How does someone with zero background in the beverage industry convince an international powerhouse to let him bring alkaline water from the hills of Turkey to Boston? According to Rajesh Advani, co-founder of Saka Water distributor Land of Water, one word: passion.
Advani, a Bentley alum, and his team had no experience and no contacts in the beverage distribution business. And yet, years after they approached Yildiz Holding - a global food and beverage company that owns brands like Godiva - they’re immersed in it on an international scale.
“We three founders have always been active, we go to the gym and play sports,” Advani explained. "We heard about this naturally alkaline water and all of the health benefits it brings, so we went to the parent company in Turkey and presented a case. We had so much passion, and they gave us a chance.”
Why is this water so special?
Alkaline water is supposedly better for you because it neutralizes your body’s pH. Some of the alleged health benefits include a higher metabolism, more energy, slow bone density loss and increased nutrient absorption.
“Boston itself is a strong city. People are so focused on health, so it was a perfect fit for where we wanted to bring Saka Water.”
Unlike other alkaline water brands, which artificially alter the pH, Saka is acidic straight from the spring. With the potential health benefits plus its all-natural appeal, Advani and the rest of the team knew Boston would drink it up.
“Boston itself is a strong city,” he told me. "People are so focused on health, so it was a perfect fit for where we wanted to bring Saka Water.”
Not surprisingly, our health-conscious city has taken to Saka Water quickly, and the startup is expanding. Most recently, they secured a spot on Stop & Shop shelves. It’s their biggest account yet and took a full year to see materialize.
Land of Water is appreciative of how the Boston community has been embracing their water, which has been entirely self-funded and self-run by the co-founders. Making sure to give back, Advani makes sure to partner up with his alma mater.
Back to Bentley
Advani has worked with marketing classes at Bentley the past several years. He presents students with his water, asks them to design and run a marketing campaign to see how far they can go with sales. The students have always done a decent job at driving water sales, but this past year’s crop raised a remarkable $10,000 over a month and a half.
“When you sit in front of students and say, 'Here’s a product. Take this real-life situation and do something,’ it empowers them,” he said. “I’m there to guide them, but it’s more about their excitement and their ideas.”
Most marketing efforts were straightforward. Students targeted yoga studios and wellness centers. They advertised the health benefits of drinking alkaline water and had the product placed in these venues. And some people went old school by coming up with bulk-priced discounts, pushing high-count orders to up their sales.
Other students, though, have been a bit more creative with their campaigns.
“They’d market the water on weekends and explain to students that it’s the best thing to cure a hangover, that everyone needs water after partying,” Advani told me. "I wouldn’t say that’s something we normally advocate, but it worked. But, great, at least they were getting students around campus to hydrate." I can see the new Land of Water slogan now: Hydrate the hungover.
The company's struck it big with an account like Stop & Shop, but they're not stopping there. As the team continues to expand and hopefully create an alkaline water empire, they may have to take note of more marketing suggestions from students.
Image provided.
