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Tho it's got small retail base so far, Loonen brand has been makin' some waves with its social-media-fueled awareness-building blitz that's testing whether Americans finally are ready to start paying a premium for bottled water that allows no trace of forever plastics and other contaminants. Tho SF-based brand had already enlisted small Northern Calif house Good Stuff as a distribution partner, its appearance at Big Geyser retailer expo last Thurs marked its first major DSD expansion, via contract that had been signed only the day before as part of brand-onboarding wave that also included LMNT hydration brand and Beyond Immerse protein line from marketer of Beyond Meant (BBI, Apr 17). Big Geyser had also recently brought on Dry Water, its first bev play with no RTD component (BBI, Mar 18). Loonen's move into big NY house coincided with another expansion milestone, its imminent rollout thru Sprouts natural grocery chain next month. In synch with its social-media momentum, it had also just landed Erewhon influencer grocer in LA, building on 300 doors it had entered mainly in NorCal, including small chains like Molly Stone's and Woodlands Market. In foodservice, it's also sold in SF airport and has been cracking high-end eateries like Leora Caf&eacute; in Beverly Hills and Croft Alley in both LA and NY. Following 2-yr development effort, Loonen had launched just last Nov, founded by venture vet Claire Sieg (Revolution Ventures) and Spindrift vet David Kimmell. Sieg had been led to concept in her efforts to get pregnant, learning along the way about endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are linked to range of issues, including fertility. (She eventually had a baby girl, now 2, via IVF process.) The brand uses exhaustive treatment process based on World Health Org guidelines to offer water that's tested for 350+ potential contaminants. The name is taken in part from loon birds that change their migratory patterns when water sources they've been depending on get polluted by microplastics and other contaminants. By same token, tho brand currently is sourced at Palomar Mountain Spring in Calif, its marketing takes care not to associate it with specific source, considering that water quality can change; rather, Claire told us, it's marketed "as a proxy for purity." We'd offered brief profile of brand late last year (BBI, Dec 17).Backed by Brand Foundry, Loonen is offered in 750-ml glass bottles in still and sparkling versions, with 350-mil versions due in Jun that retain 38-mm closure to support premium drinking experience while facilitating powdered mix-ins. The 750s generally go out at $3.99. They're configured to fit in car cup holders to ease any barriers to regular usage. As a sign of lengths co goes to communicate product's integrity, here's snippet from website FAQs: "Our cap is aluminum with a PFAS-free, BPA-free liner that creates a clean, food-grade seal. It's unpainted and uncoated, avoiding the microplastic shedding linked to decorative finishes. Each cap is rinsed twice in a closed-system cap wash before sealing, so nothing unwanted touches your water."At Big Geyser, Loonen plugs a gap for domestic glass-bottle waters. While house has struck gold on bottled water side with more mainstream entries like Core Hydration and Essentia, prexy Jerry Reda said he'd picked up palpable excitement from across retail channels to pick up brand as its social media buzz has grown. Even local 7-Eleven operators are clamoring to pick up brand. There's nothing arcane about Loonen's message, Reda insisted: "People don't want plastic in their brains."

BG EXPO: Loonen Sees Shoppers Ripe to Pay a Premium for Truly Pure Water

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