Just when it seemed like there was simply no room left for another seltzer brand in the market, Jelly Belly has changed our minds.
The more than 150-year-old, family-owned, candy company launched Jelly Belly Sparkling Water in January through its recently launched spinoff venture: the Joffer Beverage Company.
The inspiration for the new seltzer came from a recent family gathering, during which discussion arose over a need for more vibrant seltzer flavors. In turn, Joffer Beverage Company — and subsequently Jelly Belly Sparking Water — was born.
The sparkling water is available in eight flavors, including lemon lime, orange sherbet, and piña colada. At launch, the beverage was made available at Hy-Vee stores, a chain of more than 265 retail locations across eight Midwestern states.
While jelly beans and seltzer might not seem like an obvious pairing, the idea isn't that bizzare — given the explosion in popularity of sparking water in recent years. While hard-seltzer notably dominated the market last summer, non-alcoholic versions are seeing steady growth.
Caleb Bryant, associate director of food and drink at Mintel, told Beverage Industry that sparkling water is "one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic beverage categories," noting the segment saw a 118% increase in sales from 2013 to 2018. The market research company also found that much of this growth is equally split between leading brands like LaCroix and Perrier as well as emerging companies in the "prviate label" category.
In pre-pandemic times, the Business Insider retail team loved nothing more than to take a break for a taste test, so when the opportunity arose to get my hands on Jelly Belly Sparkling Water, I convened three of my fellow New York-based colleagues for a socially distant sampling in Fort Greene Park. Here's a closer look at what we thought.