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Mingle Mocktails, which has built substantial base as female-pleasing alc-alternative, has expanded its Mood functional extension into a full-fledged subline by doubling the sku count from 2 to 4. Subtly Spicy Margarita and Juicy Watermelon Spritz join existing Berry Lemon Bliss and Serene Citrus Spritz flavors, bringing same ingredient bill of ashwagandha, lion&#39;s mane mushroom and L-theanine "to help calm the mind, support focus and promote balance," per announcement. The Mood line had debuted last Sep, unashamedly adopting same descriptor as that used by rival Recess to signal functional twist vs core line that reps juice-based, "clean crafted" take on classic styles like Cosmopolitan and Bellini. (In Recess' case, key ingredient in Mood line is magnesium.) On ecomm, Mood goes out at $46.95 per 12-pk, a slight premium to $44.95 core line, given elevated cost of inputs like ashwagandha. Among early retailers to pick up new sku's is Total Wine, which houses them in adult NA/functional set, founder/CEO Laura Taylor told us yesterday. The launches come during active period for Mingle. For one, it has to navigate collapse of key distribution partner, RNDC, negotiating transition to distribs picking up some of its territories. Mingle also is preparing to move beyond marketing activation with Bethenny Frankel, the Skinnygirl founder whose public profile has exploded since she first signed on with Mingle 2 years ago. She's remained actively involved setting co's direction via conversations every other week, and lobbied for the functional launch, and will remain an investor. But the marketing partnership will likely draw to a close later this year as Frankel finds bigger fish to fry. Her social media following has surged to 5 mil from 2 mil in those 2 years, Laura noted. Not least, she's in midst of fundraise of unspecified magnitude, marveling at the consideration you can get from prospective investors when you're growing and operating profitably. "I didn't realize how unusual that was in beverages until I went out to raise," she confided.Recall that Taylor, a Philadelphia-based software vet, launched Mingle when she found herself seeking something more benign for socializing with her crew, starting with a bottled line that quickly pivoted to cans (BBI, Jun 4 2018). In update call yesterday, she said brand by now has cracked about 12K retail doors, including Target, Whole Foods, Total Wine, Kroger, Walmart, Meijer, Wegmans and Albertsons/Safeway. By some measures Mingle ranks as top-selling mocktail and nestles around #2 or #3 in broader category that includes Hiyo and Recess.Taylor readily allowed that she'd been carefully tracking functional space populated by likes of Kin Euphorics, Hiyo and Recess. While offering functional extension wasn't of similar "do-or-die" importance to the packaging change, Mood accomplishes twin goals of getting Mingle into high-growth segment while playing to its flavor strength in offering what she argues is most "craveable" entry. With bolder colors than pastel-hued core line, it's also more gender-neutral line, one that males won't feel squeamish about cradling at a party. So it may diversify Mingle's base.Tho Frankel may be moving on from active role flogging brand, brand has thrived using digital-first strategy that includes less bold-faced names as ambassadors, some of them organically recruited and others paid, Taylor indicated. TikTok affiliate platforms have been among effective tools Mingle has employed.As brand has expanded, Taylor hasn't hesitated to assemble DSD network that mingles - pun intended - wine & spirits and beer houses. Like other suppliers, she's lately found herself in a scramble as a key partner of past 2 yrs, RNDC, has imploded, just as Mingle had entered its Power of 12 program. So she's working thru transition to successor operators in various territories like Reyes and Martinetti. The DSD mix also has included Breakthru and Johnson Bros on wine & spirits side, Union Beer on beer side and Rainforest as an NA-only house. Broadliners UNFI and KeHe also are in mix. By now, brand has coverage in 47 states, she indicated.Navigating these issues is leadership team for whom Taylor didn't need to assemble much in way of personal references. When her husband George Taylor III, a tech sales mgr, was sidelined by a botched knee replacement procedure, he offered to help out. He passed muster and now is prexy/chief revenue officer. Their young-adult son George IV (Drew) Taylor manages logistics and ops.

STRATEGY: Mingle Mocktails Graduates Mood Extension into Full-Fledged Subline; Revamps Distrib in Wake of RNDC Implosion; Preps for Post-Frankel Era

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