Chris Reed Essay

Reeds was founded in 1989 by Chris Reed who had a passion for authentic brewed sodas. His research into the history of sodas found soft drink recipes from before the beginning of the modern soft drinks industry (Reeds, C. 2015). They develop, manufacture, market and sell natural non-alcoholic carbonated soft drinks, Kombucha, candies and ice creams. They currently manufacture, market and sell seven unique product lines: Reed’s Ginger Brew, Virgil’s Root Beer, Culture Club Kombucha, China Colas, Reed’s Ginger Chews, Reed’s Ginger Ice Creams, and Sonoma Sparkling Juices. Reed’s started in specialty gourmet and natural food stores and have moved more into mainstream over time. They produce and co-pack their beverage products in part at their facility in Los Angeles,

They have their Kombucha fermented for up to 40 days compared to most commercialized Kombuchas at 15-20 days (Reeds, C.2015). They only use creative Kombucha blends and ingredients that set them apart from there competition. Reed’s, Inc. makes the top-selling natural sodas in the natural foods industry sold in over 13,000 natural food markets and supermarkets nationwide. Their mission for Kombucha is to create a delicious beverage with proprietary culture, healthful beneficial enzymes, probiotics, and organic acids that detoxify and energize what the body craves (Reeds, C.2015). Reed’s products are sold through specialty gourmet and natural food stores, mainstream supermarket chains, retail stores and restaurants nationwide, and in Canada, as well as through private label relationships with major supermarket chains. Reed’s and Virgil’s brand names are well known in natural food stores where they face little competition and are awarded several rows of prime shelf space (Reeds Inc., 2014). Kombucha is growing by 30.0% a year and is expected to be a $500.0 million industry in