avitae Hype » avitae

ávitāe Leaves it’s Prints at Pup-a-Palooza

Beth — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:51:45 +0000

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of it’s construction, the Alum Creek Dog Park recently hosted Pup-a-Palooza.

Run entirely by volunteers, the Alum Creek Dog Park was built to serve as a fun, safe, and friendly environment for pets and their families.

With silent auctions, live music, mouth-watering food, and plenty of avitae, the event had something for everyone.

Rescue groups were also present, eager to find new families for rescued pets.

Visitors of the avitae booth were treated to prizes, a game of Spin-the-Bottle (winners received treats instead of kisses), and of course, lots of refreshing avitae.

Proceeds from the event benefited the Alum Creek Dog Park.

Dawn Minturn and Red Dawn Racing Partner with ávitāe

Beth — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:16:22 +0000

ávitāe is partnering with NHRA driver and Columbus-area native Dawn Minturn to sponsor her and Red Dawn Racing. Fast and fresh, Red Dawn Racing reaches a diverse group of consumers who will be eager to get the boost that ávitāe offers.

Read more about Red Dawn Racing at Columbus Local News: http://www.snponline.com/articles/2010/07/29/multiple_papers/sports/allreddawn_20100723_0549pm_1.txt

Or visit http://www.reddawnracing.com/

Mikamy Meadows Uses avitae to Make Caffeinated Soap

Beth — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:09:47 +0000

When Amy Mattingly of Mikamy Meadows decided she wanted to offer caffeinated soap to her customers, she turned to avitae as a key ingredient. Mikamy Meadows is a small farm and business that provides natural bath and body products and farm fresh produce. It was important for Amy to use a healthy, natural product.

“Natural caffeine is absorbed via your skin in the same way it is via your stomach. While you might not feel the same jolt of caffeine, you can be sure that it is helping to stimulate your skin and increase circulation,” Amy says, “Paired with stimulating peppermint and refreshing orange essential oils, the soap will definitely rejuvenate your skin and stimulate your senses.”

Amy says she decided to use avitae in her soap for several reasons.

“Because only natural, plant-based caffeine is used and it is a purified water, it was a natural choice. With soap making, it is important to have exact measurements and extreme quality standards. I felt that avitae had the science, consistency and standards behind it to pair with the Mikamy Meadows formula to create a naturally caffeinated soap.”

In addition to the latest offering, Peppermint Splash soap with avitae, Mikamy Meadows is also working on a new line of products for infants that will include all-natural soaps, lotions, and diaper ointments.

For more information on Mikamy Meadows and to purchase Peppermint Splash caffeinated soap, visit www.mikamymeadows.com.

Energizing Beverage Sales

Beth — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:19:44 +0000

Erin Rigik at Convenience Store Decisions wrote an excellent article about energy drinks and caffeinated products. Check it out:

http://www.csdecisions.com/news/10097/energizing-beverage-sales.html

ávitāe Reaches Agreements to Sell Product at All Whole Foods Market Locations

Beth — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:18:40 +0000

New avitae caffeinated water continues to make waves as it enters an agreement distribute product to the country’s premier natural and organic food grocer.

June 25, 2010, Dublin, OH – Vitality Distributing, the maker of ávitāe caffeinated water, has entered into an agreement to sell ávitāe into Whole Foods Market locations across the country.

avitāe will initially provide its caffeinated water through most Mid Atlantic and Midwest region stores with the plan of expanding into the remainder of the chain’s stores soon after. Whole Foods Market, is widely regarded as the country’s largest and most highly regarded natural and organic grocery store chain in the country. Whole Foods Market operates over 295 stores across 38 states. Because ávitāe is solely focused on growth across the Midwestern portion of the country for the remainder of 2010, Whole Foods Market will provide customers ávitāe through Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Consumers can expect to see ávitāe on Whole Foods Market shelves starting in July.

“Whole Foods Market is widely recognized as the premier retailer of organic and natural foods throughout the country. They are constantly recognized for their innovation and strength in their respective markets. For them to embrace ávitāe means so much to us and the brand. Their shopper is smart, sophisticated, and healthy…the very elements that ávitāe stands for” says Brian Pitzer, Vitality Distributing CEO. “I honestly believe the United States is in the midst of a food revolution. Americans are becoming more aware of what they’re putting in their bodies and the correlation between what they’re consuming and their health is as evident as ever. I don’t think this will slow anytime soon and in fact, believe awareness will increase exponentially in the coming years…Whole Foods Market and ávitāe are in prime position to benefit from that awareness.” Whole Foods Market joins Kroger and Speedway SuperAmerica as the company’s most highly respected and flagship retailers.

Regarding why Pitzer believes ávitāe has been embraced so quickly, he says “I just think everyone is tired of putting wild ingredients in our bodies that we really have no idea what they are. Who cares if there are no calories, carbs, fats, whatever…if there’s 20 ingredients and you can’t pronounce any of them…that doesn’t sit well with me. ávitāe allows us to get the healthy hydration we want but with the caffeine lift we need.”

ávitāe To Be Featured In Dugouts and Clubhouses For Triple-A Baseball All-Star Game

Beth — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:16:35 +0000

avitae caffeinated water will be located in both home and away dugout and clubhouse locations.

July 9, 2010, Dublin, OH – ávitāe caffeinated water has partnered with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs – the Triple-A affiliate to the Philadelphia Phillies – to provide avitae to all players and coaches during the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game .

In an effort to have athletes find a healthier alternative to sugary beverages, professional teams are turning to ávitāe to provide the hydration they want and the lift they need to perform better. The announcement falls on the heels of several major releases citing caffeine as a healthy substance which can increase athletes’ performance considerably. The findings are great news for athletes, but a cause of concern for coaches, trainers, and managers as most vehicles for caffeine are riddled with other substances which could be detrimental to a player’s health, especially in extremely hot conditions – such as during a baseball game.

The belief for ávitāe is that this will open up the floodgates for other professional sports teams who are also facing the same problem. The All-Star Home Run Derby will be held Monday, July 12^th at 7:05pm EST, and the Triple-A All-Star Game will be held on Wednesday, July 14^th at 7:05pm. Details on the events can be found at www.ironpigsbaseball.com/tickets/2010tripa/. The game will feature the best up and coming players from across the country and will be held at the new Coca-Cola Park, 2008’s Ballpark of the Year as presented by Ballpark Digest. Tickets to the game are sold out, but the game can be viewed on the MLB Network through your cable or satellite provider.

Downplay joins This Condition and B.Yonest as Part of avitae’s Emerging Artists

Beth — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:01:21 +0000

The intoxicating lyrics and catchy melodies that make Downplay one of rock’s quickest risers are joining forces with avitae caffeinated water

ávitāe has partnered with hard rock group, Downplay, to promote ávitāe during concerts, on tour, and through the band’s social media network. Downplay is quickly gaining national notoriety coming off their recent tour with Top 40 group Puddle of Mudd.

“Downplay takes rock to a new level. Their sound is amazingly enticing and their lyrics are 100% relatable,” says Brian Pitzer, Vitality Distributing CEO. “To add such a great group to an already strong stable of up and coming groups is a major coup for ávitāe. We couldn’t be more pleased….” Pitzer also adds “I think ‘Sleep’ plays at least 5 times a day on my iPod!”

To learn more about Downplay, visit the ávitāe emerging artist’s page: http://avitae45.com/artist_music.php

‘Addicted 2 Energy’ loves avitae!

Beth — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:47:29 +0000

We love our beverage blogger friends and were especially excited to see this review! Check it out, and check out the Addicted 2 Energy blog!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

REVIEW OF AVITAE

CAFFEINE CONTENT: 45 MILLIGRAMS PER 16.9 OUNCE BOTTLE.

RATING: 5.8 OUT OF 10.

It has been nearly 12 days since my last review and thankfully I got samples of Avitae in the mail today. First of all, what is Avitae? Well, Avitae (ah-vee-tay) is made by a company called Vitality and their goal was to create an energy water. There are only 2 ingredients throughout the entire bottle: water and natural caffeine. That’s it. Before I indulged myself in the beverage I took the time to notice the incredible packaging design. Whoever came up with the idea of a cone shaped bottle is a genius. Not to mention the design on the bottle is top-notch.

So, I cracked open the bottle and got a whiff of nothing, just like regular water. When my palette first came in contact with the liquid I noticed a clear, refreshing, and flavorless taste. Again, just like normal water. But after drinking some more sips, I happened to notice an overwhelmingly minute bitter taste. Other than that, it’s basically water. So, the only energy enhancing ingredient this drink has is 45 milligrams of natural caffeine straight from the coffee bean. To be honest, 45 milligrams of caffeine is about as much as a Diet Coca-Cola so it isn’t that much. I drank this before I visited with my psychologist and the kick I got was similar to a diet soft drink. It was ok, but it wasn’t really amazing. This beverage would be great for a workout and I may try that sometime

Overall, Avitae has an awesome taste, great packaging (even though I don’t grade packaging), sub-par energy enhancing ingredients, and a sub-par kick. I think I will give this a 5.8 out of 10. But don’t think for a minute that you shouldn’t buy this drink. The only reason I gave this a bad rating is because I rate drink based on a combination of taste, energy enhancing ingredients, and kick. Avitae failed in two categories so I had to give it a bad rating. But by all means, go out and buy some right now. It’s energy! It’s water! It’s awesome! It’s…..It’s……It’s AVITAE!!!!!!!

The Lantern: Former Buckeye brands caffeinated water

Beth — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:29:21 +0000

We’re big Buckeye fans here at ávitāe so when we had the chance to talk with Ohio State’s campus newspaper, The Lantern, we were thrilled. Check out the article that appeared in today’s paper below. Ohio State students, be sure to check out ávitāe at the following campus-area locations:

BARNES & NOBLE- THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE

COLLEGE TOWN AT OSU

SEVEN ELEVEN

Former Buckeye brands caffeinated water

By Mike McQueary

Three years ago Ohio State alumnus Brian Pitzer began working on a secret business plan to create a marketable brand of caffeinated water.

He hoped to appeal to a unique crowd: classy, smart, trend-setting people that are worried about their health.

In addition, he had “people who need to be hydrated and are also aware caffeine will help their performance” in mind when creating the product, he said.

The product, called Avitae, will soon be released in the southern retail market later this year. By 2010, Pitzer hopes it will be sold across the nation.

“I refer to [Avitae] as female,” he said. “It’s my job to be her parent. It’s my job to help her grow into this beautiful, wonderful product.”

The process began while Pitzer was working as vice president of sales and marketing for a Cincinnati-based firm and one day he reflected on his career as a student athlete at OSU.

Pitzer was a walk-on quarterback on the football team with an active social life, who regularly attended his classes and had four years of internships. He would often break open caffeine pills and mix them with Gatorade to buffer drowsiness.

After his graduation, he experienced a drastic change in his amount of exercise and chose a diet that included less sugar. He found it hard to choose a caffeinated beverage to meet those needs.

“I began breaking open caffeine pills and mixing them with a bottle of water to get my afternoon energy,” he said. “But it was gross.”

He began researching and “working under the radar,” to create the initial product.

Pitzer said he’s the type of guy who prefers to do things quietly, until his work is ready to speak for itself. Except for his research, he mentioned his aspirations to no one until he was confident that the idea was going to become reality.

“At the end of the day, it’s you against the world,” Pitzer said. “I always felt like I had a destiny, but I didn’t know what it was.”

The official launch for Avitae was April 29 at the Lifestyles Community Pavilion at a concert by the band All American Rejects, and the product has been in stores since June 13.

Pitzer said that Avitae is targeted at four main groups of consumers: those he calls “enthusiastic nurturers,” meaning health-conscious females who are constantly on the run; “social butterflies,” or females aged 16-30 who set trends; “executives,” professionals who drink coffee in the morning, but something else in the afternoon; and “educated athletes,” who seek physical and mental challenges and believe caffeine can boost their performance.

“We’re really not trying to compete with coffee one bit,” Pitzer said.

Avitae is targeting the consumers who are currently drinking diet sodas and he believes Avitae will grab the interest of healthy beverage drinkers, he said.

“More of my patients drink caffeine than don’t,” Cynthia Wu, staff dietician at the OSU Medical Center said.

There are benefits linked with caffeine consumption and improved performance during physical activity, she said.

However, she said that water with the appropriate amount of caffeine would be better than other caffeinated products.

“If people are drinking a reasonable amount [of caffeine], it’s considered not to be harmful,” Wu said. “If people are looking strictly for the benefit of caffeine, I would recommend it.”

Avitae is available in various location. Their Web site, avitae45.com, has more information on the product and distribution. Pitzer said that people have already bought it as far west as New Mexico.

http://www.thelantern.com/campus/former-buckeye-brands-caffeinated-water-1.935910

Springfield News Sun: Area man pours brainpower, money into product

Beth — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:08:02 +0000

Want to know more about us? Check out this awesome Springfield News Sun article about us, particularly our creator Brian Pitzer, that ran over the weekend!

Area man pours brainpower, money into product

Caffeinated bottled water is sold locally at Kroger, Speedway and Walgreen’s.

By Elaine Morris Roberts, Staff Writer

10:15 PM Saturday, November 7, 2009 Caffeinated bottled water seems like a rather simple idea, but when Brian Pitzer wanted it, he found he had to make his own.

Now he’s CEO of Vitality Distributing, which produces Avitae, a bottled caffeinated water that recently found its way onto store shelves.

Company headquarters are located at 7003 Post Road in Dublin.

The 1997 graduate of Greenon High School started the research and development process 21/2 years ago, after trying to modify his college habit of tossing caffeine pills into Gatorade.

“I needed an energy boost and the caffeine in the Gatorade worked. When I graduated, though, I went from 225 pounds of muscle to 250 pounds of nonmuscle and it was in large part from the sugar in the Gatorade,” said the former Ohio State University football player.

He tried putting the caffeine pills into bottled water, but said it was “gross, like tossing an aspirin which turned the water cloudy.”

A marketer and advertiser by profession, Pitzer started working to figure out how to solve his problem and create a product he could market, all while working a full-time job to support his family.

“I found out the U.S. soft drink industry makes $75 billion in sales, so I figured there’s got to be one in 1,000 people who would want to drink water with caffeine in it,” he said.

Avitae was released in June. The product is being sold regionally at Kroger, Speedway and Walgreen’s. “We targeted those three retailers because each is the biggest and baddest in its segment of the market,” he said.

Expansion plans will take Avitae into most of Florida and Texas by the end of the year; by the end of 2010, it will be in much of the rest of country.

“There’s no other product out there like it. It has 45 milligrams of caffeine, about the same as a diet soda, and the body has no problem metabolizing it because it’s such a clean product,” Pitzer said.

Figuring things out

To get started, Pitzer created an 800-page business plan.

“I’m not going to be the guy who gets out-thought,” he said, “I didn’t want to be the guy who says ‘I wish I would have.’ Succeed or fail, I was giving it my best shot — I wanted to do something revolutionary.”

Then, he researched everything — water quality, amounts of caffeine, bottle shapes, label design, packaging and demographics.

He came up with four distinct groups he believed would be interested in Avitae:

Enthusiastic nurturers: Health-conscious females, with children or not, who run in 1,000 directions at 1,000 miles an hour.

Social butterflies: Females from ages 16-30 who have few cares in the world, are health conscious and set trends.

Executives: Professionals who drink coffee in the morning, but drink water or diet soda in the afternoon.

Educated athletes: Professionals who test themselves and seek out physical and mental challenges such as triathlons or hitting the gym hard. They understand that caffeine can boost their performance by 15 percent.

He also realized that his product can be sold right next to coffee, since many morning coffee drinkers resort to other caffeinated beverages throughout the day.

“We’re not trying to compete with coffee at all. We can create partnerships with coffee sales outlets because you’ve got a group of people who are drinking caffeine and you’re not going to cannibalize your coffee sales,” he said. “When people stop to buy a latte, they might grab a four-pack of Avitae on the way out for the afternoon.”

Conversations with family friend and mentor Richard Kuss, retired president of The Bonded Oil Co., which became Speedway SuperAmerica, focused on creating a strong business plan, finding a good staff, creating an all-around quality product and test marketing.

Pitzer knew Kuss through a family relationship that started with his grandparents, Elwood and Betty Pitzer. One day he decided to pick up the phone, which started a relationship that has taught him a great deal about business.

“Brian did his homework and teamed up with knowledgeable people,” Kuss said. “This is a unique product so he needed to pinpoint his audience and do some marketing analysis.”

Kuss, whose company was one of the first in its niche to merchandise soft drinks, talked at length with Pitzer about the importance of packaging and store placement, especially with a new product.

Pitzer listened.

Throughout the development process, he and his designers have worked through 14 label revisions, with a few minor tweaks still to come. The four-pack carton also has evolved.

“It was important for us to have a bottle that looked good and stood out on the shelves because we’re entering very competitive landscape. We knew we had one shot, so we didn’t want to launch prematurely,” Pitzer said.

To be sure Avitae has every chance, Pitzer has poured about $350,000 of personal money into the project. “It’s everything I have — I’m broke, but hopefully it will come back full-circle. At the end of the day, I’m really proud of this product,” he said.

Investors are now on board — some on Avitae’s Board of Directors — and employees are receiving paychecks, something Pitzer sees as a success and a promise fulfilled.

“I made a promise to the board that we wouldn’t start paying ourselves until we started selling product,” he said. “We wouldn’t use investors’ money to pay salaries.”

Support system

Pitzer is quick to credit everyone around him for making what he deems his “simple idea” a success.

“It’s about the people who have helped me along the way,” he said. “I came up with the idea, but it’s the Dick Kusses, the Speedways, the people who started the company with me and have been there through thick and thin who need to take the bow. Without their support, I’d be just another guy with an idea.”

He’s depended on his wife, Melissa, for moral support and her own professional expertise in human resources.

“Without her, I don’t know whether I’d have been able to do it. She’s been the greatest thing on earth. No matter what comes from this, we both see it as a learning experience and we’re going to be better off for having tried,” he said.

He credits the “tenacity and gumption” to keep going despite many nay-sayers to his parents, Dick and Amy Pitzer, and his grandparents, all of Springfield.

“Growing up around my grandparents and seeing the success they had, I learned you can do whatever you want in the world — it’s all about seizing the day. I saw no reason to give up. Why stop? Why quit?,” he said.

And he has no plans on slowing down anytime soon.

Right now, Pitzer uses co-packers in Dallas and Florida, with one in Chicago that can be turned on quickly if necessary.

He’s got two others that can be utilized as distribution grows, so total capacity could be around 300 to 400 million bottles per year.

“We’ve got some of the biggest retailers and distributors in the country asking for our product,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of huge stuff on the horizon and 2010 is going to be insane.”