Talking Rain Ranks as Top Performer in New Study of U.S. CPG Manufacturers

NEW YORK, April 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TalkingRain®, a privately-held Pacific Northwest company with a passion for producing refreshing beverages, was recently identified as the top performer among small companies ($100 million to $1 billion in retail sales) in a new study of the U.S. consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) industry from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI).

The study, which analyzed 400 CPG manufacturers with annual revenues of at least $100 million, compared public and private CPG companies through dollar sales growth, volume sales growth and market share gains. It is the first study to compare both public and private CPG companies using a combination of three metrics—dollar sales growth, volume sales growth and market share gains—based on comprehensive retail and consumer-market tracking data. The analysis is the first result of a new collaboration between BCG and IRI to assess and report on ongoing trends shaping today's CPG industry.

TalkingRain ranked number one among 10 listed small companies, credited largely to the recent success of Sparkling ICE®, the brand's zero-calorie, sugar free, sparkling flavored water. After the company shifted its focus to Sparkling ICE in early 2010, the brand experienced tremendous growth which included a sales jump from $10 million to $200 million in less than two years.

TalkingRain led all small companies in 2012, with a 283.3% dollar sales increase and a 255.8% volume sales increase. The growth resulted in a +0.9 share point change and contributed to one of the most striking findings of the study: since 2009, approximately $10 billion in industry sales has shifted away from larger companies to smaller players like TalkingRain.

"From this joint research, we've uncovered that small and midsize manufacturers' growth at the expense of large manufacturers is significant," said Dr. Krishnakumar (KK) Davey, managing director at IRI Consulting. "Small and midsize manufacturers are in a unique position to strengthen relationships with their retail customers as they drive growth in many categories. They are expected to garner greater attention from retailers through increased shelf space and merchandising activity."

The rankings are based on analysis of over 400 CPG manufacturers with more than $100M in annual retail sales in the United States. The analysis included an in-depth decomposition of the companies' underlying performance based on data from IRI's database of multi-outlet and convenience retailers.

"This is a time of extreme growth for Sparkling ICE as well as TalkingRain as a whole. It is always surreal to see objective numbers showcasing what we've accomplished just in the past year," said Kevin Klock, CEO of Talking Rain. "BCG and IRI's study also reveals that the future is bright for small and midsize companies, and we look forward to many more successful years ahead."

About Sparkling ICE® Beverages

Sparkling ICE has made a great tasting, refreshing, zero calorie beverage Perfectly Possible™. Combining naturally flavored sparkling mountain spring water, vitamins and antioxidants and natural fruit juices, Sparkling ICE offers a bold, lightly-carbonated beverage that appeals to all age groups. Available in thirteen refreshing flavors: Coconut Pineapple, Lemon Lime, Kiwi Strawberry, Classic Lemonade, Lemonade with Tea, Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Orange Mango, Pomegranate Blueberry, Pink Grapefruit, Black Raspberry, Crisp Apple and Peach Nectarine, Sparkling ICE can be found in retailers nationwide.

Sparkling ICE is part of the TalkingRain® family of beverages, and retails for $1.19-$1.29. To locate Sparking ICE visit www.sparklingice.com.

About The Boston Consulting Group
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world's leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 78 offices in 43 countries. For more information, please visit bcg.com.

About IRI
IRI is a leader in delivering powerful market and shopper information, predictive analysis and the foresight that leads to action. We go beyond the data to ignite extraordinary growth for our clients in the CPG, retail and over-the-counter healthcare industries by pinpointing what matters and illuminating how it can impact their businesses across sales and marketing. Move your business forward at iriworldwide.com.

SOURCE Sparkling ICE