Company Description
Plant-based, functional beverage retailing nationallyWahi Nutrition has leveraged one of the top trends in food and beverage (plant-based products) by becoming one of the first companies to infuse pharmaceutical-grade plant extracts into water, which we designed to deliver specific health functions based on the blend of infused extracts.Current offerings in the water category are only differentiated in a few primary marketing messages: pH, label design, charitable causes, and water source. Wahiwater innovates the product in the bottle by bringing pharmaceutical-grade plant extracts to water, for a refreshing way to hydrate before/after a workout or throughout the day. Wahiwater currently offers four beverages, each with distinct targeted health functions. Investment and M&A activity in the beverage space has grown in recent years and is expected to continue to increase. Wahi Nutrition aims to disrupt this space with our current offering, wahiwater, and continue to do so with the line extensions we foresee launching over the next 12 months.Wahi launched regionally in Minneapolis-St. Paul in 2020, and wahiwater achieved distribution to multiple grocery retailers including Kowalski’s, Lunds & Byerly’s, and HyVee. After enhancements to the product and the label based on customer feedback, we launched nationally with Life Time Fitness in an effort to get in front of and educate early adopters. In May of 2021, we launched nationally with CVS in their HealthHUB format of stores. These stores dedicate 20% of floor space to cutting-edge nutrition and wellness products.In April 2021, we hired a VP of sales with extensive experience taking food and beverage products national. It's our goal to bring the health benefits of plant extracts to the masses through innovative beverage, supplement, and food offerings. We believe wahiwater is a unique and innovative product launch in the beverage category.
Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
Geoff Murphy, Chief Executive Officer
Geoff has over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage space. Geoff has a degree in food science and spent 13 years with General Mills, with responsibilities in Quality Control, R&D, and contract operations. His experience included work throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.Geoff then spent 17 years as CEO of Old Home Foods, an iconic food and beverage company in the upper Midwest that started in 1925. In this role, he accumulated extensive experience developing and launching food and beverage products both regionally and nationally. Geoff has been an entrepreneur his whole life and has owned companies in spaces like restaurant, brewery, and commercial electrical contracting. Geoff lives in Minnesota with his wife and three children.
Peter Blankenship, President
Peter, with his brother, Sam, co-founded medical device company Streamline, Inc. in 2007. Streamline was later acquired by a public company in 2015, with an estimated 4 times return to investors. Peter is now the President of Wahi Nutrition and is responsible for ongoing product development, retail support and capital raises.
Sam Blankenship, Chief Product Officer
Sam, with his brother, Peter, co-founded medical device company Streamline, Inc. in 2007, which was later acquired by a public company in 2015. Sam’s vision of conveniently bringing the healthiest plant extracts to consumer diets led to the creation of Wahi Nutrition and wahiwater, and the development of future product extensions. Sam is responsible for the continued development and expansion of the current product line and future product line extensions.
