Elevator Talk: Hip Pop, Pari, Aqua Boost, Pablo's Mate, Zenjoy

28:23What's up, man? How's it going? It's going. It's going well. I'm really excited to hear all about AquaBoost and I know our audience is as well. Tell us all about what you do. Oh, geez. So AquaBoost. Geez, where do I start? So what we do, what we do is we are focusing on the working class people, people that use their hands every day for a living, kind of shadowed in the wellness and supplement space. So that's what I'm doing. I'm targeting blue collar working class people, trying to supply them with wellness products and supplements and just a whole ecosystem of products to help them make it through their tough day.

29:03And so our flagship product is called Hydrate Plus. It's a hydration beverage mix contained in a 30 serving tub. And yeah, it's been great so far. We're in the middle of our soft launch, getting some crazy feedback. And things have been going awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Outstanding. Well, yeah, expound on awesome. Where are you sold? Is it currently direct to consumer? And who's your target? I know you said blue collar workers, but it seems like this kind of skews more toward men than it would women. But I could be wrong. Yeah. So currently, yes, just direct to consumer online through our website.

29:42And yeah, so the target audience, I think our brains kind of tend to go like rough neck kind of guys working in construction and stuff. But from our data and from our research, we've noticed that our women's audience is just as equally as big. you know, a large audience of single mothers that they're working as well, sometimes harder than these guys are out there in the field, you know, doing doing single mom stuff. Also, a giant audience is women in the medical field. So they're working crazy long shifts. And, and what we do is we supply them with supplements that are going to get them through the day, and stuff that they may not be able to just reach for in their lunchbox throughout the day.

30:26So that's what we're doing. Yeah. And we've noticed a really cool mix between both men and women. So yeah, really, really not too much of a divide there. You know, when you see an AquaBoost and when you try this product, how do you think it stands up? How do you think it stands out to some of the other products on the market? I mean, first thing I noticed was, wow, finally somebody not targeting the Erewhon consumer. I mean, we're based in LA. Everybody wants that, you know, wealthy, high income soccer mom. And we see it over and over again, so much so that I forgot there were products for other people.

31:03And so the first thing that jumped out at me right away going to the website was brilliant idea targeting a demographic that's probably mostly forgotten, at least in my world. From what I see, I think that's a brilliant move because, you know, there's money to be made in lots of places. And what aligns with this that benefits you as well is that you're going to be using marketing channels that aren't being used by everybody else either. So it lines up to where things are going to be cheaper and feel maybe a little bit easier and economical trying to chase a consumer. And it's also who you are.

31:40So it's not like you're pandering to this crowd without understanding what they really want. You're this consumer. And so you know how you want to be talked to and where you want to see advertising. And so I thought that was really smart. To your point, Ray, as a category, I'd rather be shipping powder than liquid. It's a lot cheaper. It's lighter. It's less damage prone. So if you can find consumers that see the value in it, that's a much more economical strategy as well from a product standpoint. Hardest part is the value, right? And so I tried it. It's delicious. I was shocked at how good it is.

32:18To me, it reminded me of like a salty margarita is really good. And I've had a lot of these types of powders. And I thought this is one of the better ones. But showing that there's value there, right? It's expensive. And so you're going for what I would assume is a more economical crowd. And so you're small, so it's going to be expensive to make. So I'm not saying you got to go right to a $1.99. But right, how do you you're going to balance that difference right there between, you know, you've got this target consumer, they want this, the products gray, can they afford it at$1.33 a serving, right from the website?

32:52What's the plan to get that down, hopefully, and get it to a place where it feels like it's a really good value? Yeah, definitely. And price point, obviously has to be one of our concerns, not just for the buyer and the the producer of this product, but for the end consumer as well, especially like you said, I'm one of, I'm one of these guys. I, I live that life. So yeah, so what we do, obviously on the backside of things, we can order in bigger quantities and we're, we're running through our tests now to find out the right, the flavor profiles and, and really nail down all of our packaging and stuff like that.

33:28So with the larger, with the larger quantities, we'll be able to pass that savings along as well. I think where we hit a win is in the size of the tub. It's a 30 serving tub. So it just takes a little bit of an educational push towards these guys to say, hey, at 4.30 in the morning, when you're standing in line at the gas station, you've got two sugary, you know, I don't want to name their products here, but also green beverages in the morning. This is a healthier alternative, a similar flavor profile. And across a 30 serving, you know, a 30 serving unit, you're going to be saving money in the monthly aspect of that.

34:04So we've noticed that, and we do want to lower it a little bit just to pass that along to the consumers. And we've noticed just from our data that price is definitely a hurdle for some of these folks. But I think once you do the math on the 30 servings, it makes sense. And you're right, shipping is huge. So I'm happy that we're not shipping a liquid. Well, giving people that option, Jamie, as to Aqua Boost or something else means they have to be aware of Aqua Boost to begin with, right? How do you get the word out? How are you getting the word out? How are you getting people to know about the brand online, especially when your target consumer may not be visiting those channels or on Facebook or Instagram or those traditional ways of getting the word out about products like yours?

34:53Yeah. So we actually have a really cool series that is two, I think we're two videos deep now. It's called the two minute tailgate. And it's just a solo, it's a solo interview basically with me and somebody in the trades world, in the world of the industry, a blue collar job. So we popped down the tailgate on my truck. We set up a video camera. We both mix an AquaBoost back to back and we just talk. and we talk the language of the blue collar people and the working class people. It's not one of these, you know, suit and tie. No offense, Ray. I'm sorry. I'm not wearing a tie, so I'm not offended.

35:32It's not quite as buttoned up as you look. So let's call it that. So we just we speak the language to each other. We know, you know, we know what we talk about. We know the language and the vernacular between the industry. And it's a way of roping in all of these different genres, basically, of the blue collar world. You've got your construction, landscape, factory work, what have you. So that's been a really cool way of kind of differentiating the communication. And so we've also noticed online, these folks are actually heavy consumers of social media. So we're going to do heavy social media pushes, as well as YouTube and then the likes of that.

36:11So it's been great. As far as where they're going to find us, you're going to find your online presence. And if I can be honest, this is very ambitious. Adam, I'd love to know your input on this. As far as retail, Aquaboost doesn't want to be known as a fitness and a wellness kind of brand. I don't really want to push towards a GNC. My goal here, I want to be the first consumer product inside of a Home Depot and inside of a Lowe's. That is where my consumer is. That's where they live. That's where they do their projects. That's where they shop. That's where we hang out and have fun. So that's kind of a big push for later on.

36:49And I'm going to see how we can get there and whatever we got to do. Yeah, Adam, what are your thoughts on that? Because, you know, non-traditional retail can be a boon for some brands. But having a consumer brand like Aquaboost in Home Depot, it feels like the Home Depot beverage, right? But probably harder than it seems. Yeah, what you run into is that because there aren't many beverages and like you said, or powders, you would be the first. That means that there's not a distributor that typically delivers there, right? So your hurdles are going to come on the supply chain side, which you can win in that game.

37:30It's just not going to be like, oh, I can call Unify and they'll deliver to Home Depot. They don't do that, right? So finding the way in and then convincing them that you can keep a steady supply and working out and negotiating those specific deals is going to be the hardest part. But if you can pull it off, I think to your point, that's where your consumer is. It makes total sense. Find us at Home Depot. Find us at Lowe's. Find us at Outdoor World. You're going to get these consumers to buy it if you're reaching them in those channels and educating them. And I think you're spot on in your targeting.

38:02Yeah, just to follow up on that, though, when it comes to discovery, the traditional places, perhaps like an Erewhon, I'm not saying, you know, Aquaboo should be in an Erewhon, but the places of discovery are typically those traditional retail stores. But can you be a place of discovery at a place like a Home Depot or a Lowe's? I mean, do you think that that path, I know it's kind of a hard question to ask because it hasn't been done, but, you know, how would you go about it, Adam? Yeah, I mean, if it were me, I would try to follow in the footsteps of some of the new emerging tool brands and things that have launched in those channels.

38:41And how do you beat the tool brands that everybody's already got in their truck, right? And how do you bring education to say we're just as good as them or better, we're more reliable and these types of things. You know, you need NCAP displays, you need prominent placement within the store, you need the ability to do demos. They do do demos for non-food items, so I'm sure it's something that they would be willing to do for this. And, you know, I think there's a great opportunity to just hit people up one by one. And I also think because of the target demographic, you know, these are guys that are working solo generally.

39:13They're working in crews, right? And so once you get entrenched with some of the people in those groups, hopefully they spread the product word of mouth or share it with their buddies in the morning. And then you just point back to, oh, I can pick it up. When I run over to Home Depot this afternoon, I can get it again. So I think there's time-honored traditions in sampling that you can leverage here that will definitely work. Outstanding. Great feedback, great insight and advice. Jamie, thank you so much for being with us on Elevator Talk. Really excited for your brand, I think. As Adam pointed out, there isn't a product like this out there, and certainly not one that's positioned in the way that AquaBoost is.

39:54So please stay in touch. Let us know how we can help in any way. Absolutely. I appreciate you guys, man. Thank you for your time. Thank you. All right, let's keep it going with our next guest for Elevator Talk. That's Maggie Hogan, who is the co-founder of Pablo's Mate. Maggie, it's great to see you again. Great to see you too, Ray. Thanks for having me on the show. Yeah, thanks for being here. And thank you so much for coming to our meetup in New York City, which was held last month. It was really, I mean, one of the best parts of that meetup was getting to meet people and see brands that I have never encountered before.

40:30You know, at BevNet, we pride ourselves on knowing everything and knowing everyone in the beverage industry. But it was really fantastic to meet you and to hear about Pablo's Mate at the event. Please, if you could, share with our audience what you do and what the brand is all about. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. So I'm Maggie Hogan. I'm the co-founder of Pablo's Mate. And we are a new and ready to drink yerba mate beverage that we created to change the way that people fuel their bodies and their minds. Now, based on what some of the other founders have been sharing today, this audience clearly knows that consumers are looking for cleaner and functional alternatives to synthetic energy drinks and sodas and even coffee, right, that kind of spike and then crash.

41:11And as other brands have been jumping in with the sort of better for you marketing, we believe that too often that wellness positioning can feel exclusive. And if you don't shop organic or track your macros, it can feel like it's not for you. And so that's why we built Pablo's Mate really for everyone, especially the millions of Americans who feel left out of that conversation. And so for us, it's not about checking health food boxes. Really, it's about creating an inspiring brand centered around the character of our hero, Pablo. And it's a delicious product that just happens to be better for you.

41:44Pablo's Mate is made with yerba mate. It's a South American tea that's known for smooth and steady focus without those spikes and crashes. It's packed with antioxidants, nutrients, adaptogens that support stress and stamina and recovery. One of the great things about it is that it fits into every part of the day. So in the morning, it gives you a really clean start. In the afternoon, it can sharpen your focus when you're hitting that kind of post-lunch slump. Before a workout, it's really great for boosting your endurance. And when you go out at night, it can be really refreshing on its own as a non-alcoholic option, or it mixes really well in a cocktail.

42:18And we think that that versatility is really special because it makes it a habit-building product with real sort of omni-channel potential to be sold everywhere, from convenience stores to supermarkets, co-working spaces, gyms, bars, clubs. And that's why even in our very early days as a brand, you'll see Pablo's Mate everywhere from soccer fields in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to even the world-class cocktail competition in Atlanta later this month where it's being featured as an ingredient in one of the finalist cocktails. We're super excited about that. So yeah, Pablo's Mate has this cultural resonance and stickiness to build more than just a great product.

42:55We really want this to be a cultural movement with a functional T that lifts people up and without the compromise of any unfamiliar synthetic ingredients or those jitters that you can get from other beverages on the market. So just some of the latest highlights. We did just launch in market a few months ago towards the end of last year, and we started with kind of an initial strategic focus on New York. We've been bootstrapping and self-distributing over the last few months, but we are finalizing a distribution deal for New York City, which is exciting kind of as we speak. And with the summer coming up, we're going to be really busy with a lot of events.

43:32But the one that we're most excited about is what we call the Chopped Cheese Classic. It's a soccer tournament and block party that we're producing essentially to bring people together and celebrate bodega culture in New York City. For listeners out there who aren't from New York, bodegas are what we call convenience stores. and they are essentially the beating heart of our city. It's a huge part of New York culture and pride. And it's also a really important sales channel for Pablo's Mate as we aim to reach more of this mass market. So in the tournament, each team is going to represent a local bodega from across the city.

44:03The block party that follows is going to feature iconic local businesses reflecting kind of our target market. And yeah, it's going to be an amazing summer afternoon brought to you by Pablo and celebrating some great partners of ours. We'll also be using that event to launch two additional SKUs, sugar-free, which is super important. And then one with beets and hibiscus, that's going to be an absolute powerhouse for athletes. So very excited to bring those to market soon. Outstanding. Can I get an invite to that, to that event, the chopped cheese event? July 12th. Hope to see you there in Williams, Brooklyn.

44:34July 12th. I think I can make it. And Adam, you should fly across the country. We'll do it together. We'd love to see you guys there. Let's do it. Yes. Oh, I love your packaging. I love that you have Pablo front and center on the can.

44:48Just to get it out of the way, though, you know, there is an elephant in this virtual room that we're in. And I think Adam knows where I'm going with this. When it comes to Yerba Mate, there is the brand that's out there and has been paving the way for a long time. I guess, how do you think about this new generation of Yerba Mate brands, Adam, in the context of that big player? The big player being formerly Guayaki, now Yerba Madre, with a big name change really late in the game. I wish I could be a fly on the wall as to what was this late getting them to make that move. But look, I see this going one of two ways.

45:32They could actually push the category forward with the name Yerba Madre being so similar to Yerba Mate. any other Mate products might get a lift from that because there's going to be residual effects of them, you know, trying to educate people that they've changed their name. So you may be a surfer in the ocean with a big wave coming, so to speak, and you'll be able to catch that wave and that could make you guys more successful. On the other hand, it's possible that it confuses people. And anytime people hear Yerba Mate, they think of Yerba Madre and they only think of that brand. So you have to find a way to be different, right?

46:09But in the same world as them. The first thing that I noticed about your product was that it was weird. And I mean that in a very positive way. It was weird. And I was like, this is intriguing. Now I want to know more about it. So I think that helps you stand out. I think their design and their direction has been more traditionalist and talking about the culture more so from a product standpoint. And you guys are fun and weird and soccer affiliated. And I think that gives you a unique positioning relative to them, as long as all the other factors about the beverage hold up. Absolutely appreciate that.

46:46And yeah, I mean, it's always fun to chat about that, that number one brand Guayaquil. Of course, they've been doing their thing for a while now. And I think it's wonderful that they've educated the market. Regardless of whether we make our way to be the number one mate brand. We do see growing interest, you know, across Americans and even more broadly internationally in mate as a category. And the fact is there's absolutely no number two. So, you know, I think there's plenty of space and we're grateful, frankly, to Guayaki for kind of paving the way. On that note, Maggie, when I look at your packaging, the word yerba mate is barely there.

47:30Mate is there. Your mate is in very, very small letters underneath the complete futbolista. And in a way, it might also read as Pablo's mate. Have you run into that issue yet? Is this a question that some folks have brought up with you? Yeah, absolutely. And actually, we've gotten some great feedback on the labels. We're doing another round of production in about a month, and we will be revising some of the designs so that the flavor notes stand out in a much bigger way, as well as the caffeine contents. That's something that folks have mentioned they're looking for and makes total sense. With regards to Pablo's mate, you know, there are a lot of people around the world who still pronounce Nike like Nike.

48:10From my perspective, you know, sure, Pablo can be your mate. And if you know that it's mate, that's fine, too. In places where mate originates, like like Argentina and Uruguay, they refer to it just as mate. Yerba Mate is sort of the more formal full name. And for those who know, that's fantastic. But we think with a little more education and kind of brand equity, Pablo's Mate can stand on its own. And we'll push for that, of course, still while highlighting yerba mate as one of the primary sort of ingredients and flavors in that context. Adam, as you pointed out, and as Maggie pointed out, there is certainly a lot of soccer and football associated with this brand.

48:51I recall there was a brand called Galazo back in the day that was a sports drink and energy brand. And I think they tie themselves a little too close to soccer. You know, when you do have an audience out there and a big audience in that a lot of people play soccer, you know, is it do you feel like that's an opportunity to reach those folks in a sort of niche way? Or do you, I guess, how do you broaden that base? How do you make it such that Pablo's Mate isn't just about that? Or it's clear to consumers that it's not just about the soccer, even though Pablo's got the ball under his arm? That's a really tough question to answer, right?

49:32Because while, you know, sports drinks have come and targeted specific sports like barcode behind me, targeting basketball primarily, they're not trying to alienate themselves from other sports. They're just not featuring them. So I think you do have to find that right line, right? There's obviously the packaging that showcases football, soccer, the names on the can, those are there. But also when you decide you're doing these events, the more you align yourself with soccer, the more you become known as that type of product. And it may pigeonhole you. Though picking a target market like we just talked about with the last brand is actually a very positive thing.

50:13You can make a massive brand out of this product just by targeting that community. and the brand itself could actually have multiple SKUs that target other sports later. And it's not a permanent thing. It may be permanent for this particular product if you really lean in from a marketing perspective, but I don't think it's a death kill by any means. No, not at all. And as you pointed out, it definitely stands out. It's something you want to pick up. I want to be friends with Pablo and I want to play soccer with him and I want to go to that chopped cheese festival. I think Maggie, everything you said really resonated with me and I am a soccer player.

50:51Yeah, low key flex there. And I feel like this is something that really speaks to me. I'm excited to see where the brand goes from here, breaking out of New York City as well. But I think certainly that's a humongous market and a lot of people would be interested in a brand like yours in New York. So let's stay in touch and let's continue to hear more about what you're doing, whether it's new retail, new distribution. You should definitely want to hear about that distribution relationship that you mentioned and report at it on BevNet.com. Fantastic. Thank you so much, Ray. Thank you so much, Maggie.

51:26Quick break. If this episode has you thinking about what's next in food and beverage, explore BevNet and Nosh Insider, our subscription platform with deeper insights from the BevNet team. Visit Taseradio.com slash Insider to learn more.

51:40All right. On to our final guest for this episode of Elevator Talk. We have Mac Anderson, who is the co-founder and CEO of Zenjoy. Mac, it's great to see you. How's it going, Ray? How you doing, man? Thanks for having me on. Thanks so much for joining us. And I think I can let the cat out of the bag. Zenjoy will be represented in the upcoming New Beverage Showdown at BevNet Live, Summer 2025. That's June 11th and 12th. If you don't have tickets, I highly recommend you do. Adam can attest that this is a fantastic event that if you are in any way associated with the beverage industry, you want to be there.

52:17And Adam can also speak about participating in the New Beverage Showdown. He participated many years ago and just did an outstanding job. In fact, talk about Flex this year. one of the best presentations of all time, and I will stand by this, was Adam talking about co-op because I think I can safely say this. Co-op was a weird idea, you know, talking about weird things. And it wasn't intuitive at all. And it wasn't necessarily something that you would say, oh, well, this makes a ton of sense. It's going to be very successful. But Adam sold it so well and explained so well about why this is going to work on the market.

52:55And he did really, really well in the competition. So I think we still have that online, Max. I would recommend that you take a watch. But Zenjoy, let's talk about what you're doing. I met your co-founder in New York at our meetup and really, really love what you're doing. Tell our audience all about what Zenjoy is. Yeah, thanks, Ray. Zenjoy is a stress relief drink. So when me and my two co-founders started the brand in 2023, three, something we realized when we were looking at fridges and grocery stores, convenience stores, really anywhere beverage was sold, was that there's a lot of problems being solved in that set.

53:28Energy, if you're tired, go grab an energy drink or a coffee. Now there's gut health everywhere, immunity, hydration. But one of the problems we were having as founders at a previous business was that we were extremely stressed and we were only finding options for energy to stay locked in and keep working harder and that type of thing. But it wasn't solving the problem that we had, which was stress. So we saw a lot of white space and opportunity to bring out a stress really drink, something that is a problem that 70 % of Americans are facing on a daily basis of stress. And beverage is how people solve a lot of their problems nowadays.

54:03So we sat down and joined the accelerator program called SKU and just had an amazing team around us in that program that helped us formulate, helped us find a co-packer and take this idea of stress relief in the can from an idea to a product on market. So when we brought it out to market in 2023, we started with four flavors, our mango black tea, our lavender black tea, our honey green tea, and our passion fruit green tea. And we created what's called the Zen blend, which is a 500 milligram blend of KSM 66 ashwagandha, which is clinically studied to lower cortisol, the stress hormone, and then L-theanine and lemon balm as well.

54:40And we put that in those four delicious flavors. We made a very, very conscious decision to use real organic cane sugar as our sweetener for that first line of products and put it out to market. Year one, we probably, between me and my three co-founders, did thousands of hours of sampling and just learned so much feedback from consumers, got more direct about the value we're bringing about that is a stress relief drink. And then last year, we got our first big retail opportunity with Giant Food here, which is the market leader for share grocery in the mid-Atlantic region and absolutely crushed it.

55:13We have a very unique business model. We drive our own trucks. We have our own rat vans that were actually a direct distributor for a couple all-hold banners now. So we added Foodline into the mix six months ago. And then about a week and a half ago, launched Albertsons Mid-Atlantic and Giant Eagle as well. So we're very excited. If people are really responding to the product, it's a problem that a lot of people have every day. And they're going into those beverage fridges. They're seeing the set. And we really speak to them in solving that problem. Not standing. What's the price point for Ken?

55:45So it ranges. $299 is typically where we're at in these conventional retailers. In some of our like infra, natural, banner, smaller partners, it's closer to$349. We have a very aggressive demo. I'm sorry, very aggressive promotion process. So we were really on sale a lot of the times when we're, you know, when we're in the market. It's kind of the, we looked at Red Bull and Monster and those guys and saw they're running sales 24-7. So we kind of, you know, see if our retailers will do that with us. And they did and we fund it. So, you know, anywhere from$2.99 to$2.45, it really ranges across the retailers.

56:21When I'm stressed out, I try to go for a walk or play soccer. Sometimes I don't have an opportunity to do either. And I think I would probably try to reach for a beverage that could help with stress relief. Is there a large enough audience for that? And Adam, we have seen stress relief beverages on the market. Some have worked better than others. But what's your take on Zenjoy? Well, first of all, I haven't had it yet. I have one right here, so I'm going to crack the honey green tea while we're talking, and I'll see how that is. I don't think this has ever happened. We've done 115 episodes of Elevator.

57:01I don't think we've ever had a live sampling like this. Oh, it's good. Okay, so first thing is I expected it to be carbonated, and it's not, but I guess I missed that, and I should know better. Really good taste. I think it drinks like a tea, which is probably what you hoped for. Sometimes L-theanine can have really bitter off notes, So good job making sure that doesn't come through. Yeah, look, to your point, Ray, I think that other products in this space, similar ingredients as well, they've gone after words like chill, relax, unwind. And I don't know if those ever really resonated well with consumers because they didn't really know when to use it.

57:42Even though it sounds like, okay, I need to chill, so I should drink my chill now. But that could happen at any point during the day. Whereas, you know, and it may not feel right for that type of product. But first, stress relief, it's a it's a it's a minor nuance. But I do think it actually makes a lot of sense because in all of those occasions, you probably are stressed. And that's probably why you need to chill or relax or unwind. But knowing that I'm looking for stress, right, like energy works because I'm tired. So I need energy. What am I what's happening to me that I need, you know, stress relief while I'm stressed.

58:16So if you can recognize that and drink something like this and it helps you feel better, great. For me, the hard part is, and I'm sure there's other people out there like this, L-theanine puts me to bed. It does eliminate my stress, but it makes me really sleepy. So I know I can't finish this can right now because I've got a lot to do today, and I'll be groggy and I won't be functioning at my best. But, you know, at the end of the day, if I'm trying to do something just after dinner, this could fill that void. But can you address the question or I guess the concern about these ingredients potentially not only just relieving stress, but making someone tired?

58:54Yeah, absolutely. And I'll speak to, you know, Adam, the first thing you said as well. When we were doing a lot of those samplings in 2023, the drink actually was the front label was relaxation drink. and we had a lot of people, you know, the first question we would get is, am I going to get tired when I drink this because of the relaxation call out? When we switched out to stress relief, that concern seemed to go away from the consumer. I will say, you know, I have talked to a lot of customers. A couple people mentioned that it does make them a little tired. We've talked to thousands of consumers.

59:27I haven't gotten that feedback consistently yet from customers. Now it is tea, So it has a tiny bit of naturally occurring caffeine as well. So it's got 25 milligrams or less of caffeine in each can. But yeah, that's something that, you know, we actually tried to address on the label of the upfront concern that it might make people tired. We've yet to see that as a large portion of feedback from consumers. And it also, you know, kind of touches where we sell the product as well. I mean, we sell into probably 50 or 60 independent cafes or small chains here in this region. those guys aren't even open in the afternoon.

1:00:03You know, they close at three o 'clock and a lot of people are buying their morning coffee or two. And then instead of a third cup of coffee, they're grabbing a cold Zenjoy out of that fridge before they head back to the office or head to their next class or whatever it might be. So we haven't had that as a large complaint yet, but we're still, you know, a regional brand. So as we grow, we'll definitely keep an eye out to see if that's something, an ear out, to see if that's something that people are giving us consistent feedback on. Adam, we talked about refreshment and taste at the top of the show and how it's becoming a lot more relevant and important for consumers.

1:00:37Zenjoy definitely offers a functional benefit that's pretty clear, in my opinion. It's a stress relief drink. But how do you think that taste refreshment can be incorporated most effectively into the marketing and communication? Great question, Ray. You know, it's clearly a tea. You've got two flavors in front of me that are black tea, two that are green tea, and then they have additional flavor on top of them. So I think in general, your set is going to be the tea set. You're going to be up against everything from just traditional sweet teas that have no function at all to maybe things with a little bit of function like a half day iced tea.

1:01:15So it's going to be a big mixture. And I think the challenge with tea is that everybody comes into the category with an expectation of what they want it to taste like because it's their personal choice. Is it sweet? Is it unsweet? right? The Northeast really likes unsweetened tea. The South loves it sweet as can be. You know, there's not a lot of places that like a hybrid. You're kind of straddling the middle. That might be good. It might be bad. I think it's a hard decision. I would say generally, you want to lean in and just embrace what it is you want to be. If you want to be a low, no sweetness or low sweetness tea, then that should be a big feature of what you're doing.

1:01:49So it doesn't let anybody down. You don't want a disconnect between expectations and what they're going to get because it is a tea that's not deniable but it may not be the tea i expected at the end of the day we're building a stress relief drink company not necessarily a stress relief tea company so there also will be opportunity to stew out of that category i do agree with you adam that finding our set in grocery stores has been our number one goal is don't be in the tea set actually that is one of our number one goals because it's one of the most price competitive sets out there in retail. And we've had a lot of luck with that so far.

1:02:25We're getting placed in functional sets. Thankfully, we've arrived with our business now by the time functional sets are starting to become a thing in these types of retailers. But we still, Publix, for example, we just had a call with them and they're in the process of eliminating a large portion of their functional beverage set. So that's something where we would almost have to go into the tea set. So we're continuing to gauge our velocity in these conventional retailers is so far above of the benchmark expectation though, that we're continuing to lean into what's working. I think a big test for us is gonna be when we go into a premium natural banner.

1:03:00And that's when we're really gonna know if that 15 grams of sugar makes an impact on the velocity or not. Well, I'm looking forward to when you get into that retailer. And Mac, please let us know when you do. But in the meantime, thank you so much for being with us on Elevator Talk today. Great talking about Zen Joy and excited to see you on stage at BevNet Live next month. We're pumped, man. Thank you. Adam, another fantastic roster of brands here on Elevator Talk. You know, I think everyone did an outstanding job. And with just their presentation, their approach to the market, certainly there's a lot of work to be done.

1:03:35But when it comes to early stage brands, I'm really excited for the future. And certainly this crop tells us a lot about where founders are thinking and spending their time trying to reach modern consumers. You have been so helpful in that regard in connecting brands with their audience. I know folks are going to want to get in touch with you and your team. What's the best way to do so? Definitely hit me up, Adam, at mercenarycpg.com, and we'll connect. Absolutely. Adam, I can't thank you enough for being on the show. You are a co-hosting legend at this point because this is, I think, like I said, the fifth time you've been on the show.

1:04:13So thank you so much. We got to do it again soon. But in the meantime, I'm really excited for you personally and all the success that you've had with Mercenary and certainly with Barcode and all the support that you've given to that brand. So, yeah, can't thank you enough. Many thanks, Ray. And you know I'm here for you. Anytime you need me, even at the last minute, I'll be here. Outstanding. I really appreciate that. I'm going to hold you to that. Glad to do it. This is what I live and breathe this as you do as well. And so it's, you know, it's just like having a regular conversation. This is what we do.

1:04:46It is indeed. Well, thanks again, Adam. And thanks so much to all of our entrepreneurs who joined us today. Thanks to everyone watching. And thanks to our amazing team at BevNet, Nosh, and Taste Radio, the best in the business. Signing off for everyone. I'm Ray Lateef, and we'll talk to you next time.