Cliff has expanded chainwide in Publix, the company announced this week in a press release. Each store, located across seven states in the Southeast, will carry seven Kill Cliff SKUs including Cherry Limeade Ignite and Blood Orange Recover.

The expansion comes as Kill Cliff also adds 200 Weis Market locations in the Northeast, the company noted.

“Our retail growth has been tremendous and we’ve been fortunate to create alignment with retailers and buyers that share our values as a brand,” said COO John Timar in the release. “Kill Cliff is an entirely unique and differentiated brand with attributes that today’s consumer is seeking.”

SkinTE Goes Chainwide in Sprouts

Collagen sparkling tea maker SkinTE has launched chainwide with Sprouts Farmers Market, the company announced on LinkedIn this week.

Last year, the brand raised $3 million from investors, including Spanx founder Sara Blakely, The Honest Co. and ShoeDazzle co-founder Brian Lee, Beauty Independent reported. The brand’s ready-to-drink line includes Green Tea Grapefruit, White Tea Ginger and Hibiscus Vanilla varieties each containing 3000 mg of collagen per 12 oz. can.

The Bitter Housewife Adds Whole Foods Rocky Mountain Region

Portland, Oregon based cocktail bitters maker The Bitter Housewife has added Whole Foods stores in the Rocky Mountain region, the company announced in a press release. Distribution will be handled by A Priori Specialty Food.

“After a few years in Whole Foods along the West Coast, we are thrilled to open up a new region with the support of A Priori,” said co-founder Dan Brazelton. “We’re confident our high-quality and extremely approachable bitters will resonate with customers.”