OJAI, Calif. — PureWild Co. has bottled the first-ever marine collagen infused wines. PureWild Co.’s Chardonnay wine and Rose wine were produced in California’s Sonoma Valley. The wines are lower in alcohol, at 6.9%, with just 60 calories and 0g sugar per glass. The wines are available in retail markets in California and soon to be available for shipping direct to consumer.
PureWild Co. Marine Collagen Drinks led 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 and expanded to all 50 states within two years.
And now PureWild Co. has a proprietary line of collagen supplements formulated specifically for women with breast cancer, autoimmune diseases and osteoporosis. PureWild Co. donates a supplement subscription to a women in need for every three subscriptions sold.
Founder Cindy Convery, a member of the Choctaw Tribe, 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. “And I wasn’t interested in making anything unless it was the absolute best quality. I made the collagen infused wines because I don’t like the idea of empty calories, but I do want to enjoy a nice glass of wine. Now I can have a wonderful tasting truly better-for-you wine.”
Cindy was looking for a high 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 products 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.
“For the non-alcoholic collagen drinks I started with the highest quality ingredients because that’s the secret to great flavor. 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. The wines were developed by a small winery in Sonoma. The winemaker did a fantastic job. My customers asked me to develop supplements with the high quality collagen that we use. I worked on the formula with an oncologist to create a product designed for women with breast cancer and autoimmune diseases. Collagan supports the side effects from the prescription medicines for these diseases, so it’s really meaningful to work on a product for this group.”
For PureWild Co. drinks, she used only certified organic ingredients 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.
Cindy has teamed with UNFI and KeHE Natural Foods for national distribution. She partnered with Gather Brands, a woman owned sales team that represents women owned brands, to expand throughout the country.
“Making PureWild drinks and wine and putting them in stores has been really fun. I’m meeting great people and I love my customers. The wines are fantastic. I never thought I would be wine maker!”
Getting a daily dose of clean marine collagen has never been easier.
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About
PureWild Co. Marine Collagen beverages was founded in Ojai, CA in 2019 and launched in Southern California at Erewhon Markets in May 2020. PureWild Co. is distributed by UNFI and KeHE Natural Foods, and repped by Gather Brands. PureWild Co. drinks are certified non-GMO, certified OU Kosher and are sustainably produced and packaged. PureWild Co. wines are the only marine collagen infused wines on the market. PureWild Co. is a member of the Specialty Foods Association and a member of Pledge 1%, supporting the Sierra Club. PureWild Co. is a certified Native American woman owned company founded by Cindy Convery, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
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