The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused change for a lot of of us for a lot of causes. For Rosa Li, CEO and founding father of wildwonder, 2020 was the 12 months she developed the San Fransico-based glowing purposeful beverage model. Li based wildwonder after a private well being journey that 12 months.
Whereas working lengthy hours in personal fairness, Li says she developed a variety of well being points from the stress and life-style.
“To heal, I turned again to the traditional Chinese language herbs and botanicals I grew up with,” she shares. “My grandmother used to brew conventional therapeutic tonics for me in China, the place I used to be raised till I used to be 12, and people recipes turned my inspiration. I made a decision to depart my finance profession and create wildwonder as the primary glowing beverage to mix each prebiotics and probiotics.”
Li describes the present glowing drinks market as having exploded lately.
“Shoppers are searching for extra than simply fizz,” she says. “They need taste, operate and feel-good substances. We’re seeing a significant shift away from conventional sodas towards drinks that not solely style nice but in addition assist wellness objectives.”
On the similar time, Li notes that the class has develop into crowded, with many gamers chasing developments and launching “me too” merchandise.
“For us at wildwonder, that’s a possibility to face out by providing one thing rooted in tradition and objective,” she provides.
As for the probiotics and prebiotics drink market, Li states that purposeful drinks have moved “effectively past” the area of interest wellness aisle and are shortly turning into a part of on a regular basis routines.
“Shoppers aren’t simply reaching for drinks to quench thirst anymore; they need choices that provide tangible well being advantages whereas nonetheless tasting nice and becoming seamlessly into busy lives,” she explains. “I see this as simply the beginning of a a lot bigger motion. Just like how kombucha made the leap from specialty outlets to mainstream cabinets, purposeful drinks that mix confirmed efficacy with broad enchantment are poised to develop into fridge staples.”
wildwonder’s product is deeply private to Li. She was impressed by the therapeutic tonics her grandmother brewed when she was rising up in China and needed to carry that historical, natural knowledge into an accessible fashionable format.
“Every taste is crafted with fresh-brewed herbs, so it’s not solely good to your intestine but in addition genuinely scrumptious,” Li says. “I’m a foodie who doesn’t wish to sacrifice taste. wildwonder goes far past simply one other ‘better-for-you’ (BFY) glowing beverage.”
Li’s grandmother typically brewed natural tonics with substances like honeysuckle, which Li says is extensively utilized in Japanese traditions for its soothing and therapeutic properties.
“That knowledge is on the core of each taste we create,” she notes. “For instance, our Raspberry Lychee mix pairs juicy lychees, which originate from China, with raspberries and fresh-brewed honeysuckle flowers.”
wildwonder lately added to its lineup its newest selection: Blackberry Violet.
“Blackberry Violet was impressed by the enduring Aviation cocktail, a Prohibition-era basic identified for its floral and botanical notes,” Li shares. “We needed to seize that very same sense of class and journey, however in a method that matches wildwonder’s mission of creating intestine well being each indulgent and accessible.”
The brand new providing is a mix of blackberry puree with violet flowers, juniper berries and a splash of lime. Like all wildwonder flavors, Li provides that it’s infused with prebiotics and probiotics.
“We’re all the time dreaming up what’s subsequent,” she notes. “wildwonder began with a mission to make intestine well being extra accessible and joyful, and that continues to information our innovation.”
wildwonder is on the market nationwide, together with pure retailers like Complete Meals and Sprouts to main grocers like Albertsons, Safeway, Kroger and choose Goal shops. The model has constructed a powerful on-line presence by way of its web site and Amazon, which permits wildwonder to attach instantly with its group, Li provides.
“We’re persevering with to develop thoughtfully, increasing each in retail and foodservice,” she says. “You’ll see us present up in additional locations the place individuals work, journey and play.”
Li feels that the market is shifting towards a world the place BFY isn’t a compromise, however an expectation.
“Shoppers have gotten extra educated about intestine well being and searching for merchandise that ship actual advantages with out added sugar, synthetic substances or that ‘wholesome however not tasty’ trade-off,” she describes. “We’re main the following wave of purposeful glowing drinks. Rooted in wellness however with flavorful and culturally impressed fruit combos. We mix prebiotics and probiotics with actual fruit and botanicals to make intestine well being approachable for everybody.”
The founder and CEO shares that she is happy to have created one thing so deeply rooted in her heritage and impressed by her grandmother.
“In case you see us on the shelf, please give us a strive,” she provides.
