Sports drink maker Barcode has partnered with New York City DSD house Rainforest Distribution, the company announced today, setting the stage for the L.A.-based brand to build a presence on the East Coast.
The partnership marks a homecoming of sorts for Barcode founder Mubarak Malik, the former director of performance for the NBA’s New York Knicks. Malik told BevNET today that he launched the hydration beverage brand in Los Angeles because there was a clearer path towards building a brand in chain retail stores than in the more diverse, independent-heavy New York market.
To prepare for its Northeast launch, the company has brought on regional sales manager Andrew Braun whose New York CPG sales experience includes turns at Sanzo, US Foods and Brooklyn Food and Beverage.
“New York City is all about relationships,” Malik said, citing Braun’s experience in the market.
Founded in 2020 and positioned as a better-for-you fitness drink, Barcode produces a line of hydration beverages made with ashwagandha, magnesium, vitamins and minerals and just 2 grams of sugar per 16.9 oz. bottle. The startup brand has partnered with pro athletes, including this year’s top NBA draft pick Victor Wembanyama, to help grow awareness.
According to Malik, Rainforest now marks Barcode’s largest distribution partner to date. To date, Barcode’s largest footprint has not been L.A., but Texas, where the drink is distributed by Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, Dynamo and Silver Eagle and is set to roll out to H-E-B stores within the next 30 days.
However, New York now serves as a focus for the brand. Joining the call, Braun said the brand is employing third party merchandising company Boost to support Rainforest’s distribution and will also be hiring a demoing company to help recruit brand ambassadors.
The brand is already set to launch into accounts like Gourmet Garage, West Side Market and Fairway, Braun said, and is looking at getting into key locations like Food Emporium in Midtown Manhattan.
“You know how New York is structured, it’s not necessarily a lot of chain stores,” Braun said. “We’re tackling them one rep at a time, I’m going in and riding along with them and we’re introducing the product.”
With Malik’s basketball roots, Barcode is also hoping to sell into gyms and other fitness accounts, he said. The brand marks Rainforest’s first sports drink in its portfolio and Malik and Braun noted that the distributor only has limited relationships within that channel, however Braun is now working to make introductions between Rainforest and key gym locations.
“A lot of [Rainforest’s] products are better-for-you and I think it’s just a sector they haven’t really captured yet,” Braun said. “So I’m actually in discussions right now about if we can bring this gym business to them. We’re gonna navigate and see if it’s the right fit, and if not we’ll sign on a gym distributor.”