Partner Content: Glimpse
Securing national distribution with Whole Foods remains one of the most sought-after milestones for emerging beverage brands. For Leisure Hydration, that path unfolded over 18 months of careful groundwork, steady growth, and an unwavering commitment to execution.
Trevor Burns, VP of Sales, shared how the team built early traction, navigated timing challenges, and ultimately turned regional performance into a national opportunity.
Establishing Early Momentum
Leisure Hydration began with a focused market entry in Los Angeles, a city long considered a proving ground for beverage innovation. The team prioritized partnerships with natural grocers like Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres, and Mother’s Market—regional retailers where new products can earn real-world velocity data and gain early consumer feedback.
As Burns explained, launching in LA created a high-exposure environment to validate performance and refine the retail strategy. That foundation later became instrumental when pitching larger accounts.
Using Velocity to Make the Case
Buyers at national retailers consistently look to store-level performance when evaluating new products. For Leisure Hydration, that meant measuring and improving their units per SKU per store per week. Over time, they reached 7.7, a figure significantly above the natural channel average.
Performance during promotional windows surged even higher, with the team reporting 12.1 units in peak periods. These metrics became a central component of their pitch to Whole Foods and were used to demonstrate that the product was not only selling but exceeding expectations.
Navigating the Review Cycle
Whole Foods organizes category reviews once a year, with timelines varying by department. According to Burns, brands typically have a narrow window to make their case, and missing that window can delay national expansion by 12 to 18 months.
Leisure Hydration used that lead time to prepare a detailed pitch that aligned with key trends, including hydration, magnesium, and sustainability. Having performance data from a core regional market further strengthened their submission.
Partnering for Access
A vital move in the process was switching brokers. The team brought on Green Spoon Sales, a firm with experience in the natural channel and existing credibility with Whole Foods buyers.
That partnership enabled better access and positioned the brand to capitalize on moments of alignment, including meetings at BevNet and other industry events. While relationships mattered, the team emphasized that showing up with a clear narrative and strong data was equally essential.
Preparing for Scale
Securing the account introduced new operational demands. Whole Foods projected orders at a scale that required immediate adjustments to production and distribution. Burns cited examples such as 1,500 cases per week and multi-month forecasts that required detailed planning.
In addition to coordinating with distribution partners like UNFI, the team also had to adapt quickly to organizational changes within the distributor. Their inclusion in UNFI’s Up Next program helped secure internal advocacy and ensured smoother execution during rollout.
Lessons for Other Founders
Reflecting on the process, Burns offered several points of guidance for founders looking to grow from regional placement to national distribution:
- Define your channel strategy early, and ensure your operations reflect that choice.
- Use store-level data to support your pitch, especially in highly competitive categories.
- Choose your broker carefully. Relationships and experience can determine access.
- Invest in preparation. Retail timelines move slowly, and readiness is everything.
Throughout this process, Leisure Hydration partnered with Glimpse to help them better manage trade spend, streamline deductions, and prepare the documentation needed to support their pitch. From tracking promo calendars to aligning forecasts with Whole Foods projections, Glimpse served as an operational layer that enabled the team to focus on execution.
This kind of consistent behind-the-scenes support often becomes the difference between a promising brand and one that scales successfully.
