Having secured a critical round of funding to keep the company afloat earlier this year, Tru is turning its focus back towards positive growth with a pivot in both product and strategy.
To this point, the Massachusetts-based brand, launched by CEO Jack McNamara in 2015, has been focused exclusively on its line of functional shots, packaged in a proprietary 1.69 oz. square-top bottle. But starting in January, Tru will begin introducing its latest innovation — a family of carbonated functional beverages in 12 oz. slim cans — as part of a long-planned change in tactics aimed at expanding its audience of millennial consumers.
For McNamara, the shift meant acknowledging that some of the cornerstones of the brand — like the square bottles — were not always embraced by consumers; in that particular case, he said, the box-like design left many confused about what was the actual product inside. In addition, consumer research and feedback indicated that coveted millennial audiences were not necessarily frequent shot drinks themselves.
“Often as a young entrepreneur, the product that you envision ends up being very different than the end product that the customer ends up with adopting and loving,” he said. “Probably the biggest thing I learned was that the entrepreneur is not always right.”
Beginning in January with the immunity-focused Tru Defend, the launch of the 12 oz. products represent the company’s new focus on responding to consumer feedback, which McNamara described as the company’s “mission moving forward.” The product contains 10 calories, 100% DV of vitamin C and 3 grams of sugar per 12 oz. serving, as well as a proprietary blend of natural functional ingredients. Sold in a single flavor, Pineapple, Defend is available now in soft launch on Amazon for $29.99 per 12-pack. The line is set to roll out next at Walmart.com and then on Tru’s website, followed by brick-and-mortar retail, where it will sell for $2.99 per can and in 4-packs for $10.99.
From a visual perspective, the cans sport a sleek, minimalist look created with female consumers in mind. The package was developed by graphic designer Ellen O’Reilly, who has previously developed packaging for brands like Krave and Dang.
Other canned SKUs — such as Tru Energy (orange mango, with 100 mg natural caffeine) and hangover recovery aid Tru Rescue — are set to follow, with six of a planned seven varieties set to be shipping by February. With a new product at the tip of its spear, McNamara is changing the way Tru is approaching distribution. Rather than the independent convenience stores where it seeded its shots products, the company’s new tactic is to target entering a smaller cohort of grocery chains in New England (such as Roche Bros., Star Market), with the hopes that strong velocities in key accounts will offset its limited geographic footprint.
McNamara said the company’s goal is to eventually work with a broker and use its own street team to facilitate those accounts, but the first priority will be to build a solid foundation in e-commerce. The brand has expanded its team in certain departments, including the recent appointment of a director of customer experience, while outsourcing much of its online operations through partners like Kartsmartr and Kepler GRP.
While the functional seltzers are expected to become the brand’s main focus, Tru’s range of shots will still be part of its portfolio, and have also received a packaging makeover by moving into aluminum twist-top bottles. Though all six flavors will still be offered through the company’s website, Tru’s flagship energy shot will be more prominent at retail; through Massachusetts-based broker JOH, the product recently landed in 500 CVS HealthHub stores. Individual shots retail for $2.49 and 4-packs for $8.99.
Where McNamara may have been hesitant before, his more flexible outlook on making product revisions extends to the yet-to-launch items, noting that if one of the functional seltzers underperforms, Tru will “discontinue it and double-down on something else.”
“We want to be that natural lab that is constantly making adjustments and launching new products to keep things fresh. I think our millennial customer is really looking for that,” he said. “Just like Nike will launch a new shoe every year, we want to be that company continuing to push the envelope in terms of product development. I think that’s what makes our brand really unique.”