Exiting to Vita Coco, the Functional Future | BJ McCaslin, Highlandia

On this episode, we’re joined by BJ McCaslin, the Co-Founder & CEO of Holy! Water, the beverage brand pushing the boundaries of function, combining ketones, nootropics, functional mushrooms, and in some SKUs, THC. A 20-year beverage veteran who previously built and exited Coco Café to Vita Coco, BJ brings a rare blend of street-level intuition, scientific curiosity, and battle-tested entrepreneurial grit.We dive deep into commercialization realities, the brutal economics of beverage, and how BJ approaches brand-building like an anthropologist.We explore the fast-changing C-store landscape and where functional beverages fit in, and what it actually takes to build strong distributor and broker relationships.---------------Episode Highlights:💧 The 15-year journey behind Holy! Water⚗️ Building a functional beverage with real “feelings”🧪 Ketones, mushrooms & nootropics🛠️ The harsh realities of beverage commercialization🧭 Why brand-building starts with anthropology🌿 THC vs non-THC SKUs🚨 How BJ is responding to the potential hemp ban💊 Vitamins vs painkillers🏪 Why C-stores are the next frontier for functional drinks📈 Broker & distributor strategies that actually work🔭 Trends and brands BJ is watching closely---------------Table of Contents:00:00 - Intro00:47 - Holy! Water origin story, product evolution07:17 - Commercialization journey10:09 - Anthropological approach to brand building13:41 - Learning on the fly17:43 - THC vs non-THC SKUs22:07 - How BJ is reacting to the hemp ban24:07 - Vitamins vs painkillers27:41 - The C-store channel30:51 - The evolution of functional beverages in C-stores32:38 - Building strong distributor and broker relationships37:42 - Brand and trends BJ is watching---------------Links:Holy! Water – https://enjoyholywater.com/ Follow BJ on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjmccaslin/  Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/For help with CPG production design - packaging and label design, product renders, POS assets, retail media assets, quick-turn sales and marketing assets and all the other work that bogs down creative teams - check out KitPrint.Shout out to my friends over at Glimpse, the go-to partner for automating retail-related back-office operations and unlocking margin trapped in invalid fees and manual processes.Are you in the market for a new flexible packaging partner? Check out HD Packaging. Third-generation, family-owned and built for the needs of category leaders like Newman’s Own and A Dozen Cousins. Faster launches, lower costs, and no artwork fees.