After spending over 18 months off the market, beverage startup SZENT is waking up to smell the water.
The California-based scented bottled water brand is preparing to relaunch this fall after supply shortages forced it into a long hibernation last year, said CEO Shawn Griffis, and will debut an expanded product portfolio including new sparkling and kids lines.
Founded in 2017, SZENT makes a line of unflavored bottled waters equipped with a scented ring around the bottle cap infused with natural oils that “tricks” the consumer’s brain into tasting the flavor, without needing to put any additives in the water itself. Initially sold online via Amazon and in select Southern California retail accounts, Griffis said the company was forced to go offline after a series of repeated supply disruptions beginning in late 2019 – including a factory fire at one of its resin manufacturers – prevented it from obtaining the signature scented caps.
While SZENT was eventually forced to lay off most of its full time staff, Griffis said the support of investors allowed him to keep the company alive while he worked to rebuild. Now, SZENT is preparing to launch a new website in the coming weeks and Griffis hopes he can bring back as much of the company’s original staff as possible.
“We had no product, and without product we have no sales, and you have nothing coming in so we just can’t have people sitting idle,” Griffis said. “But what it did allow us to do is to move our cogs around, get our costs lower, get a better product, better bottles, better caps.”
In addition to bringing back its original “flavor” lineup of Mint, Tangerine, Tropical, Pineapple and Passionfruit still waters along with additional flavors like Watermelon. SZENT is also debuting four new sparkling varieties with Black Cherry, Cola Grape and Grapefruit as well as 9 oz. still kids waters available in Birthday Cake, Bubblegum, Dreamsicle, Green Apple and Sour Grape. Most of the innovations, Griffis said, aim to connect with consumers by invoking nostalgia.
“Scent is a big thing with memory,” he said. “With some of our sparkling flavors, it’s very unique the way that it can trigger memories, and even with the new Watermelon that we have, most people say, ‘Oh my gosh, this reminds me of something from my childhood,’ or ‘This reminds me of Jolly Ranchers.’ It’s a unique experience.”
Although the revamped bottles are still plastic, Griffis said he hopes consumers will reuse them for as long as the scented rings last, suggesting they can be refilled numerous times.
Production for the relaunch began this month and Griffis is targeting Southern California independent accounts for a rollout in Q4 and is in talks with several major mass and club channel retailers. He’s also been targeting accounts that previously carried the brand in its initial launch.
However, in SZENT’s absence on the market, another scented drink player emerged: PepsiCo-backed hydration system brand air up. The German company produces a proprietary water bottle designed to be used with scented pods. However, unlike SZENT, air up said it creates the perception of flavor via retronasal smell, which occurs while eating and drinking, while SZENT utilizes orthonasal olfaction from sniffing.
Griffis said he’s glad to see another brand in the market educating consumers around scented flavor and believes the two companies compete for different use occasions at different price points.
“We want [consumers] to be able to go into any place, grab a $2 bottle of water that’s comparable to any premium water … and have had the same experience at the same price point,” he said.