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The sports drink segment may have seen the rise and then subsidence of Prime Hydration, Mas+ by Messi and Barcode, but some brands have managed to tenaciously hang in there. One of them is Roar Organic, in the market over a decade now, in recent years controlled by incubation group The Factory in Bethlehem, Penn, tho founder Roly Nesi is still closely involved. Tho brand has seen a revolving door of CEOs over the yrs, it’s now reached out to leader with deep roots in new-age bevs to accelerate its growth: William Meissner, whose resume goes back to SoBe and includes stops at Fuze and its NOS Energy offshoot, Jones Soda, Sweet Leaf Tea and Sparkling Ice. Fresh off a 6-yr run at publicly traded Splash Beverage, whose efforts to serve as a platform for innovative alc and non-alc bevs has sputtered out, Meissner takes role of prexy just as brand is undertaking its largest marketing campaign to date, dubbed “Live Out Loud.” Among initial initiatives, he’ll be bringing to market brand’s first multipacks and cans in move to better penetrate grocery and away-from-home channel, respectively. In interview yesterday, William said he selected Roar over other opportunities because of its strong performance in core natural channel and the commitment that Factory has shown over several years to making it succeed. As an organically certified brand that can play in channels where Gatorade isn’t welcome, Roar has won ACV over 70% in natural channel, where he said it’s velocity leader at both Whole Foods and Sprouts. Lately it’s augmented its presence on warm shelves at Sprouts with all its cold boxes.But conventional grocery and impulse channels like away-from-home and c-stores rep big opportunities too. Brand already is on shelves at multiple Kroger and Albertsons divs, generally with 3 sku’s vs 4-5 sku’s in core natural channel. To boost its prospects in that channel it’s prepping first multipack, a 6-unit offering. Foodservice also holds big upside, and the forthcoming 12-oz sleek cans should help make a dent there. Its core pack has long been 18-oz PET bottle. Meissner emphasized that Nesi, tho no longer the majority shareholder, continues to play a vital role on innovation side, particularly with gift he’s displayed on graphics side. Indeed, the 12-oz sleeks are so compelling-looking that Meissner said he’s found himself politely deflecting retailers’ requests to pick up the pack too.Tho its electrolyte content defines it as a sports drink, Roar has sought to adopt broader positioning. That “Live Out Loud” summer campaign running across YouTube, connected TV, Meta, owned social and paid media seeks to posit brand as built for people “who move, connect and live life out loud,” per announcement. That seems to have emerged from work performed by prior CEO Bill Lange, a veteran marketer who held role 3 yrs ending last Sep.Meissner inherits hybrid DSD distribution network that includes partners in Calif and Pac NW, with Nev and Ariz likely next regions where he’ll go prospecting. In NY metro, brand has been in good hands with Dora’s Naturals, he said. That house’s strong performance with Harmless Harvest coconut water brand demonstrates it can play effectively in broad hydration space, he noted. Roar employs coconut water as base.At Splash, Meissner had worked on portfolio whose sole non-alc entry was Tapout sports drink, which struggled in market and eventually was paused. As we’d reported, Splash was known to be angling to acquire Uptime Energy as key prong of renewed attack on NAs but Uptime instead ended up acquiring Rise Brewing coffee co and maintaining its independence. William, who’d been brought in by Splash founder Robert Nistico and succeeded him as CEO, moved on last mo when co turned its focus to non-bev ventures as offering greater oppty. As we reported then, future of its bev portfolio remains unclear (BBI, Jun 15).

Roar Organic Recruits New-Age Vet Meissner as Prexy as Brand Ups Marketing Budget & Preps Push into Cans & Multipacks

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