Alkaline88® Partners with C.A. E-Comm to Capture E-Retailer Growth

Rhea-AI Summary

The Alkaline Water Company (NASDAQ: WTER) has appointed C.A. Fortune E-Comm to manage its non-CBD beverage line, Alkaline88®, on major e-commerce platforms starting January 21, 2021. This partnership aims to capitalize on the growing online grocery market, which has seen triple-digit growth during the pandemic. C.A. E-Comm will assist in marketing, performance analysis, and inventory management across retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Kroger. The company continues to expand its product offerings, focusing on meeting consumer demand for both alkaline and flavor-infused waters.

Positive

• Partnership with C.A. Fortune E-Comm to enhance online sales.
• Access to major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart.
• Potential to capture market share in the growing e-commerce segment.

Negative

• None.

The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ and CSE: WTER) (the “Company”) is a producer of premium bottled alkaline water, flavor-infused waters, and CBD infused products sold under the brand names Alkaline88®, A88 Infused™, and A88CBD™, respectively. Today, the Company announces that it has appointed C.A. Fortune E-Comm to represent its entire non-CBD beverage line of Alkaline88^® products across various e-commerce platforms of major retailers and wholesalers starting January 21, 2021.

“We are committed to growing our brands across all channels and excited to partner with C.A. E-Comm to capture the booming demand in online grocery sales,” stated Ricky Wright, President and CEO of The Alkaline Water Company. “Digital sales for consumer goods have surged during the pandemic, with channels reporting triple-digit growth for this segment. This partnership further strengthens our relationship with C.A. Fortune, who has been a vital partner in our journey to becoming a national lifestyle brand. Our entire A88 beverage line will be available for our customers on various e-commerce platforms of major retailers. This is an incredible opportunity with a team that has helped brands enhance their online sales since 2004. We believe this opportune partnership can help us capture new share in the growing e-commerce segment.”

The C.A. E-Comm team of account representatives, inventory specialists, content specialists, and data analysts will help grow the Alkaline88^® brand on various leading retailers’ online platforms. The entire C.A. E-Comm team will assist in day-to-day marketing and promotional planning, troubleshooting pricing issues, a deep-dive performance analysis, optimized content development, and invoice management.

The C.A. team services retailers, wholesalers, and distributors across the following retail channels:

• Amazon.com and its affiliated websites - The world’s largest rapidly growing online retailer.
• Walmart.com - Walmart’s online marketplace now consists of over 33,000 sellers that span 52 million product SKUs, self-service advertising capabilities, and more.
• Kroger.com - The nation’s largest grocery chain saw its e-commerce sales jump by 79% in 2020, according to eMarketer. Kroger made the top 10 U.S. retail e-commerce list for the first time, at No. 9, nudging out Costco Wholesale at No. 10 with $11.18 billion in digital sales.
• Freshdirect.com - Is one of the leading online grocery shopping services providing fast grocery delivery to homes and offices. In its state-of-the-art facility in the Bronx FreshDirect provides grocery delivery to the greater New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas, with seasonal service to eastern Long Island and the Jersey Shore.
• Gopuff.com - Is the go-to solution for immediate everyday needs, fulfilling customer orders of cleaning and home products, over-the-counter medications, baby and pet products, food, and drinks. With micro-fulfillment centers in every market it serves, they can quickly deliver thousands of products 24/7 to bring customers what they need and when they need them most.
• Zulily.com - Is an online retailer that creates an immersive and entertaining shopping experience featuring hundreds of sales and thousands of products at great prices. Zulily invites shoppers worldwide to discover a wide assortment of curated products for themselves, their families, and their homes.
• Boxed.com - Is an online and mobile membership-free wholesale retailer that offers direct delivery of bulk-sized packages via the Boxed app or the website.
• Thrive.com - Is an online, membership-based market delivering the highest quality, healthy and sustainable products to your door at member-only prices.
• Vitacost.com - A wholly-owned subsidiary of Kroger, is a leading online retailer of health and wellness products that strives to offer its customers the broadest selection of healthy living products while providing superior customer service and timely and accurate delivery.

About C.A. E-Comm

C.A. E-Comm was established in 2004 to service clients who needed help understanding the emerging e-commerce channels. They provide clients with a hands-on, in-depth, data-based approach to their consumer-packaged goods businesses based on their specific challenges and goals related to e-commerce channels. Through robust reporting and analytics and detailed forecasting techniques, C.A. E-Comm gives each client a customized e-commerce sales solution.

The Alkaline Water Company

Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company (NASDAQ and CSE: WTER) is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88®, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88® delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts our trademarked label ‘Clean Beverage.’ Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88® launched A88 Infused™ in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused™ flavored water is available in six unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the Company launched A88 Infused Beverage Division Inc., which includes the Company’s CBD water and flavor-infused water. For the Company’s topical and ingestible offerings, A88 Infused Products Inc. includes both the Company’s lab-tested full-spectrum hemp salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, and bath salts, along with broad-spectrum hemp, powder packs, oil tinctures, capsules, and gummies.

To purchase A88CBD™ products online, visit us at www.A88CBD.com. To learn more about The Alkaline Water Company, please visit www.thealkalinewaterco.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements.” Statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the following: that the Company is committed to growing its brands across all channels; the statement relating to the Company’s journey to becoming a national lifestyle brand; the Company’s belief that this opportune partnership can help the Company capture new share in the growing e-commerce segment; and that the C.A. E-Comm team of account representatives, inventory specialists, content specialists, and data analysts will help grow the Alkaline88^® brand on various leading retailers’ online platforms.

The material assumptions supporting these forward-looking statements include, among others, that the demand for the Company’s products will continue to significantly grow; that the past production capacity of the Company’s co-packing facilities can be maintained or increased; that there will be increased production capacity through implementation of new production facilities, new co-packers and new technology; that there will be an increase in number of products available for sale to retailers and consumers; that there will be an expansion in geographical areas by national retailers carrying the Company’s products; that there will be an expansion into new national and regional grocery retailers; that there will be an expansion into new e-commerce, home delivery, convenience, and healthy food channels; that there will not be interruptions on production of the Company’s products; that there will not be a recall of products due to unintended contamination or other adverse events relating to the Company’s products; and that the Company will be able to obtain additional capital to meet the Company’s growing demand and satisfy the capital expenditure requirements needed to increase production and support sales activity. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, governmental regulations being implemented regarding the production and sale of alkaline water or any other products, including products containing hemp/CBD; the fact that consumers may not embrace and purchase any of the Company’s CBD-infused products; the fact that the Company may not be permitted by the FDA or other regulatory authority to market or sell any of its CBD-infused products; additional competitors selling alkaline water and enhanced water products in bulk containers reducing the Company’s sales; the fact that the Company does not own or operate any of its production facilities and that co-packers may not renew current agreements and/or not satisfy increased production quotas; the fact that the Company has a limited number of suppliers of its unique bulk bottles; the potential for supply-chain interruption due to factors beyond the Company’s control; the fact that there may be a recall of products due to unintended contamination; the inherent uncertainties associated with operating as an early stage company; changes in customer demand and the fact that consumers may not embrace enhanced water products as expected or at all; the extent to which the Company is successful in gaining new long-term relationships with new retailers and retaining existing relationships with retailers; the Company’s ability to raise the additional funding that it will need to continue to pursue its business, planned capital expansion and sales activity; and competition in the industry in which the Company operates and market conditions. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and Canada. Although the Company believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Readers should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in the reports and other documents the Company files with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, and on the SEDAR, available at www.sedar.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210120005180/en/

FAQ

What is the significance of The Alkaline Water Company's partnership with C.A. E-Comm?

The partnership aims to boost online sales of the Alkaline88® product line on major e-commerce platforms.

When does the partnership with C.A. E-Comm start?

The partnership begins on January 21, 2021.

Which retailers will feature Alkaline88® products online?

Alkaline88® products will be available on platforms such as Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and Kroger.com.

How does the e-commerce market affect The Alkaline Water Company?

Growing demand for online grocery sales potentially increases market share for the company.

What products does The Alkaline Water Company offer?

The company produces alkaline water, flavor-infused waters, and CBD-infused products under various brand names.