Expo East 2022: Thaiwala Takes On Foodservice, Grocery Growth

After helping to make organic chai concentrate a grocery store staple with her previous brand Oregon Chai Company, Heather Howitt is looking to use that same playbook for another tea-based treat: Thai iced tea. Howitt’s Portland, Oregon-based brand Thaiwala aims to make the traditional drink more accessible and convenient for U.S. consumers, offering two varieties (Original and Unsweetened) in shelf-stable 32 oz. cartons. But while the product is a natural choice for on-premise customers, the brand is committed to building the category in retailers ranging from Whole Foods and Walmart to Amazon and Good Eggs. 

During the Natural Products Expo East trade show in Philadelphia in September, BevNET spoke with Ken Hall, the company’s VP of National Foodservice Sales, about how the drink is positioned within the market, its omnichannel approach of building inside and out of foodservice, and a potential move into single-serve ready-to-drink products. 

Transcript

Marty Caballero [00:08] Everyone, thanks for joining me. My name is Marty Caballero. I'm the managing editor at Bevnet.com. I'm here in Philadelphia for Natural Products Expo East 2022. We're just kicking off the second day of the trade show, and I'm really pleased to be joined by Ken Hall, who's the VP of sales for food service at Taiwaha. It's great to be with you, Ken. How are you? Thanks, Marty. I appreciate it. Yeah, absolutely. Well, first of all, let's tell us a little bit about. The company Taiwala, I know you guys are based in Oregon and for some people who are familiar with the uh…

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