Fit Soda™ Now Carried in Over 1,100 Food Lion Supermarkets in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern Regions of the United States

Rhea-AI Summary

Koios Beverage Corp. (CSE: KBEV; OTC: KBEVF) has announced the distribution of its Fit Soda™ in over 1,100 Food Lion supermarkets across the Eastern U.S. as of May 10, 2021. This follows placements in other regional chains like HEB and Sprouts. The sugar-free beverage category is expanding, with Coca-Cola expecting significant growth in its Coke Zero Sugar line. Fit Soda™ sold approximately 700,000 units in its first year, and with this expansion, Koios aims for strong performance in 2021, leveraging its unique benefits such as zero calories and no sugar.

Positive

• Expansion of Fit Soda™ to over 1,100 Food Lion stores enhances market presence.
• Fit Soda™ sold approximately 700,000 units in its first full year, indicating strong initial demand.
• Growing consumer interest in sugar-free beverages aligns with Koios' market strategy.

Negative

• None.

After announcing placements of Fit Soda™ in well-known regional grocery chains such as HEB and Sprouts, Koios is pleased to announce that its Fit Soda™ functional beverage is now available in all Food Lion supermarkets, a chain which operates more than 1,100 grocery stores in the eastern United States. As the sugar-free beverage category continues to grow, Coca-Cola recently announced its prediction that its “Coke Zero Sugar” variety will be the firm’s biggest driver of growth in 2021 and beyond. Based on these industry trends, Koios’ objective is to strategically grow the market presence of Fit Soda™, which sold approximately 700,000 units in 2020, its first full calendar year on the market.

DENVER and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Koios Beverage Corp. (CSE: KBEV; OTC: KBEVF) (the "Company" or "Koios") is pleased to announce that as of Monday, May 10, 2021 all four flavours of Fit Soda™ are being carried in more than 1,100 supermarkets operated by Food Lion LLC (“Food Lion”), a multistate grocery chain based in Salisbury, North Carolina. Since November 2020, the Company has placed its Fit Soda™ functional beverage product with several other regional chains across the United States to include HEB (as announced in a November 4, 2020 press release), all three banners of Massachusetts-based Roche Bros. (as announced in a February 24, 2021 press release), and Sprouts Farmers Market (as announced in a March 4, 2021 press release). Approximately 700,000 units of Fit Soda™ were sold during the product’s first full calendar year of retail sales in 2020 between retail placements in grocery and foodservice outlets, as well as direct-to-consumer sales through the Koios online store. With the addition of Fit Soda™ to all 1,100 locations of Food Lion across ten U.S. states, the Company believes there is significant opportunity for Fit Soda™ to have its best year yet in 2021.

Food Lion was founded in 1957 as a single grocery store in North Carolina, later adding new locations across the state before being acquired by Delhaize Group of Belgium in 1974, whose successor Ahold Delhaize remains Food Lion’s parent. The chain’s 1,100 stores are located in ten states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, employing approximately 82,000 staff members. As a responsible corporate citizen, Food Lion boasts a recycling rate of nearly 80% and has donated more than 750 million meals since 2014 through its Food Lion Feeds program, which has pledged to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Uniquely, Food Lion has been granted the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Partner of the Year award more than any other U.S. company, having earned the recognition for 20 consecutive years since joining the program in 2001¹. In 2014, Food Lion launched a campaign in which it solicited name suggestions for its “house brand” soft drink offerings such as root beer, ginger ale, sodas, and fruit punch². The Company believes that this initiative could potentially have been an early indicator of an intent to increase the presence of beverage products in its stores besides those made by incumbent players in the beverage industry.

More information about Food Lion, including its supermarket locations in DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, PA, SC, TN, VA, and WV can be found on its website: http://foodlion.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0340e6b3-d52d-41a4-9bc4-04b8e09fb817.

Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR for a version of this press release containing all published media.

Earlier in 2021, the Chief Executive Officer of beverage giant Coca-Cola stated that he anticipates Coke Zero Sugar will be the firm’s biggest driver of growth in 2021 and beyond³. Coke Zero Sugar is part of Coca-Cola’s growing portfolio of nearly 250 reduced-sugar and no-sugar beverages offered in the United States⁴, as a revision to Coke Zero which has greater taste similarity to the flagship Coca-Cola beverage, while still containing no sugar or calories. As the interest in these attributes among consumers in the United States continues to grow, the Company intends to strategically position Fit Soda™ through its retail placements in chains such as Food Lion based on its selling points as a beverage product with unique benefits (e.g., BCAAs and electrolytes) in addition to all four of its flavours having zero calories and no sugar.

Koios Chief Executive Officer Chris Miller commented, “In just over six months, Fit Soda™ has been placed in regional grocery chains which cover many key areas of the United States that we believe could collectively contribute to building a national brand, as sugar-free and zero-calorie soft drinks continue to gain popularity at the macro level. In addition to their reach in the eastern United States, Food Lion is a source of inspiration for us in terms of their sustainable practices which are a high priority for us since we began to launch in-house production earlier this year. We look forward to working with Food Lion to see how Fit Soda™ performs in their supermarkets as we aim to make 2021 a prosperous year for our beverage products.”

Sources

1 - https://newsroom.foodlion.com/quick-facts

2 - https://www.wbtv.com/story/25282574/food-lion-wants-customers-to-try-and-name-soft-drinks-prizes-awarded/

3 - https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/19/coca-cola-zero-sugar-will-be-the-companys-biggest-source-of-growth-in-2021-ceo-says.html

4 - https://www.coca-colacompany.com/faqs/whats-the-dfference-between-coke-zero-and-coke-zero-sugar

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company,

KOIOS BEVERAGE CORP.

“Chris Miller”

Chris Miller, CEO, and Director

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

About Koios Beverage Corp.

The Company is an emerging functional beverage company which has an available distribution network of more than 4,400 retail locations across the United States in which to sell its products. Koios has relationships with some of the largest and most reputable distributors in the United States, including Europa Sports, Muscle Foods USA, KeHE, and Wishing-U-Well. Koios uses a proprietary blend of nootropics and natural organic compounds to enhance human productivity without using harmful chemicals or stimulants. Koios products have been shown to enhance focus, concentration, mental capacity, memory retention, cognitive function, alertness, brain capacity and create all day mental clarity. Its ingredients are specifically designed to target brain function by increasing blood flow, oxygen levels and neural connections in the brain.

Koios produces one of the only drinks in the world infused with MCT oil. MCT oil is derived from coconuts and has been shown to help the body burn fat more effectively, create lasting energy from a natural food source, produce ketones in the brain, allowing for greater brain function and clarity, support healthy hormone production and improve immunity. For more information, please visit our website: https://www.koiosbeveragecorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding: Potential sales performance of Fit Soda™ in Food Lion stores and sustained in-store presence in all 1,100+ locations. The forward-looking information reflects management's current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the functional beverage markets; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company’s management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Company’s products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Company’s products on an individual's health and well-being. The Company’s products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by Koios with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with Koios is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees.

FAQ

What recent achievement did Koios Beverage Corp. announce regarding Fit Soda™?

Koios announced that Fit Soda™ is now available in over 1,100 Food Lion supermarkets as of May 10, 2021.

How many units of Fit Soda™ were sold in 2020?

Fit Soda™ sold approximately 700,000 units in 2020, its first full calendar year on the market.

Which supermarket chains are selling Fit Soda™?

Fit Soda™ is available in Food Lion, HEB, Roche Bros., and Sprouts Farmers Market.

What is Koios Beverage Corp.'s stock symbol?

Koios Beverage Corp.'s stock symbol is KBEVF.

What growth potential is Koios targeting for Fit Soda™ in 2021?

Koios believes the addition to Food Lion supermarkets presents significant opportunities for Fit Soda™ to perform well in 2021.