RAPID GROWTH HYDRATION BRAND, WATERDROP®, DIVES INTO U.S. RETAIL MARKET WITH 3,000+ STORES IN ONE YEAR

The Microdrinks Pioneer Enters Key U.S. Retailers With 2,051 Walmart And 130 Target stores Across The Nation

MIAMI, March 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- waterdrop®, the fastest growing hydration brand in Europe, with a mission to encourage people to Drink More Water, will be growing its brick and mortar presence across the United States this Spring. With this expansion, the brand will provide U.S. consumers its core products, including its signature, pioneered product category of "Microdrinks", with a national footprint in key U.S. retail partners.

After raising $70M in its Series B last winter, waterdrop® will now be available on thousands of retail's biggest shelves. One year ago, the beloved European brand was primarily sold DTC in the U.S. market, with a retail presence in just a few exclusive stores locally. On April 3rd, with this expansion to Walmart, Target, and HEB, the popular hydration brand will be positioned on shelves in over 3,000 doors nationwide.

Walmart will be the first U.S. retailer to carry waterdrop®'s new 3-packs, both in stores and online, including Microdrink vitamin hydration cubes and Microenergy caffeine hydration cubes. In addition to its on-shelf presence, waterdrop® will also have its 3-packs on a 60 day feature display with Microdrink varieties and Microlyte electrolyte hydration cubes. To coincide with the Microdrinks, Walmart will be the first retailer to carry a variety of the brand's steel and glass bottles, made of premium, leak-proof materials for a sleek and durable design.

Committed to helping customers live a healthier, longer and more sustainable life, waterdrop® developed first-of-its-kind dissolvable, sugar-free cubes, Microdrinks. Packed with fruit and plant extracts that focus on different aspects of wellness, Microdrinks were created to transform water into teas, sports drinks, and caffeinated beverages. In addition to its drinkable products, the brand's reusable water bottles and innovative smart water filtration systems eliminate plastic bottle usage while increasing hydration. In fact, up to 200M million plastic bottles alone have been saved through waterdrop® products.

"Our overall retail strategy at waterdrop® is to partner and scale with the strongest retailers and distributors, both regionally and nationally, that share a common goal of providing customers with innovative products that promote wellness and sustainability." said Martin Murray, Founder  & CEO of waterdrop®. "With our upcoming launches at Walmart and Target, and our current placement at Vitamin Shoppe, we are grateful to be partnered with like-minded retailers that share a national platform to continue growing our brand here in the States."

"On the national level, we are taking the same approach by partnering with top distributors UNFI and KeHE, and regional grocery chains such as HEB, Hy-Vee, and Fresh Thyme to grow our brand in each key region." said Henry Murray, Co-Founder & MD of the waterdrop® US division. "We've been able to prove our U.S. wholesale market potential to retailers by showcasing our strength and capabilities as a brand globally, our strong U.S. online sales and marketing presence, ongoing high-level partnerships and a loyal community, and much more."

waterdrop® plans to continue its focus on retailer and distributor expansion throughout the rest of 2023. This will include expansion into channels that waterdrop® has yet to enter in the U.S. such as convenience, food service, grocery clubs, and others. The company is looking forward to continuing to grow its current partnerships while consistently adding others and taking hydration to the next level.

In addition, waterdrop® has engaged superstar pro tennis players Taylor Fritz, and Danielle Collins as ambassadors to further promote the brand's mission and storytelling within the sports and tennis sector. Together, Taylor and Danielle are actively making a real commitment towards well-being and sustainability, as a promise to shake up the beverage industry.

waterdrop® will be available in 2,051 Walmart locations starting April 3rd as well as selected Target and HEB locations launching on March 26th and March 20th, respectively. For more information and for details on where to find waterdrop® at a retailer near you, please visit the store locator at www.waterdrop.com.

About waterdrop®
waterdrop®, the fast-growing hydration brand based in Vienna, has been shaking up the beverage industry since 2016 with its innovative waterdrop® Microdrink and global hydration platform. The company's mission is to encourage people to drink more water in a more sustainable way. Its sugar-free, flavored cubes, which dissolve in water and enrich it with natural fruit & plant extracts and valuable vitamins, have been praised by consumers for supporting them to Drink More Water.

waterdrop® significantly reduces plastic use and CO2 emissions. The 98% saving in plastic compared to traditional bottled drinks is achieved through the individual recyclable packaging of each cube: the plastic contained in a single cap of a traditional bottle is equivalent to 10 Microdrinks.

In partnership with Plastic Bank, waterdrop® pledges to collect one plastic bottle for every 12-pack sold, meaning consumers can not only drink more sustainably, but they can also support waterdrop's cause for a better environmental future.

Now established for six years, the company has grown to having more than 2 million online customers and over 300 employees, as well as product listings in over 20,000 retail outlets and more than 40 waterdrop® stores in Europe, America and Singapore. More information on www.waterdrop.com.

SOURCE waterdrop