Smartwater Antioxidant and Smartwater Alkaline Hit West Coast This Month

Enhanced Premium Water Offerings

Leading by Example

The leading premium water brand today welcomed two new members to its fast-growing family – smartwater antioxidant and smartwater alkaline – as Americans continue to reach for even more enhanced hydration options throughout their day.

These innovations bring new twists to the original smartwater consumers love, now ionized for a 9+ pH (smartwater alkaline) or infused with antioxidant selenium (smartwater antioxidant).
 

These innovations bring new twists to the original smartwater consumers love, now ionized for a 9+ pH (smartwater alkaline) or infused with antioxidant selenium (smartwater antioxidant).

A solution’s pH level expresses its acidity or alkalinity on a scale, with 7.0 being neutral. Values below 7.0 are considered acidic, and those above 7.0 are considered alkaline. Antioxidants are compounds present in some foods. When these compounds are absorbed by the body, they help to inactivate free radicals or prevent their formation.

A Refreshing Debut

The new smartwater extensions, unveiled today at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show in Las Vegas, launch on the West Coast next week ahead of a planned national rollout in March 2019. They will be sold in smartwater’s signature one-liter bottle.  For fans not located on the West Coast, smartwater alkaline and antioxidant will also be available exclusively via eCommerce partner Boxed.com before becoming widely available nationally in March 2019.

“We truly believe in the smartwater brand ethos of imagining a smarter way,” said Ginger Cherny, senior brand manager, smartwater. “That’s why we want to bring new innovations to meet consumers where they are, regardless of their busy lifestyles, with more hydration choices than ever before. Whether its smartwater, smartwater sparkling, smartwater alkaline or smartwater antioxidant, people can now enjoy more of what they want from a brand they love and trust – all with the same proposition as original smartwater, which is vapor distilled with added electrolytes for taste.”

Cherny said smartwater alkaline and smartwater anitixodant – which were developed and commercialized in approximately six months, from prototyping to market – will target the same “opportunity makers” who love the core smartwater brand and are looking to complement their daily routine with enhanced options.   

“The great taste of smartwater is the reason it’s a fan favorite,” said Shannon Richmond, group director, smartwater. “As we continued to watch the fast-growing premium water category, it became clear that there was a need for antioxidant and alkaline versions of the brand that delivered the core taste proposition. We think we found success.”

A Growing Market

According to Beverage Digest, bottled water is the second-largest beverage category in the U.S. and continues to report strong growth. In 2017, premium ingredient-enhanced bottled waters like smartwater represented 75 percent of the bottled water category’s total value growth, according to Nielsen.

And, over the past two years, the alkaline and antioxidant sub-segments have grown by 171 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Awareness of these segments is still relatively low, pointing to more growth opportunity ahead.

“Nuances within water drinking occasions are becoming more pronounced and more important, based on consumer mindsets, tastes and needs, time of day and more,” said Richmond. “We’re focusing our innovation roadmap for smartwater because we very much believe this brand should be at the forefront of category trends given its longstanding position as the consumer favorite in premium water.”