PUREWILD MARINE COLLAGEN DRINKS LEAD CLEAN LABEL COLLAGEN FOOD TREND
Emerging brand PureWild Marine Collagen Drinks is leading the collagen trend with the first certified non-GMO and certified OU Kosher clean marine collagen drinks on the market. PureWild’s three flavors launched at Erewhon Markets in the greater Los Angeles area in May, 2020.
Founder Cindy Convery created PureWild in her Ojai, California kitchen, a small town known for producing healthy brands.
“I’ve always been interested in health and wellness, but something has to taste good for anyone to really want it,” said Cindy.
Cindy was looking for a quality source of marine collagen to help with knee issues developed after strenuous spin and dance classes. She wanted an easier way to take collagen after trying powders and bars. The few collagen drinks on the market just didn't taste good and most of the collagen products on the market are created from bovine collagen.
“I knew that marine collagen is more easily absorbed and distributed throughout the body.
And I also knew that most marine collagen powders are made from warm water fish, like farmed tilapia from southeast Asia. And bovine collagen from cows is a contributor to greenhouse gases. Not sustainable.”
Cindy found a marine collagen source from a family owned company that harvests small, wild caught fish from deep cold North Atlantic waters. The next step was finding a way to make it taste good. Cindy attended the Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Paris, and while in college she worked as a waitress at Chez Panisse restaurant, known as one of the best restaurants in the country. She made Purewild collagen drinks in her kitchen in Ojai, California.
“I just got the best ingredients, because that’s the secret to great flavor, and made some drinks that I liked. I was growing herbs in my kitchen garden so I used some of those for the Blueberry Holy Basil. I used my neighbor’s raw honey for sweetener in the Mango Turmeric drink and put organic ginseng in the Lime Agave drink for a more rounded taste. “
She used only certified organic ingredients to make PureWild, and applied for an organic certification but collagen has not yet been approved by the National Organic Products board so instead, she applied for a non-GMO certification which is in some ways more comprehensive than certified organic. Next, she had PureWild certified by the Union Orthodox Kosher group.
As Cindy was ready to launch, COVID 19 hit.
“When the COVID quarantine started I took a week off, then I decided that maybe it was an opportunity for launching a healthy product. I was right.”
She tested sales locally in Ojai and then emailed Erewhon Markets through the website online portal. Within 4 hours Erewhon responsed asking for samples. By the end of that week, Erewhon had ordered PureWild for all of its Southern California markets. COVID 19 proved to be an opportunity with grocery retailers hunting for healthy new products, and for consumers focusing on healthy choices.
With no advertising budget Cindy wasn't sure customers would find PureWild on the shelf but sales are climbing. Now, Erewhon is including PureWild bottles in their influencer giftbags for the Silverlake store opening this fall, and Cindy is adding more retail outlets every week.
Cindy has teamed with UNFI for national distribution and with food broker YinYang Naturals to expand throughout California and Western states in 2021.
“Making PureWild and putting it in stores has been really fun. I’m meeting great people and I love my customers,” Cindy said, “and I keep thinking of new flavors I want to make.”
Getting a daily dose of clean marine collagen has never been easier.
About PureWild;
PureWild Co Marine Collagen beverages was founded in Ojai, CA in 2019 and launched in Southern California at Erewhon Markets in May 2020. PureWild is distributed by UNFI and repped by YinYang Naturals. PureWild drinks are certified non-GMO, certified OU Kosher and are sustainably produced and packaged. PureWild Co is a member of the Specialty Foods Association and a member of Pledge 1%, supporting the Sierra Club and the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. PureWild Co was founded by Cindy Convery, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. PureWild is the only Native American Woman wholly owned beverage company in the world.