Japanese organizing advisor Marie Kondo grew to become a family identify along with her e-book “The Life-Altering Magic of Tidying Up,” during which she preached her philosophy of protecting gadgets “sparked pleasure” for his or her house owners.
Within the consumable client packaged items (CPG) market, customers are turning to merchandise that additionally spark these moments of pleasure, and one firm is delivering that in an genuine approach.
“Everyone knows persons are consuming extra drinks nowadays and we’re seeing plenty of that development within the ready-to-drink tea and lemonade classes,” says Tricia Wallwork, Chair and CEO at Milo’s Tea Co., Bessemer, Ala. “Tea is flourishing as extra customers search for handy, scrumptious, caffeinated choices, and we’re planning for regular momentum nicely into the long run. Lemonade, whereas historically a smaller class, is drawing a number of new followers to our model.
“From the place I sit, this development is a mirrored image of what we’ve all the time recognized at Milo’s ― our followers worth nice style, high quality elements, and moments of scrumptious pleasure,” she continues.
As a third-generation, family-owned firm, Milo’s historical past dates again practically 80 years in the past, showcasing a model and firm that has continued to evolve and develop over that point because of its understanding of what its customers need.
“Milo’s is a good American development story and, 79 years in, we’re simply getting began,” Wallwork says. “When my granddad, Milo, got here again from WWII in 1946, he began a hamburger restaurant in Birmingham, Ala. Ultimately, my dad and mom realized individuals had been coming simply to get the Candy Tea, so that they began bottling it in a jug and promoting in a neighborhood grocery retailer.”
Having assumed the CEO place in 2012, Wallwork shares that she is proud to be a part of this legacy. On the time she took on the highest management place, Milo’s had 40 staff and was a small, native enterprise. That has all modified.
“In the present day, we’ve over 1,000 associates and can be found in all 50 states,” Wallwork says. “In 2025, we plan to craft and serve over 207 million gallons of teas and lemonades to followers throughout the nation ― that’s 2.1 billion servings of scrumptious drinks.
“Whereas we’ve grown, the standard of our scrumptious drinks stays unchanged,” she continues. “Our teas and lemonade are made with easy, actual elements, the identical approach my grandparents did 80 years in the past.”
Wallwork notes that this development trajectory just isn’t typical of a third-generation family-owned enterprise, however has helped the corporate attain a nationwide client base.
“Previously 10 years, we’ve doubled in dimension 3.5 instances and are actually the No. 1 refrigerated tea model within the nation and the fastest-growing prime lemonade model,” she says. “We’ve grown from one facility in Alabama to 4 throughout the Southeast, and we’re now in over 55,000 retail places nationwide.”
This robust development has resulted within the firm investing extra into its manufacturing as earlier this 12 months it opened a fourth facility in Spartanburg, S.C.
“That is our largest and most superior plant but ― a $200 million facility with innovative expertise,” Wallwork says. “It’s strategically positioned to develop distribution, making certain best-in-class on-time and in-full service for our retail companions.
“The brand new facility is designed to double our manufacturing capability and help continued development throughout the nation,” she continues. “At scale, the brand new facility may also present greater than 200 good-paying U.S manufacturing jobs, which is one thing I’m actually pleased with.”
Wallwork explains that the Spartanburg facility is designed for at present and tomorrow’s manufacturing wants.
“Our group has put in and commissioned three strains to this point, with the power so as to add three extra strains (for a complete of six) within the present footprint,” she says. “That mentioned, we’re already eyeing a fifth plant as a result of we’re simply getting began rising at Milo’s.”
The brand new Spartanburg facility was constructed with expertise in thoughts that honors its “brewed-like-you-do” promise, whereas scaling responsibly, Wallwork notes.
“The plant options high-speed brewing and mixing programs that give us industry-leading manufacturing capability inside an environment friendly footprint,” she says. “We added a sophisticated and environment friendly water-filtration system that sustainably produces high-quality product, and we’re filling each bottle on best-in-class multi-serve strains designed for chilly drinks.”
All these investments will assist Milo’s proceed its purpose to scale with goal and intention.
“We need to deepen our footprint nationally, bringing Milo’s and spreading scrumptious pleasure to extra followers throughout the nation,” Wallwork says. “We’re additionally going to proceed investing in creating nice jobs, increasing our neighborhood influence and investing in sustainability. And, we’re going to proceed to innovate and produce new flavors to our followers ― with out sacrificing the standard and nice style that we’re recognized for.”
Genuine expertise
Milo’s development comes at a time that Wallwork highlights that customers are gravitating an increasing number of to pure merchandise.
“In the present day’s customers are drawn to pure drinks made with easy, clear elements, issues they’ve in their very own pantries,” she says. “They’re transferring away from synthetic components and leaning into useful, refreshing drinks that align with their life and style home made. Comfort can be key. We’re all busier than ever, and RTD tea and lemonade supply a well-recognized, genuine expertise they’ll seize from the fridge or cooler and be ok with.”
Wallwork sees these developments among the many causes that these classes will proceed to develop.
“I count on we’ll proceed to see regular development throughout each classes ― notably for manufacturers like Milo’s that keep targeted on high quality and are grounded in authenticity and client belief,” Wallwork says. “As extra individuals prioritize transparency and high quality, firms that ship these values in an genuine approach will stand out.”
This market efficiency additionally has contributed to Milo’s rising market share in each the tea and lemonade markets.
“Our tea class share in {dollars} is 45.9% and our lemonade share is 8% and rising quick ― shortly turning into the fastest-growing prime model within the class,” says Dan Weingart, chief industrial officer of Milo’s Tea Co.
Of its tea portfolio, Weingart says that the corporate’s hottest teas are traditional varieties ― Milo’s Well-known Candy Tea, Zero Calorie Candy Tea and Further Candy Tea ― in its iconic multi-serve gallon jug. For lemonades, its Lemonade in gallon and 20-ounce are its most profitable.
Though these classics have helped gas the expansion at Milo’s, the corporate is listening to what its customers need in tea and lemonade drinks.
“We’re undoubtedly listening to our followers ask for extra fruit-forward and citrus flavors throughout each classes, with brilliant, nostalgic profiles making a powerful comeback,” Wallwork says. “Flavors like strawberry, peach, lemon and raspberry resonate with customers as a result of they provide a brand new ― however acquainted ― twist on present favorites. We’re additionally seeing development in blends, like our tea and lemonade mixture, as followers look to broaden their horizons.”
This proactive method to listening to its customers performed a task in its most up-to-date releases of Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade and Lemon Candy Tea.
“We’re all the time listening to our followers, and one factor we stored listening to was a want for brand spanking new vibrant fruit flavors ― particularly in lemonade,” Weingart says. “We leaned into that suggestions and created three new choices throughout our present lineup. Strawberry and raspberry are timeless crowd-pleasers in lemonade, whereas a squeeze of lemon in candy tea gives a vibrant twist on our fan-favorite. Similar to every little thing we make, the brand new improvements are made recent every day and are 100% pure, with no preservatives or components.”
Whereas we’ve grown, the standard of our scrumptious drinks stays unchanged. Our teas and lemonade are made with easy, actual elements, the identical approach my grandparents did 80 years in the past.”
– Tricia Wallwork, Chair and CEO at Milo’s Tea Co.
Actually, the brand new lemonades have already proven robust efficiency.
“Our scrumptious new Strawberry Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade can be found in 20-ounce bottles, half gallons, and gallons, and the early efficiency is trying actually robust,” Weingart notes.
Weingart provides that the corporate has acquired optimistic suggestions following the discharge.
“The suggestions has been overwhelmingly optimistic,” he says. “Early gross sales outcomes have been higher than anticipated. We’re seeing robust efficiency at retail, enthusiastic critiques on-line, and plenty of pleasure on social. Individuals are loving the brand new flavors.”
That love for the brand new flavors, doubtless stems from the truth that the brand new additions are pure extensions of its traditional varieties.
“Our core merchandise are beloved for his or her freshness and ease, and these new flavors supply the identical clean-label and homemade-taste Milo’s is understood for,” Weingart says. “The brand new improvements simply give our followers extra to like. Whether or not somebody’s in search of one thing candy, one thing tart, or one thing proper within the center ― we’ve obtained them lined.”
Initially, the distribution footprint for the brand new varieties has been concentrated within the Southeast with the Mid-Atlantic additionally for Lemon Candy Tea, however Milo’s does have plans to develop this footprint.
“[W]e’re working to develop distribution, bringing new improvements to Milo’s followers throughout the nation,” Weingart says. “Our purpose is to develop these merchandise nationwide as we scale manufacturing.”
Though the corporate simply launched these three varieties, Weingart notes that the corporate will proceed to watch the market and what its customers need.
“Whereas I can’t share all the main points simply but, I’ll say we’re all the time what’s subsequent –particularly the place we are able to meet client wants with out compromising on elements or values,” he says. “We’ve got some thrilling merchandise within the pipeline, and I sit up for sharing extra later this 12 months.”
Milo’s proactive and genuine dedication to its merchandise and customers doubtless will assist the corporate proceed its development and success.
“As a 100% unbiased, household and women-owned enterprise, Milo’s works laborious to do what we consider is correct ― for our individuals, our communities and our followers,” Wallwork says. “We lead with our values and meaning placing our TEAm first, giving again to the locations the place we dwell and work, and delivering scrumptious teas and lemonades made with actual, high-quality elements. Most manufacturers on the market can’t try this authentically and we expect it’s a differentiator for us.”
