As the beverage category continues to shift toward wellness, functionality, and grab-and-go convenience, CPG companies have adapted their offerings accordingly to meet the needs of shoppers looking for healthy convenience.

SmartBrands USA is a great example of this. I first met Ahmad Rifaie on-screen a few years ago when we were doing virtual-only meetings, and back then he just had a line of aloe vera drinks. Last month at ECRM’s Beverage Session in Dallas I finally had the opportunity to meet with him in-person and see how he has expanded the brand’s offerings with some really innovative, healthy, fun – and delicious – offerings.

During our interview, he discussed why and how SmartBrands has evolved its offerings, his ECRM Session wins, which include BJ’s Wholesale and Aldi, and shared his cool – and until now, secret – follow up technique that I thought was brilliant, which you’ll read about below (sorry for letting the cat out of the bag, Ahmad!).

Reimagining a 15-Year Staple: Aloe Vera Water 2.0

For over a decade and a half, SmartBrands USA has been synonymous with aloe vera water. While the product has been a consistent staple for the company, Rifaie recognized a growing segment of the market was looking for the benefits of aloe without the high sugar content.

"The biggest thing we would hear all the time is, 'Well, we love aloe water, but it's 30 grams of sugar,'" Rifaie explains. "The whole market is shifting towards that more health-conscious, low-calorie functional side. So we decided, you know what? Let's come up with something for this crowd that doesn't want something with sugar."

The result is a new line of zero-sugar, zero-calorie aloe waters sweetened with monk fruit. According to Rifaie, the reception from retail buyers has been immediate and positive, with many appreciating the move toward less processed, healthier ingredients.

Bringing the Boba Shop to the Retail Shelf

Beyond its core aloe line, SmartBrands is diving into the fun side of beverages with a new popping boba drink. While traditional boba often relies on tapioca pearls, SmartBrands uses juice-filled popping pearls to create a multi-layered flavor experience.

"The idea was to get something on the grab-and-go side  because everybody has to go to a shop and wait in a line just to get some of these," said Rifaie. "For example, in our strawberry passion fruit, the liquid is strawberry and then the liquid inside the pearls are passion fruit. You drink, you get the first note of strawberry, and then when the pearls pop, you get that second note of passion fruit."

This is something I can definitely see as a big hit in my neighborhood of Astoria, N.Y. – I have three boba shops within a few blocks of my apartment alone!

The Rise of Ready-to-Drink Matcha

Continuing the wellness trend, SmartBrands USA has also launched a ready-to-drink matcha line. Recognizing that matcha is a natural, antioxidant-rich alternative to coffee, Rifaie focused on creating a RTD product using authentic matcha powder.

"Matcha tea has been just blowing up over the years," Rifaie says. "We decided to find a way to make it in a ready-to-drink format, something that you can find at a grocery store, a convenience store, wherever you may be on the go."

Winning at ECRM: The Power of In-Person Connection

SmartBrands has seen significant retail wins from ECRM Sessions – landing major partners like BJ’s Wholesale and Aldi through his buyer meetings, and while his virtual meetings years ago were successful, Rifaie says there is nothing like meeting with a buyer face-to-face and letting them look at, feel, and taste the product on the spot.

He shared a unique tip for fellow brands looking to make a lasting impression, what I refer to as, the Visual Follow-Up. Since many of the buyers at the Session are meeting with dozens of other beverage brands, Rifaie provides a visual reminder of what they experienced. 

"These buyers might not remember you in a week, and that's okay," Rifaie says. "What I like to do is take a picture of my booth with the product in it. I always wait a week after the show and I send them a picture and say, 'Hey, this was my booth. This was what you were interested in..' I typically find it pretty effective."

(I took the step of snapping a pic this time with him at the table too, this way they’ll remember his face as well as the products. That’s the photo you see above!)

The 'Priceless' Value of Networking at ECRM Sessions

Beyond the formal 10- or 20-minute buyer meetings, Rifaie emphasizes that the networking opportunities at ECRM are priceless. By participating in the Discovery Hub, which features tabletop setups in a wide-open ballroom, he is able to engage with both buyers and fellow brands in a way that is impossible in a virtual setting. Then there are the additional networking opportunities by having all of the meals together at the same location, as well as cocktails receptions, education and the serendipitous connections made in the hospitality area.

"It’s nice to just see who else is here," Rifaie says of the networking events and cocktail hours. "You can be sitting next to a billion-dollar company or an emerging brand. And there's always something you can gain from just asking your neighbor, 'Hey, do you have any penetration in this market?' or, 'Hey, I've just opened up this distributor. How do you recommend I grow this account?'"

For Rifaie, these informal chats are a goldmine for competitive intelligence and collaborative growth. Whether it's exchanging contacts or sharing insights on what specific buyers are looking for, the community aspect of the sessions often leads directly to new business opportunities, and for Rifaie, this makes all the difference. “I’ll be back again every time,” he says. 

Watch our full interview in the video below!