Greene Concepts, Inc. (OTC: INKW) is building national brands with its Be Water natural artesian spring bottled water and its line of CBD-infused Happy Mellow beverages.
INKW sources the Company’s growing Be Water brand of artesian spring bottled water from self-replenishing artesian spring wells at its bottling plant in Marion, North Carolina. This is an OTC company breaking out in the $94 billion U.S. bottled water market. Be Water has an upscale taste and contains healthy natural hydrating mineral benefits derived from self-replenishing artesian wells in a sub-tropical rain forest in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The brand contains positive minerals like magnesium and calcium, which support stronger bones, muscles, and nerve functionality.
According to Statista, 88% of Americans drink bottled water every day. Average consumption is 47 gallons per capita. Globally, it is a market estimated at $510 billion, growing its large base at a 6.8% CAGR, according to GlobeNewswire. Worldwide, Precedence Research estimates the bottled water market at $500.7 billion by 2030 and growing worldwide at a 9.7% CAGR.
INKW Is Growing Beverage Industry in Sales, Brands and Geography
INKW's breakthrough brands are causing a stir in the bottled beverage industry. It has only been on the market for a year because it debuted at the start of COVID, when retailers refused to add new products or even meet with vendors in person. All that has changed.
Lenny Greene, INKW CEO, says the Be Water brand of bottled water is now sold in more than 800 retail stores, a massive growth in its footprint. These include convenience stores, food chains, and all 185 Camping World stores in 42 states, plus 55 Amazon Fulfillment Centers nationally (up from 27 Amazon fulfillment centers at the start of 2022). At Amazon, it has doubled its presence after selling out on its first day at this online retail monster.
MDI Distributors recently placed orders for Be Water to be sold in their 400 independent stores as well as 80+ Lowes Foods Stores throughout the Southeast region of the country.
This is the first large-scale grocery distribution deal for Be Water and vastly increases Be Water point-of-sale opportunities. Locally, the Get Be Water distribution team has sold to more than 70 retailers near the Marion, NC, bottling plant, and that number continues to rise. As announced in an October 2022 news release, the Get Be Water team is expanding awareness and interest in Be Water throughout North Carolina and neighboring states. This all adds up to more future sales for INKW.
BE Water Is Growing With its New Six-Pack Configuration
In part, this was all made possible by Be Water’s new six-pack configuration, which is popular for many retailers. For retailers served by MDI, such as Lowes Foods, six packs can be easily replenished on the shelves. To consumers, the new size means a lower cost entry point, allowing the brand to reach more customers as it gains exposure.
Geographically, Be Water’s reach is growing and being distributed through Horizon Beverage, the second largest distributor to liquor stores in the Northeast. Horizon distributes to some 1,600 stores, and they will be selling INKW’s new 16.9 oz. Be Water six-pack configuration to their retailers. Why liquor stores? Horizon’s retailers have been waiting for the six-packs because they realize their customers desire high-quality and healthy Be Water to mix with their upscale liquor brands. This will reinforce greater brand exposure in the Boston-area Massachusetts/New England region of the U.S.
INKW Owns Nearly $6 Million In Assets
INKW is a fully reporting company (see INKW’s OTC Markets page) whose stock trades at a market cap of approximately $8.9 million. The Company has close to $6 million in assets. Green Concepts owns, free and clear, a 60,000 sq. ft. bottling and beverage facility as well as the plant equipment. “We own it in full. We don’t have a mortgage or any payments,” Greene says. “All of it is paid for. This is an amazing accomplishment.”
An expansion of the plant from its current size of 60,000 square feet to 20,000 additional square feet of space is anticipated as INKW is in the process of expanding and adding more capacity to its Marion, N.C., facility. This will result in a total of 80,000 sq. ft. for its bottling facility. It has already secured quotes from an architect and a construction engineer.
Following the Company's acquisition of the bottling plant in 2019, Ken Porter, a 30-year veteran of the beverage and bottling industries, revitalized and relaunched the facility. This included the maintenance, repair, cleaning, and rebuild of the existing assembly line equipment previously owned and operated by the previous plant ownership, which had not been used for several years.
More recently, in 2022, the plant had been upgraded with new LED lighting, an enhanced parking lot, new interior and exterior painting, and an improved roadway. “We also installed a new roof with an American flag on top as a proud U.S. manufacturer”, Greene says. In addition, INKW invested in gallon-sized production equipment to add a second line for the company and third-party production, which will commence shortly.
INKW plans to increase the Company’s revenue potential with the addition of a high-speed production line. That will grow its current production capacity of 192 million bottles (8 million 24-pack cases) to new levels, designed to meet the expanding needs of its larger and expanding retail customer base, Greene says.
Happy Mellow Is INKW’s Entry Into CBD-Infused Beverage Industry
INKW is a feisty entrant into the CBD infused beverage industry. It has entered the fast-growing CBD-infused beverage business with its Happy Mellow immune-support brand. The line has three flavors: Plum Punch, Lemon Lime, and Blood Orange. INKW retains an executive chef from the hemp industry to help formulate new flavors, Greene says. Greene adds that four more flavors are on his drawing board for future growth of the brand.
The CBD market industry is estimated to reach $14.6 billion by 2026. Facts and Factors has its CAGR at 27.5% between 2021-2026. Vantage Market Research pegs it at a 21.35% CAGR between 2022 and 2028, when it is forecasted to reach an industry total of $47.22 billion by the end of the research period.
INKW has developed an online presence for its Be Water and Happy Mellow brands with a leading Beverage Industry Media Company and industry authority BevNET, Greene says. Happy Mellow was featured in BevNET’s widely read September/October 2022 issue.
INKW: A Charitable Company
This is also a charitable and disaster aid-sensitive company. INKW knows its responsibilities and participates in disaster recovery efforts by donating and shipping truckloads of water to natural disaster sites and city or county emergency response programs. INKW has a history of making multiple bottled water donations around the country to assist those in need. These included relief during recent emergencies in Texas, Kentucky, California, and Mississippi. This is a Company that knows how to give back and step in when a crisis hits a community (see Greene Concepts Charitable Giving page).
CONCLUSION
INKW is an emerging brand maker and bottler in the multi-billion dollar beverage industry. INKW is growing, both with its unique Be Water branded artesian spring water and their CBD-infused beverage line. INKW sells to all Camping World stores as well as 55 Amazon Fulfillment Centers, doubling its previous count of 27. It now sells in over 800 retail stores and recently closed on an agreement with its first large-scale grocery chain. Be Water is growing in sales and footprint nationwide. Happy Mellow is selling robustly in the fast-growing CBD beverage sector. For increased sales volume and a stronger retail presence, INKW plans to expand its plants and improve the infrastructure.
Find additional information about Greene Concepts (INKW) at: https://greeneconcepts.com/
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