Hawaii-based bottled water company Kona Deep will launch its deep ocean water in the continental US, having already been widely distributed in Hawaii.
The introduction signals the creation of a new category, with the brand’s electrolyte-rich deep ocean drinking water “delivering an extraordinary taste and hydration experience”. The product will initially be distributed across the natural, grocery and speciality retail channels in the west of the US, before expanding its distribution throughout the country. It is packaged in both 500ml and 1 litre packaging formats.
Kona Deep said that its nationwide launch meant that consumers no longer had to choose between the purity of spring water and performance of highly processed, functional purified waters with artificially added electrolytes. The new bottled water offers both the purity of a trusted, natural source with nothing artificial added, and the hydration benefits of electrolytes.
A new study that’s currently underway at the University of Arizona, which seeks to evaluate the impact of post-exercise hydration with deep ocean mineral water on exercise performance, rehydration and recovery, may further strengthen this connection.
Kona Deep comes from melted glacial water, which sunk to the ocean floor more than 1,000 years ago, creating a deep ocean current that still flows today. This infinitely renewable source absorbs naturally occurring electrolytes and minerals along its journey across the ocean floor and along volcanic fissures, which are crucial for hydration and body balance, Kona Deep said.
The coast of Kona, Hawaii provides an ideal location to source and bottle the water because the ocean floor falls sharply to more than 3,000ft below the surface. At this depth, near-freezing cold and prolonged darkness create a pure water that is protected from light and surface ocean water. Once brought to the surface, the water is desalinated and bottled at the source with a total dissolved solids (TDS) content of 250, the perfect balance of performance and taste.
Kona Deep chief executive officer Patrick Turpin said: “Kona Deep is a great option for those who want their water to work harder, naturally. We’re giving people who want more from their bottled water a reason to rethink their choice.”
He now has his sights on expanding the brand across the US, where premium bottled water sales have risen by more than 300% over the past five years.
“Deep ocean water is a billion dollar category in Asia, but this is still very much a new category of bottled water in the US,” Turpin added.
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