Interview-Discussion with Leilo on Kava & Market Headway

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Interview-Discussion with Leilo on Kava Market
Headway
Leilo is the leading kava brand in the United
States. Inspired by the South Pacifics kava
culture and seeking to help Americans relax
without the drawbacks of other substances. It
provides several all- natural, non-addictive
drinks, shots, and other functional product
lines. Sol Broady is the founder and CEO of
Leilo. During his time in school, Sol grew Leilo
from the prototype stage to a multimillion-dollar
brand carried in over 750 retailers across the
country. He has gained national media recognition
for pioneering the first mainstream kava company.
1. What motivated you to come up with this
product is Kava the next buzzword in the
industry? How is your product different from the
rest of your competitors? Leilo began when Sol,
Leilos founder, traveled to the south coast of
Fiji in 2018 and befriended a local named
Benji. Benji introduced Sol to his family and
village elders and gathered everyone for a
traditional kava ceremony. Mixing from a
centuries-old turtle-shell bowl and sipping from
coconut shells, they spent hours drinking kava
and sharing stories. Sol felt himself becoming
increasingly relaxed, sociable, and happy
shocked by how well kava
worked for him.
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• Upon arriving back in the states, Sol and Benji
  kept in close contact, often speaking of a dream
  to share kava beyond the South Pacific shores.
• We believe that kava is the future of the
  relaxation category. Whereas alcohol, marijuana,
  and other substances have significant drawbacks,
  kava has been used in the South Pacific for
  centuries safely and effectively. Kava provides
  relaxation without the sacrifice and is already
  FDA-compliant as an ingredient. Consequently, it
  can be distributed widely without the regulations
  of competitive ingredients. It is perfect for
  those seeking a relaxing buzz while living a
  healthy lifestyle, especially without alcohol.
• According to industry sources, there has been a
  substantial rise in the consumption of non-
  alcoholic drinks among individuals. What
  technologies are incorporated into the production
  lines to boost the output?
• Non-alcoholic drinks are becoming increasingly
  popular worldwide, and the market is already
  quite saturated. Leilo is differentiated from the
  competition because of its pioneering efforts
  regarding its core ingredient kava. Our brand
  has multiple domestic and international patents
  protecting the special production process we
  invented to create great-tasting, highly potent
  kava beverages. It is a combination of these
  patents and our litany of trade secrets,
  developed over three years alongside clinical
  research, which ensures Leilos products are
  best-in-class, a fact for which the market has
  rewarded us.
• Where is the main ingredient, Kava, sourced for
  your beverages? Demographically, which
  regions/states have been a success for the
  company so far? In foresight, which region/state
  would be a key investment pocket for the company?
• Our kava is sourced directly from Vanuatu, a
  small archipelago nation off the coast of Fiji in
  the South Pacific. Vanuatu is the worlds largest
  kava exporting nation and is well-known for
  producing some of the strongest and purest kava
  available. It is then lab-tested and refined in
  the US before being sent to our co-packing
  network for final production into the Leilo
  products available today.
• Leilos largest consumer bases are in Florida,
  where over 200 kava bars have emerged in the last
  several years, as well as New York, California,
  and Hawaii, where kava grows endemically. That
  being said, our products can be found in over 35
  states and are shipped nationally via Leilo.com
  and Amazon. Recently, we signed a distribution
  agreement in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the
  Dominican Republic, and Grenada. We are working
  on further international distribution and intent
  on seizing the first-to-market position amidst
  the kava industry.
• Companies are innovatively promoting their
  product offerings through various channels
  strategies and are mainly focusing on e-commerce
  platforms. What has been your marketing strategy
  so far?
• Beyond our retail presence, Leilo runs a
  significant e-commerce business and has been most
  successful marketing through organic
  user-generated campaigns. We have found that
  while Leilo may not be for everyone those who
  enjoy Leilo love what we represent. By
  collaborating with our

active consumers, we market our products through
the stories of those who benefit from and enjoy
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• our products. This strategy provides strong
  social proof to potential customers and allows
  them to learn more about how Leilo can benefit
  them.
• Are these non-alcoholic drinks consumed as
  Ready-to-drink (RTD)? With the rise in allergies
  and veganism globally, what food preferences are
  included in Leilos target audience?
• Leilo began as an RTD kava brand, the first of
  its kind in the world. As we have grown our
  audience and strengthened our supply chain, we
  will soon launch additional kava-based products,
  including powder and shot formats, among other
  innovations.
• We are proud to say that all Leilo products are
  vegan, kosher, halal, non-GMO, gluten-free, and
  all- natural. Consumer health is a paramount
  priority to us true relaxation is only
  attainable when you can trust every component of
  the product youre drinking.
• Currently, Leilo offers Kava drinks with 6
  different flavors. What factors inspired the idea
  behind these flavors? Do you plan to expand and
  diversify the product portfolio in the coming
  years? Where do you see yourself?
• As kava root is grown for years before harvest,
  it naturally has an earthy and bitter taste. This
  profile is strong and can be off-putting to those
  trying it for the first time. At Leilo, we have
  created proprietary technology to maintain the
  roots traditional calming effects while masking
  the taste.
• This led us to our current flavor portfolio,
  designed to provide the best-tasting kava while
  staying true to kavas island origins.
• Beyond introducing additional product modalities,
  we will continue to innovate as the leader in
  great-tasting kava, using our technology to bring
  consumers the options they are looking for.
• Specifically, we are focusing on expanding our
  lite sugar-free line, formulating products that
  uphold our current taste innovations in a
  presentation built for the modern
  health-conscious consumer.