Mude functional drinks to hit North America following US$12M Acosta investment

05 Mar 2021 --- The Naked Collective, a beverage start-up from Ireland, is bringing its range of Mude functional drinks to North America through a new partnership with Acosta US and Canada.

Acosta has committed an overall initial US$12 million investment to bring the Mude line to retail, and the marketing and sales company will represent the beverage brand in North America.

The deal is a major win for The Naked Collective, which launched in the Irish market in 2020 and has since secured distribution deals in the UK and Italy. 

“Acosta’s reach across North America and beyond is a game changer for us as we raise awareness of our carbon-neutral healthy natural drinks and take on the battle to educate people about unhealthy sugar-based drinks,” says Niall Phelan, CEO of The Naked Collective.

“We believe the brand will land well in both an ongoing and post-COVID-19 world, where consumers want to know how the products they consume impact the environment and their own health and well-being.” 

Demand for health
Mude functional brewed beverages are from all-natural, plant-based and scientifically backed ingredients.

The line includes Protect, Play, Work, Chill and Sleep, tapping into growing consumer demand for F&B that support immunity and enhanced mood.

They are low in calories, low in sugar, and contain the “supercharged elixir” Isotonic SuperLiquid, which contains polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. Each drink is also powered with ImmunoBoost technology, which adds immunity-supporting beta glucan to the SuperLiquid. 

All Mude functional beverages contain Isotonic SuperLiquid and ImmunoBoost.   The companies point to a recent survey carried out in the US of 3,000 people found that one in three Millennials and Generation Z had reduced their alcohol consumption as a result of COVID-19 by November 2020. 

This has now risen to one in two as of February. The survey also found that two in three people are looking for drinks that support immune health as a direct result of the pandemic.

“The natural healthy brand of Mude drinks has enormous growth potential leveraging consumers’ post-COVID-19 move toward healthier lifestyles,” says John Caruso, senior vice president of Acosta.

“Acosta will partner with The Naked Collective to help them stay a step ahead and act as their go-to team to drive growth and accelerate performance.”

Sustainability in focus 
In addition to its focus on wellness, Mude beverages boast a strong sustainability story. 

Obtaining carbon neutral status from day one, The Naked Collective has committed to becoming a regenerative business by the end of 2021. 

“Our ethos is to be socially and personally responsible for our environment, our planet and our community. Giving people honest, healthy choices in the soft drinks fridge is key to this.” 

The Irish company already has executives working in California, New York and Toronto and its aim is to be on shelf in the leading natural, specialty and premium retail outlets as soon as summer 2021. 

In other moves, The Naked Collective has partnered with manufacturers Lazy Magnolia Brewery in Mississippi in the US and Blackburn Brewhouse in Niagara Falls, Ontario. 

It has also signaled its intent to hire former Essentia Water executives Craig Miller and Tim Dorman to lead its US rollout. 

In Tune with Immune
Food, beverages and supplements positioned for immunity have soared during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Recent research from Kerry reveals that 65 percent of functional beverage consumers are more worried about their health since the start of the pandemic. 

Nestlé also reported high demand for immune-supporting products, with increased growth during 2020. 

Meanwhile, drinks for sleep and stress have also gained traction, seen, for example, in the proliferation of drinks containing CBD. 

Edited by Missy Green