Following five years of research and development under the leadership of director of sales and marketing Jessica Gerth, jun maker Wild Tonic has unveiled a revamped visual identity designed to celebrate the brand’s uniqueness and clarify the difference between jun and kombucha for consumers.
Founded in 2015 by encaustic artist Holly Lyman, the Cottonwood, Arizona-based company currently markets a portfolio of traditional non-alcoholic jun and hard jun (ABV 5.6%). The traditional jun is currently offered in eight flavors – Blueberry Basil, Raspberry Goji Rose, Lavender Love, Blackberry Mint, Mango Ginger, Chai Pear, Rosemary Lemon, and Tropical Turmeric – at retailers such as Whole Foods and Roots.
Often dubbed the “cousin of kombucha,” jun is made by fermenting tea and honey (rather than cane sugar) with a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). The honey feeds the SCOBY, allowing probiotics, probiotics and amino acids to naturally develop.
“We spent a lot of time standing in the shadows of the giants in the industry, somewhat following suit in the way we showed up with our branding in the category,” said Gerth in an email to BevNET. “But when I moved into this new role I had the opportunity to move in a different direction and develop branding that honored who we actually are as a brand, which is such a departure from traditional kombucha.”
The brand’s refresh consists of a new honeybee constellation logo, revamped packaging and an improved website interface. Wild Tonic’s new 12 oz. glass bottles and slim cans, set to launch before the end of the year, will both feature the brand’s new logo positioned above an image of the sky over the Sedona red rocks, which ties into the brand’s Sedona, Arizona roots and is meant to “evoke feelings of wonder.”
To avoid consumer confusion, the brand has removed the word “kombucha” from its cans, instead opting for just “jun.” Additionally, the new cans will feature a callout about what is inside: “Arizona’s sparkling probiotic brew made with green tea and honey.”
“This brand design is an ode to who we truly are and has been a long time coming. We want buyers and consumers to know that we’re different. Very different,” said Gerth in a press release.
Wild Tonic’s refresh comes amid a time of heightened consumer demand for functional beverages. According to data published by the Business Research Company, the global functional beverages market grew from $117.04 billion in 2021 to $122.2 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 4.4%. The market is expected to reach $144.09 billion by 2026.
Other key players in the growing jun space include UK-based Loving Foods Fermented, Washington state-based Honey Jun and British Columbia-based Wild Mountain Jun.
Concurrent with the rebrand, Wild Tonic is introducing several new flavor profiles with its Wanderer Series. According to Gerth, Wanderer is a cocktail inspired non-alcoholic line of jun that is “almost identical to the flavors of their alcoholic [counterparts].” The brand is also slated to roll out a line extension of its existing portfolio with Orange Dream and Lavender Honey Lemonade varieties.
Looking forward, Wild Tonic will continue its rebranding efforts with the launch of its new website later this month, featuring new merch made from recycled blue glass from the brand’s facility that has been cut and transformed by local artists.
“Our branding will continue to be inspired by space, the stars, exploration, and nature with fun and quirky elements that embody our brand and our Sedona roots. I expect the marketing materials to create an immersive experience, like you’re traveling through another galaxy,” said Gerth.