Hall & Woodhouse and Boost Drinks have today announced a new sales, marketing and distribution agreement for the Rio soft drinks brand. With effect from 1st February 2021, Boost Drinks will take on full responsibility for sales, marketing and distribution of the Rio brand. The partnership will achieve synergies for both parties combining Boost Drinks marketing and sales expertise in the Independent Convenience and Wholesale market with the Rio brand’s established equity and popularity.
Rio, owned by 243-year old Dorset based regional brewers, was launched in the 1990s and has grown to become a top 10 fruit carbonates soft drink brand in the UK, supplying over 1m hectolitres. Despite the challenging market conditions over the last 12 months, the brand is growing and performing well, seeing a 14% sales increase in the month of December vs previous year’s figures.
Boost Drinks was established in 2001 and has grown to become a significant player within the UK sports and energy drink market. The brand is now the 3rd biggest in Energy Stimulation, 2nd biggest brand in sport and is already the 3rd fastest selling iced coffee drink since its 2020 launch. Boost’s growth is driven by its strategy to focus on the independent convenience channel. It is recognised throughout the industry for its knowledge of the channel and its track record for delivering a portfolio that is tailored to the needs of retailers and consumers.
Matt Kearsey, Managing Director, Hall & Woodhouse commented “We are extremely proud of the successful footprint Rio has established. Rio is a brand that consumers love and as the soft drinks market develops, we believe there are significant opportunities for it to grow and evolve. There has been a meeting of minds between Boost Drinks and Hall & Woodhouse from day one and we’re delighted to have found a partner which not only holds the same values as we do, but also sees a bright future for the Rio brand. We look forward to a long and successful partnership”.
Simon Gray, Founder and CEO, Boost Drinks continued, “Working with Hall & Woodhouse, Rio has been on our agenda for some time, not only as a brand with a strong consumer and trade proposition but as a brand with fantastic synergies with Boost. Manufacturing strategy, customer base and a passion for the independent convenience channel make for a natural fit. In a changing world, we believe this progressive partnership will enable us to thrive as we work in close collaboration. Rio is both a well-established and well-respected brand and we are all very excited about being part of its future success.”
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