PHOCUS Exclusive Flavor To Partnership With The Vitamin Shoppe
Fresh off a brand refresh in April and the addition of hip-hop rapper Jack Harlow as an investor/co-owner, caffeinated beverage PHOCUS will now be available in The Vitamin Shoppe. The distribution partnership includes an exclusive flavor variety, Pineapple, sold in-store and online through September for $29.99 per 12-pack.
Kentucky-based PHOCUS originally launched as Clear/Cut Phocus in 2017 as a caffeinated sparkling water and has already rebranded itself once before in 2021. The April rebrand and new celebrity partnership was expected to come with a national expansion into 10,000 retail doors.
The brand offers four core flavors (Orange, Strawberry, Peach and Apple) in addition to the new Vitamin Shoppe exclusive variety in 11.5 oz. cans. Each can contains 75mg of caffeine with 75mg of L-theanine.
Spider Energy Enters The Great Lakes State
Golden Grail Beverage-owned Spider Energy has launched in Michigan with a strategic distribution partnership with Imperial Beverage. Florida-based Golden Grail – which also owns Sway Energy and Scorpion Energy Hemp/CBD among other beverage brands – rebooted the brand last year and has “dramatically expanded its retail network in the past six months,” the company reported in a press release. The brand hopes to add to those gains with Imperial’s network of over 600 retailers in the state.
Last weekend, the energy drink brand entered the state by sponsoring NASCAR driver Ryan Ellis at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Cabo Wabo 250 race at the Michigan International Speedway. Spider Energy is available in 16oz cans in four flavors: Original Citrus Bite, Zero-Sugar Citrus Bite, Strawberry Lemonade and Widowmaker. The drinks contain 240mg of caffeine, B vitamins and taurine.
MaKa Hits Gelson’s Store Shelves
Canned wheatgrass maker MaKa Superfood announced it will soon be available chain-wide at all 27 SoCal-based Gelson’s Markets. MaKa offers four flavors of RTD yerba mate and guayusa tea-infused wheatgrass (Mango, Lemon, Coconut Pineapple and Hibiscus Passionfruit) in 12oz slim cans.
“Gelson’s is known for carrying exceptional products,” MaKa founder Brian Hill said in a statement. “Gelson’s immediately understood and supports MaKa’s mission of Wheatgrass For All. The chain-wide launch further solidifies our company’s presence in Southern California.”
At the beginning of the year, MaKa reported it had secured national distribution in Sprouts Farmers Market.