New Partnerships and Products Reflect Ongoing Interest in Superfoods

As the COVID-19 pandemic veers between coming under control through vaccination in the United States and surging in other regions of the world like India, consumer interest in superfoods as a way to improve health and wellness continues. Grandview Research projects the global functional food market to hit $275 billion by 2025 at an annual growth rate of 7.9% a year, fueled by concerns about protecting personal health from a variety of potential maladies.

Companies that offer products billed as superfoods are expanding their lines, distribution and awareness. Vancouver, British Columbia-based Rritual Superfoods just announced that it is launching its line of plant-based elixirs into the United States this quarter and teaming with sales and marketing agency Crossmark Inc. of Plano, Texas, to improve its distribution and sales momentum.

Jim Badalati, Crossmark's SVP of customer development west, used to work with Rritual CEO David Kerbel. "We are looking forward to partnering with David and the Rritual team. David and I started at Crossmark together over 20 years ago and are aligned with doing things right the first time."

Adds Kerbel: "At Rritual our objective is to have our brand within an arm's length of consumer desire.” 

Other new functional superfood products continue to arrive in stores. Earlier this spring, rising plant-based beverage company Califia Farms rolled out a new Mushroom Oat Barista Blend, offering 3,000 mg of whole Cordyceps and 2,400 mg of Lion’s Mane mushrooms.

Meanwhile, to link its superfoods with consumer perceptions of health, functional beverage company So Good So You created a national marketing campaign that kicked off this month, offering a free immune-boosting probiotic juice shot to consumers who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.