GNGR Picks Up Walgreens, Duane Reade via Dora’s Deal
After signing on with distributor Dora’s Naturals last year, New York-based refrigerated functional juice shot maker GNGR has announced a pair of significant pickups in the drug channel: Walgreens and Duane Reade.
GNGR’s family of 2 oz. organic juice shots, which includes the recently introduced Digestive Aid SKU with added probiotics, are now available in select Walgreens and Duane Reads locations across New York City and New Jersey. The products are sold in 800 doors total across the Northeast, as well as direct-to-consumer via its website and Amazon.
In a press release, GNGR Labs CEO and co-founder Namik Soltan called the deal “a huge advancement for a fast-growing beverage start-up” that “creates a pathway for the GNGR brand to the national stage.”
B GREAT Partners With Southern Glazer’s
B GREAT is the latest CBD-infused beverage company to score a distribution deal with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the company announced in a press release earlier this week.
The woman-owned company currently markets two beverages in retail stores nationwide – CBD Relax Shots (20mg) and CBD Focus Shots (15mg) – as well as Immune Support CBD Gummies (10mg).
“Our ability to distribute through Southern Glazer’s is a major step toward our goal of bringing premium CBD products to a more discerning audience – particularly those over 40 who understand CBD’s therapeutic health benefits but aren’t sure where to start,” said B Great Founder and CEO Barbara Goodstein.
Southern Glazer’s partnership with B GREAT marks the further expansion of its presence within CBD beverages, after the distributor picked up DEFY earlier this year.
According to the release, B GREAT’s shots and gummies are currently available in California, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, Texas, and Oregon, and will roll out into additional states later this year.
“As a woman-owned startup, we’ve worked tirelessly to develop a great-tasting, effective, and consistent product line, and with Southern Glazer’s as our distributor, we can reach even more consumers,” said Goodstein.
Koita to Expand Across the Country
Koita Foods, an Italian plant-based milk brand, has expanded the distribution of its products across the country through United Natural Foods, Inc. and KeHE Distributors, the company announced last week.
Founded in Dubai in 2013 by entrepreneur Mustafa Koita, the brand brought its lineup of shelf-stable milks to the United States in 2020.
“Last year was an award-winning year for Koita. Now we are thrilled that UNFI and KeHE have started to distribute our delicious plant-based milks to get them placed on more shelves and in consumers’ hands,” said Mustafa Koita in a press release.
The expansion was announced in conjunction with the launch of new packaging designed in an effort to help the beverages stand out on the shelf. The new boxes feature plant-based ingredients, such as coconuts and almonds, sporting joyous expressions to “incorporate fun, personified images to breathe new life into the shelf-stable, plant-based milk aisle,” according to a press release from the company.
“The U.S. is the 11th country launch for our products, and after looking at shelf-stable milk aisles, we realized it was time for a bolder look that brought more fun and life into the category,” said Koita. “We hope our new packaging entices more shoppers to give our uniquely Italian plant-based milks a try.”
The line of plant-based milks will roll out into 50 more independent stores in New York and New Jersey, including Green’s Natural Foods, The Natural Green Market, Green Life Market and Health & Harmony.
Chamberlain Coffee Offers Latte Menu via Gopuff
It may have started as an offshoot to her stunningly successful career on YouTube, but Emma Chamberlain’s eponymous coffee brand is not a side hustle anymore. The brand has gone from marketing steeped coffee bags in 2020 to now offering a full range of whole bean blends, plus matcha and the requisite coffee merch, shipping direct-to-consumer.
Chamberlain has no plans to open a retail cafe, as of yet, but the brand’s latest partnership with instant delivery platform Gopuff might be the closest thing we’ll get: now through May 6, all Gopuff Kitchens will offer a full menu of hot and cold Chamberlain Coffee drinks available for delivery in as little as 15-20 minutes through the Gopuff app.
The menu features 21 different drinks, ranging from as simple as an Americano ($3.49) and oat milk latte ($5.49 for 12 oz) to Honey Lavender Latte with Oat Milk or Iced Sea Salt Caramel Mocha Latte ($4.99).
Gopuff Kitchens, launched last summer, offers rapid delivery on a range of hot and freshly prepared items in 30 cities across the U.S.
Chlorophyll Water Expands Reach at Mother’s Market
In a press release earlier this week, Chlorophyll Water announced its bottled water has widened its presence at Mother’s Market locations across California. The brand – which launched its bottled spring water enhanced with chlorophyll in 2019 – is now available at all 11 Mother’s Market locations in California, in addition to select Whole Foods Market, Urban Outfitters and Pura Vida stores throughout the country.
According to Paul Cassara, Chief Merchant of Mother’s Market, “One of Mother Market’s priorities is to provide customers with what’s new and trending in food, health and wellness. That’s why [Mother’s Market] is excited to now be carrying Chlorophyll Water!”
The Alkaline Water Company Adds 250 Military Stores Across the Country
The Alkaline Water Company today announced that it has launched its Alkaline88 1-gallon in 80 Navy Exchange Service Command stores. Additionally, the 1-gallon recently became a permanent item in 170 Defense Commissary Agency commissaries.
“We’re proud to now offer the country’s number-one-selling value-added bulk water, the Alkaline88 1-gallon, to active and retired military personnel and honorably discharged veterans throughout the country,” Alkaline Water Company President and CEO Ricky Wright said in a press release. “Military exchanges and commissaries are an important retail channel, and we expect more opportunities to provide the Smooth Hydration of Alkaline88 to our servicemen and women through additional branches in the near future.”
The Alkaline Water Company’s 8.8pH alkaline drinking water is currently available in 80,000 retail outlets nationwide.
Shaka Tea Enters Whole Foods Nationwide
Shaka Tea is set to launch nationally with Whole Foods Market this month, according to a Linkedin post from its co-founder and Head of Mission & Innovation, Bella Hughes.
Hughes called the retailer a “dream account” for Shaka, which offers both bottled and dry packaged teas made from a unique botanical, mamaki, indigeinous to Hawaii. The brand, which was acquired by food company King’s Hawaiian in February, expects to be in over 20,000 stores nationwide by the end of this year.
RISE Set to Spring into Shaw’s
Organic cold-brew coffee specialist Rise Brewing Co. continues to build out distribution for its line of nitrogen-infused, dairy-free lattes in 7 oz cans. Per a post on Linkedin, the brand has secured placement at New England grocery chain Shaw’s starting in May.