Anheuser-Busch’s network of Wholly Owned Distributors (AB ONE) will distribute ShineWater’s drinks across the US, where both companies are based. The beverage is touted as the first ready-to-drink (RTD) hydration drink with 100% of the recommended daily vitamin D in a single bottle.
AB ONE will expand ShineWater’s availability throughout its geographic network on the West Coast, Northeast and Oklahoma.
Founded by a former FDA physician, ShineWater was created to solve the widespread issue of vitamin D deficiency in the US diet without sacrificing flavor, quality or convenience.
The brand says that ShineWater “paves a new path” for people everywhere to achieve optimal health through accessing essential nutrients for everyday life.
Location, location, location
In early 2020, ShineWater relocated its headquarters to Bay City, Michigan, and underwent several updates to its branding and distribution strategy. Over the last year, ShineWater has seen a 10-fold increase in sales across the country.
“Partnering with AB ONE is the result of a long and sustained growth campaign coming to fruition, a testament to the determination of a brand with very humble beginnings and very big dreams,” says Larry Long, COO at ShineWater.
“When we reformulated, rebranded and relocated last year, we wanted to set an industry-wide example for delivering what consumers are looking for in an RTD hydration beverage,” adds Ryan Coon, CMO at ShineWater.
Delivering “Sunshine in a Bottle”
Coon says the response was “overwhelming” when retailers and consumers learned that ShineWater provides 100% of the vitamin D they need in their daily lives.
“Within months, our six flavors were leading total sales of all emerging brands in our category,” he continues. “ShineWater’s new partnership with AB ONE will allow us to deliver ‘Sunshine in a Bottle’ to people in more markets, making a positive impact on many lives.”
AB’s network of Wholly Owned Distributors is a critical asset that allows the country’s largest brewer to pilot new consumer propositions, technology ideas and route-to-market approaches, and then scale those best practices to its larger wholesaler system.
“Meeting consumers’ changing needs is why we’re focused on expanding and innovating within our beyond beer portfolio,” adds Scott King, vice president of Marketplace, AB ONE at Anheuser-Busch.
Functional beverages in demand
ShineWater’s expansion comes at a time where the functional beverage market is booming.
Demand for healthy products with ingredient transparency has never been higher, yet people are busier than ever in their day-to-day lives and crave convenience.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also played a role in people spending more time indoors and less time outside in public places, creating less opportunity for vitamin D intake via sun exposure.
Functional beverages that address trending demands such as immunity have been spotlighted as entering the market weekly – and there is no sign of this abating, according to industry,
Another example of immunity beverages is Kirin’s teas, which recently landed Japanese claims for immune function.
Importance of vitamin D
Several studies have highlighted how beneficial vitamin D supplementation is to health, particularly since the start of the pandemic.
Last month, a study from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute linked higher vitamin D intake to a decreased chance of developing young-onset colorectal cancer.
Last year, there were a number of reports flagging the importance of vitamin D and its link to COVID-19 risks.
Notably, the UK government issued free vitamin D supplements to COVID-19-vulnerable people last winter.
