LIFEAID Beverage Co.® signs Golden State Warrior star Kevon Looney
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Oct. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FITAID®, one of the most popular items in the LIFEAID Beverage Co. portfolio, has long been a favorite of professional athletes in football, baseball and basketball. And it's one of basketball's rising stars that LIFEAID selected as a partner for upcoming Northern California retail marketing campaigns: Kevon Looney of the Golden State Warriors. The endorsement agreement was confirmed today by LIFEAID co-founder and president Aaron Hinde.
Looney will appear on billboards through Northern California, and will also be featured in digital advertising and social media campaigns. The brand's social media platforms will also support regular prize and giveaway programs tied retailers and also offered directly from the brand.
"I've personally been rooting for Kevon since he first played for the Santa Cruz Warriors in 2016, right here in our backyard," says Hinde, a proud lifelong resident of Santa Cruz, California, which is also home to LIFEAID's headquarters. "While Kevon may currently be injured, what isn't damaged is his ability to inspire as a gifted, versatile athlete with a long future ahead in pro basketball. We're excited to help build one another's brands."
Standing six-foot-nine, basketball player Kevon Looney is known for his versatile athleticism, playing both power forward and center for the Warriors. His ability to guard all five positions is reflected in his jersey number "5." Looney re-signed with the Warriors in July 2019, in a three-year extension. Warriors' coach Steve Kerr called Looney a "foundational piece" for the team.
"Kevon is a disciplined, dedicated athlete who appreciates the impact of proper nutrition. These are core values for the LIFEAID brand," says Hinde.
"I'm proud to be working with LIFEAID. The brand is focused on clean and functional ingredients. Recovery is a major part of being an athlete, FITAID helps meet the demands of that critical part of my game. Also, I'm following the paleo diet so I can drink it as part of my everyday routine," says Looney.
About LIFEAID Beverage Co.®
With a focus on great-tasting, wellness-enhancing and solutions-driven supplement products, LIFEAID Beverage Co. has become a trusted brand among health- and performance-conscious consumers. LIFEAID offers a range of "vitamins you'll actually enjoy drinking" including: FITAID, FOCUSAID, PARTYAID, IMMUNITIYAID, LIFEAID, GOLFERAID and the newly launched Keto-friendly FITAID ZERO and FITAID RX ZERO. The FITAID line is currently the #1 Post-Workout Recovery Drink in America as well as the Official Sponsor of the U.S. Spartan Race Series. Visit lifeaidbevco.com for more information.
Media Contact:
Cari McHugh
press@lifeaidbevco.com
SOURCE: LIFEAID Beverage Co.
Related Links
Source: PR Newswire | News provided by: LIFEAID Beverage Co.
Leading recovery drink brand LIFEAID Beverage Co.® offers event attendees competitive mobile entertainment experience with Spartan Search
North Lake Tahoe, CA -- September 12, 2019 -- No one will be stuck on the sidelines this year at the Spartan World Championship powered by Rakuten, thanks to a new Augmented Reality (AR) mobile app developed by Transmira for FITAID specifically for the event on September 28-29, 2019. The Spartan Search app will propel participants on an AR adventure, hunting virtual FITAID and Spartan memorabilia as well as completing virtual obstacles throughout the Squaw Valley. And there’s immediate gratification: prizes can be redeemed by participating players at the FITAID booth throughout the course of the event. Now everybody will be drinking the nectar of Spartans with just the tap of a button.
Spartan devotees are no strangers to FITAID, the LIFEAID Beverage Co. brand’s go-to recovery drink for racers since 2016. Close to 15,000 people will be attending this year’s pinnacle event, including enthusiastic spectators. FITAID commissioned the app to help bring those attendees “into the race” with an interactive platform that requires “just as much brain power but only a phone and your fingers to enjoy,” says the brand.
“FITAID is more than a recovery drink, it’s also part of a mindset. We expect engagement to be at an all-time high this year with the use of the Spartan Search app. By creating a fun and interactive activity designed for every attendee, we’re spreading the energy and spirit of Spartan’s competitive but always positive message,” says Emily Sommariva, CMO of LIFEAID Beverage Co.
In addition to traditional event activities, the cutting-edge technology found in Spartan Search is bound to amp up excitement across Spartan grounds. Suitable for all fitness levels, the app will show a map with locations where virtual objects and obstacles are temporarily hidden. AR adventurers will need to seek out and collect the objects in the app on their smartphones. Spartan Search will get Spartan fans exploring the surrounding community outside the Spartan festival as well, creating more buzz and business within the local community. A variety of prizes from a can of FITAID to a $2,500 Visa® gift card can be won depending on which objects are discovered and collected for redemption.
“This is the first time that AR engagement marketing goes beyond novelty ‘scan and see’ interactivity, by linking branded 3D objects directly to real-world products and goods” says Robert Rice, CEO of Transmira. “Our patent-pending technology for the Omniscape™ platform makes it easy for brands to multiply reach, revenue and retention like never before, placing collectible virtual goods anywhere in the world.”
This year, whether a Spartan has just completed the intense obstacle course spanning the Sierra Nevadas or has been on their feet all day acutely focused on the AR adventure, everyone will be flocking to the FITAID booth for a cold can of clean recovery. With more cans in hands, FITAID and many new fans will roar, “AROO!”
The AR experience is available for a limited time only. The Spartan Search app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and is free to download from the App Store (Spartan World Championship Spectator tickets required). The AR experience begins on Friday, September 27 at 10am (PST) and players must finish their adventure at the FITAID booth by 2pm (PST) on Sunday, September 29.
About LIFEAID Beverage Co.
With a focus on great-tasting, wellness-enhancing and solutions-driven supplement products, LIFEAID Beverage Co. has become a trusted brand among health- and performance-conscious consumers. LIFEAID offers a range of “vitamins you’ll actually enjoy drinking” including: FITAID, FOCUSAID, PARTYAID, IMMUNITIYAID, LIFEAID, GOLFERAID and the newly launched Keto-friendly FITAID ZERO and FITAID RX ZERO. The FITAID line is currently the #1 Post-Workout Recovery Drink in America as well as the Official Sponsor of the U.S. Spartan Race Series. Visit Lifeaidbevco.com for more information.
About Transmira, Inc.
Transmira is the developer behind Omniscape™, the first XR platform to connect businesses, brands and consumers with highly engaging augmented reality experiences. Omniscape is designed to monetize AR, location and engagement marketing, driving brand awareness, foot traffic and sales. Visit Omniscape.com for more information.
Media Contact:
Cari McHugh
press@lifeaidbevco.com
Functional drink line expands into retailers nationally while preparing for new product launches.
March 29, 2019 – Santa Cruz, CA – High-growth functional beverage brand LIFEAID, which produces premium vitamin drinks, recently closed a $7.7 million financing round to support the brand’s expanding distribution in retailers across the U.S. The round includes investments totaling $4.7 million from Everplus Capital, Cambridge Companies SPG and a half-dozen angel investors, in addition to a $3 million asset-backed line of credit with Dwight Funding.
LIFEAID Beverage Co. produces a line of nutrition-focused drinks for consumers with active, performance-driven lifestyles. The current LIFEAID lineup features six functional drinks, each with a unique proposition and dedicated consumer. In 2019, LIFEAID will expand its presence in Walmart and Kroger stores along with additional retailers nationwide. FitAid, the brand’s pioneering post-workout recovery drink, is a favorite of fitness devotees and professional athletes. ImmunityAid became a top-selling product for the brand just six months after being launched at the start of last fall’s cold and flu season, demonstrating the increasingly broad appeal of LIFEAID.
In addition to increasing the presence of its drinks in prominent retailers, including a new authorization with Wegman’s, LIFEAID Beverage Co. has also fully established its direct store delivery (DSD) network in the Pacific Northwest. New partners in the region include The Odom Corporation, Sound Beverage Distribution Inc., Craig Stein Beverage and NW Beverages. In Northern California, LIFEAID finalized a similar agreement with distributor DBI Beverage. The brand is starting to build a similar DSD network in the Northeast and is also increasing its presence in convenience stores like Giant.
LIFEAID CEO Orion Melehan stated, “Strategic investors and working capital financing are more important now as we continue to build the LIFEAID brand and platform of customized vitamin drinks — vitamins you’ll actually enjoy drinking. Our goal for 2019 is to emphasize product innovation and smartly capitalize on growth opportunities with partners that understand our vision, mission and the brand’s deep connection with its consumers.”
“We’re proud of the caliber of our latest investors, and appreciate the follow-on investments from some of our earlier ones who believed in LIFEAID Beverage Co.’s tremendous potential early on,” Melehan continued. “In addition to our equity financing, our new relationship with Dwight Funding gives us the flexibility to strategically invest in growth without additional constraints on working capital, given our growing inventory and accounts receivable.”
Joe Yu, principal of Everplus F&B Fund stated, “LIFEAID has shown an incredible and rare ability to continually capture the attention of a dedicated and rapidly growing audience of wellness enthusiasts. The functional beverage category is growing and we think LIFEAID will be an increasingly dominant player in that category. We are confident in the ability of LIFEAID’s forward-thinking and highly strategic leadership to achieve their goals, and we are very excited to be an investor in the company."
Dwight Funding managing partner Ben Brachot similarly commented, “LIFEAID is a leader in the wellness and performance space. We are excited to be working with a brand that has such a strong bond with its customers. The brand’s growth is built on a strong foundation that has set them up to become a household brand name.”
About LIFEAID
LIFEAID Beverage Co. was founded by Orion Melehan and Dr. Aaron Hinde in 2011 and is a pioneer in functional beverage. The brand offers nutrition-focused products including top-selling natural energy drink FitAid, as well as LifeAid, FocusAid, ImmunityAid, PartyAid and GolferAid. Visit www.lifeaidbevco.com.
About the Financial Round Partners
Everplus Capital, located in Newport Beach, California, manages a consumer-oriented fund focused on better-for-you food and beverage brands. Visit www.everplus-cap.com.
Cambridge Companies SPG is a highly respected strategic opportunity investment firm based in Newport Beach, California. Cambridge SPG turns opportunities into value by buying controlling and non-controlling interest in companies poised for growth. The firm focuses on retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG) as well as food & beverage. LIFEAID Beverage Co. is the firm’s 25th investment in the CPG space. Visit www.cambridgespg.com.
Dwight Funding provides debt solutions uniquely tailored to the needs of growing consumer brands. With a nationwide presence, Dwight has deep ties to the CPG community and is able to provide its portfolio companies with strategic advice and solutions throughout the brand lifecycle. Visit www.dwightfunding.com.
A big thanks to Brad Avery of BevNET.com, Inc. for helping us share the news with the #beverage and #CPG financial community.