Latte brand Blume capitalizes on growing interest in hydration with water elixirs line SuperBelly
Thanks to online trends like “Watertok” and an overall growing interest in wellness, more people are flocking to hydration products. There is also an increased awareness of the gut microbiome and digestion that’s fueling sales of probiotics supplements, which has led to more snacks and drinks using these ingredients. In 2023, for instance, refrigerated products containing probiotics, such as functional sodas, surpassed $6.4 billion in sales, according to Spins data.
Blume is known for its functional latte mixes, made with superfoods like turmeric and beetroot, which are geared at managing caffeine and sugar intake. Now, the company is leveraging a new water elixir line as a growth lever to cater to its customers’ hydration needs. The brand’s new line, SuperBelly, launched in February and features gut health-building probiotic water elixirs.
So far SuperBelly has generated $1.8 million in sales and launched in Sprouts’ stores earlier this month. The line has sold out twice since its launch in February 2024 and is set to account for 40% of Blume’s total revenue this year.
Blume credits the success of SuperBelly to people’s increased consumption of hydration mixes and gut health and now plans to build on its popularity by growing the line’s flavors and going into more retailers with it.
Tapping multiple beverage trends
Karen Danudjaja, co-founder and CEO of Blume, attributes the success of the new line to a culmination of factors. She cited the growing interest in water-flavoring hydration, a growing interest in gut health benefits, as well as this summer’s record temperatures. “But it’s showing to be a sticky behavior,” she said.
SuperBelly was conceived through Blume’s customer feedback program, the SuperUser Group. The survey showed that 81% of the brand’s customers reported having gut issues and were interested in learning more about gut health and using a product that would help in the long term.
“About 95% of the Blume customers are women over the age of 35,” Danudjaja said. “They’re just looking for something simple and delicious to incorporate into their routine.” Within the first six months of its debut, Danudjaja said, SuperBelly successfully tapped into a new customer cohort and brought existing Blume customers back to ordering again. The SuperBelly Strawberry Hibiscus is tracking to be Blume’s top best-selling product this year.
SuperBelly is also fueling Blume’s Amazon growth this year, where new customers are discovering the brand.
“We’ve landed at the top spot for bestselling hydration, recovery and sports beverages on Amazon multiple times,” Danudjaja said, above major brands like Gatorade and Prime Hydration. “We had a record July, which is typically our worst month for sales,” she said, with the spike largely fueled by Prime Day sales.
A holistic approach to beauty and wellness
Oleg Isakov, a principal in the consumer practice of Kearney, said more Americans have taken an interest in learning about the importance of hydration. This goes for drinking more electrolytes or keeping their skin’s microbiome moisturized.
“The water bottle has become the new status symbol,” Isakov said, citing the viral crazes for tumbler brands like Stanley and Bkr. “Education on hydration has also been heavily influenced by social media.” This has led indie brands to use heavily market hydration as a way to attract new customers, whether it be through functional beverages or serums.
“Consumers are shifting to the thought that beauty isn’t just what you put on your face, but it’s a holistic lifestyle,” Isakov said. “And hydration is a big part of that.”
While there are dozens of emerging brands in the category, Danudjaja said Blume is betting on hydration as a growth driver by offering a unique formulation.
“What we found within hydration is that there is a lot of sugar and a level of electrolytes that most people don’t need outside of super athletes,” she said. Instead, SuperBelly is going for “a more gentle approach” for the everyday user who’s more likely to attend a yoga class than hardcore training.
“It’s been a huge catalyst for the brand’s growth, and we’re hoping to expand on more flavors in the future,” Danudjaja said.