Sprouts to spotlight emerging functional beverage brands

Natural retailer Sprouts Farmers Market has joined with beverage creator L.A. Libations to launch emerging brands at 50 select stores in California as part of L.A. Libations’ SoCal Incubation Program. The partnership will kick off on New Year’s Day with the rollout of seven ready-to-drink functional beverages at the Sprouts stores.

“Sprouts shoppers are enthusiastic about sampling the latest food trends, and that includes beverage trends, too,” said Kim Coffin, Sprouts’ senior vice president of nonperishables. “In January, we’re accelerating innovation in our beverage set with a special test in a group of California stores through a partnership with L.A. Libations. We’ll rapidly launch a series of innovative, ready-to-drink beverages in a new display that will support consumer demand for functional beverages.”

Sprouts’ in-store program includes new, special innovation displays near checkout that will refresh with new brands three times a year. Each refresh will introduce seven or eight new emerging brands and will be merchandised weekly in all 50 stores by Relentless Trade Solutions for immediate performance reporting and in store brand development. Brands will have three months on shelf to meet predetermined performance metrics to warrant regional or national rollouts. 

Launching on Jan. 1, the first round of beverage brands includes: 

• Don’t Quit!: a line of better-for-you meal replacement shakes that will compete in the adult nutrition category.

• MoreLabs: Functional shots include Morning Recovery, Liquid Focus and Dream Well.  

• Shaka Tea: Brewed with māmaki, an ancient, adaptogenic superleaf that’s only found in the Hawaiian archipelago. Shaka Teas are sweetened with monkfruit for a delicious low- to no-calorie super tea.

• SPACE SHAKE: These ready-to-drink shakes are ketogenic, paleo, vegan, low-carb, loaded-with-good-fats, have no sugar added, are gluten free, dairy free, certified organic and certified delicious. 

• Arya: A full line of curcumin-infused sparkling waters that provides all the benefits of one entire tablespoon of turmeric.

• Hawaii Volcanic: A naturally alkaline sustainably sourced premium water from Hawaii’s Big Island, available still and sparkling.

• SZENT: Pure water has reinvented the flavor experience using only the scent of all-natural ingredients, nothing more.

“Sprouts has been a driver for innovation in the natural food industry for more than two decades,” said Bonnie Shah, vice president of marketing and innovation at L.A. Libations. “We’re excited to combine the opportunity of Sprouts’ unique model and health-minded customer with insights of L.A. Libation’s team that meets with more than 300 entrepreneurs a year to assess emerging trends,”

Phoenix, Arizona-based Sprouts Famers Market operates more than 350 stores in 23 states.