KEY Launches with Sprouts: The All-Natural Energy Drink Brand Continues Its Rapid Retail Growth

MIAMI, FLORIDA (Oct. 2, 2024) -- KEY, the revolutionary all-natural and sugar-free drink designed to provide long-lasting energy through ketones, is thrilled to announce its coast to coast availability at Sprouts Farmers Market stores. Sprouts, a specialty market known for its natural carefully curated assortment of better-for-you products, will feature all three flavors of KEY: Ginger Lime, Grapefruit Peach, and Pineapple Passionfruit in more than 420 stores.

This exciting expansion marks a significant milestone for KEY as it enters its first major grocer and more than doubles its store footprint to over 700 stores. KEY launched earlier this year in New York in select premium high traffic stores and has grown rapidly to serve several hundred stores. This summer KEY also expanded to Los Angeles with Erewhon, the celebrity favorite natural retailer.

KEY represents a paradigm shift in the energy drink market. Traditionally, energy drinks were fueled by sugar with low caffeine levels. However, as the category moved to sugar-free, caffeine levels increased. KEY is uniquely both zero sugar and low caffeine, offering energy without the sugar spikes or caffeine jitters. Furthermore, in an industry saturated with artificial ingredients and stimulants, KEY has unlocked an alternative form of energy through ketones, our body's natural fuel source. 

Each 12oz can of KEY contains zero sugar and only 80 mg of caffeine from natural green tea —a fraction of what is found in today's zero-sugar energy drinks. The caffeine works synergistically with natural green tea L-Theanine for mental focus. KEY's formula is designed to create long-lasting energy without spikes or crashes.

"The response from retailers has been incredible; they understand that we're bringing real energy back to the energy drinks category" says Karishma Thawani, commenting on the brand's rapid expansion. "We're a natural fit for the health and wellness consumers who shop Sprouts stores " continues Tekla Back. "Sprouts' continued dedication to natural and better-for-you products, aligns perfectly with our mission".

KEY founders Tekla Back and Karishma Thawani bring over 35 years of combined experience in the CPG industry to this innovative product, with prior beverage experience from PepsiCo and Coca Cola respectively. They identified a gap in the market for an all natural functional energy drink with more inclusive modern branding.

This announcement comes at the heels of KEY's latest retail distribution launch at exclusive retailer Erewhon, as well as KEY being awarded the Mindful Award for Best Overall Food & Beverage Innovation. Additionally, KEY has rapidly achieved the highest consumer rating among ready-to-drink ketones on Amazon.

In addition to Sprouts, KEY can also be purchased at drinkKEY.com, Amazon, Erewhon, and 250+ independent retailers across New York, including premium natural stores and bodegas such as Westside Market, Brooklyn Fare, Health & Harmony, Mulberry Market (Soho), and select Equinox locations.

About KEY:

KEY is the first-of-its-kind clean, all-natural energy drink, formulated to provide long-lasting energy by unlocking the power of ketones—a natural fuel alternative to sugars. Each KEY beverage is crafted from 100% natural ingredients, ensuring a sustained energy release without spikes or crashes. With meticulous attention to health and wellness, KEY aims to empower individuals through the pure power of ketones, making energy both functional and flavorful. Founders Tekla Back and Karishma Thawani bring unparalleled expertise and a shared vision to this groundbreaking product, transforming the conventional energy drink market, one can at a time.

About Sprouts: 

True to its farm-stand heritage, Sprouts offers a unique grocery experience featuring an open layout with fresh produce at the heart of the store. Sprouts inspires wellness naturally with a carefully curated assortment of better-for-you products paired with purpose-driven people. The healthy grocer continues to bring the latest in wholesome, innovative products made with lifestyle-friendly ingredients such as organic, plant-based and gluten-free. Headquartered in Phoenix, and one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States, Sprouts employs approximately 33,000 team members and operates more than 420 stores in 23 states nationwide. To learn more about Sprouts, and the good it brings communities, visit about.sprouts.com.