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Benjamin Witte reposted thisBenjamin Witte reposted thisSometimes a Recess is exactly what's needed. Our 2026 Supplier Circle of Excellence winner offers functional beverages and powders designed to support moments of calm and balance. Troy Buehner, Director of National Accounts, shares how UNFI is helping Recess grow by connecting the brand with the right retailers. #UNFI50YearsofBetter #UNFICircleofExcellence #FunctionalBeverages #SupplierSpotlight
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Benjamin Witte shared thisGreat analysis Bret C., perfectly putBenjamin Witte shared thisRecess launching a limited-edition Pink Lemonade flavor is a clean example of where modern beverage innovation is moving. The product is not simply a new flavor. It is a seasonal demand trigger, a portfolio refresh mechanism, and a brand-equity extension inside the functional sparkling water category. In CPG, limited-edition innovation works when it does three things at once. It gives existing consumers a reason to re-enter the brand. It creates a low-friction acquisition point for new consumers. It allows the brand to test flavor elasticity without permanently complicating the core portfolio. Pink lemonade is also a strategically efficient flavor choice. It is familiar, high-recognition, nostalgic, and broadly approachable, while still giving the brand enough visual and emotional range to merchandise the product in a more contemporary way. That matters in beverage, because flavor is no longer just taste. Flavor is color, mood, seasonality, social content, shelf blocking, and trial psychology. Recess has always operated in the space between function and feeling. The magnesium and adaptogen positioning gives the product a functional reason to exist, but the brand system gives the consumer an emotional reason to care. That distinction is important. The next generation of beverage brands will not win on formulation alone. Most functional claims can be copied. Most ingredients can be sourced. Most flavor profiles can be replicated. The defensibility comes from the operating system around the product: brand memory, visual codes, cultural timing, repeatable innovation, and the ability to turn a beverage into a consumer ritual. Limited editions are not random when they are done correctly. They are structured experiments in demand creation. CPG Wire
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Benjamin Witte shared thisIt was a real honor to share the stage with Shawn Darmody and Allison Cohoon from Target, and Justin Whitmore from Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. and to reflect on lessons learned from the journey Recess has been on at Target over the past few years. The growth Recess has seen at Target only happens when a retail partner is fully committed to bringing new innovation to their guests, and to nurturing emerging brands like Recess that are delivering unique value propositions and offerings to people at a time when consumer preferences are rapidly shifting and evolving. Huge credit to the Recess team – across sales, operations, and marketing – for the hard work and strong execution over the past few years that turned a license-to-hunt test in a couple hundred stores into a dozen+ plannogrammed SKUs nationally across two different sets, with much more growth still to come. The Modern Relaxation space is one of the most exciting things happening in beverage right now and that's in large part thanks to the early commitment by Target. Thanks to Danny Stepper for doing an amazing job moderating the panel and for organizing an incredible conference.Benjamin Witte shared thisIt's no secret: getting into Target is a HUGE milestone. But performing there is a different challenge altogether. In today’s panel with Shawn Darmody (Target), Allison Cohoon (Target), Justin Whitmore (Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.), Benjamin Witte (Recess), and Danny Stepper (L.A. Libations), the conversation focused on what actually drives success once a brand is on shelf. Key Takeaways: 1. The environment is curated. Shelf space is limited. Consumers are making faster decisions. That puts pressure on everything from packaging to positioning to velocity. 2. Brands that work in this setting tend to have a clear identity and a strong understanding of how they fit within the assortment. They are not trying to be everything. They are focused on doing one thing well and communicating it clearly. 3. That level of precision is what keeps products moving. Would love to hear how others are thinking about Target as a channel. Drop your thoughts below! #TheBevergeForum #Day1 #Panel #CPG #Target #RetailStrategy #ShelfPresence #Velocity #BrandPositioning
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Benjamin Witte shared thisThanks BeverageDaily for the write up on Recess "Over the past five years, we have validated the thesis we had for a broad healthy relaxation brand platform, comprised of products in multiple subcategories - whether that be functional relaxation beverages (Recess Mood), zero proof alcohol alternatives (Recess Mocktails), relaxation supplements (Recess Mood Powders). And we've validated our retail sales strategy (and performance) - Albertsons and Target (and many others) are taking us to thousands and thousands of retail doors. We're now entering the next phase of the business: the next five years will be about scaling dramatically. The way I think about it is like this: The Relaxation space is where energy was 20 years ago, and the growth is going to compound over the next 20 years as a result of consumers focusing on their mental wellbeing, desire to reduce stress and anxiety, to moderate alcohol consumption, and improve sleep. These are not fads, they're long term trends still in their relatively early days. The consumer is actually ahead of where the market is. There's a tremendous amount of room to grow." https://lnkd.in/gwAercz6How to build a beverage brand: Recess on carving out the relaxation categoryHow to build a beverage brand: Recess on carving out the relaxation category
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Benjamin Witte shared thisGreat to catch up with Ray Latif from BevNET.com to discuss the strong momentum we are seeing at Recess driven by our Recess Mood & Recess Craft Mocktails product lines, and share the thinking behind our platform expansion strategy over the past few years. Ray is an excellent interviewer so it was a fun conversation! Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g99MrgU8 Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gaGpwxjsBenjamin Witte shared thisBen Witte, the founder and CEO of Recess, talks about how he navigated a shift toward a product mix that realizes his vision of a relaxation beverage platform, how the company built a thriving online business and why consumer feedback is the key to its sales and marketing efforts. https://lnkd.in/ggZsWcD9Recess (R)evolution. How This Pivot Helped Build A Relaxation Empire.Recess (R)evolution. How This Pivot Helped Build A Relaxation Empire.
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Benjamin Witte shared thisAlways enjoy my conversations with Joshua Schall, MBA – one of the most thoughtful analysts in CPG. We had a great discussion about the insights and philosophy that has guided the Recess relaxation platform strategy, our vision for the emerging Relaxation product space, and the momentum we are seeing across the business as a result of the Recess Flywheel. Enjoy!Benjamin Witte shared thisThe chaotic last handful of years has created a significant shift in consumer need states. It has forced us all to reassess our direction and find better ways forward. Why is that important? Change creates new opportunities! And this is especially true within the CPG industry... But every new opportunity must be driven by a category defining brand that accelerates the development of a new space. Recess is that brand for RELAXATION. TBH there's been this synchronicity between how Benjamin Witte and I have thought about "relaxation" for many years...with us both advocating a strategy that marketed the solution, not the ingredient (i.e. CBD). And I mention all that “separate but intertwined” backstory because our “great minds think alike” dynamic builds extensive layers of insights within our conversation about arguably the next big CPG space. We cover topics like: - United [Stress] of America - what’s driving the “better for you Relaxation” space - how Recess is intentionally building a broad-reaching platform business - strategic differences between what is needed to create a new category versus going into an existing category and trying to capture market share - his “Recess Flywheel” strategy that has been creating more and more rapid retail growth P.S. - I don't want to jinx anything, but I'm more confident than ever that my "way too early M&A prediction" about Recess (mentioned in the content) will eventually come true. #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #beverages #supplements #sportsnutrition #innovation #productdevelopment #marketing #branding #relaxation #retailing #retail #grocery #merchandising #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship https://lnkd.in/gkpCvvyjEmerging "Better for You" Relaxation CPG Space | Recess Platform Strategy | Ben Witte InterviewEmerging "Better for You" Relaxation CPG Space | Recess Platform Strategy | Ben Witte Interview
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Benjamin Witte shared thiscongrats Day Job Rion Harmon on the glowing write up. been amazing to be on this journey togetherWhy Day Job Became THE Millennial (and Genz Z) Creative Agency Of ChoiceWhy Day Job Became THE Millennial (and Genz Z) Creative Agency Of Choice
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Benjamin Witte shared thisWe are excited to announce significant new retail distribution for our Recess Mood and Recess Craft Mocktail lines, as we enter 5,000 new doors across marquee retailers such as Target, Albertsons, CVS, H-E-B, Sprouts, Winn-Dixie, and many others – bringing our total retail doors to 14,000 (with 60% of our total sales still coming from e-comm). It’s exciting to see the unique platform strategy that we have been pursuing for the past few years begin to succeed and be validated. As noted in today’s BevNET write up… “Our view is that there’s a Relaxation product space emerging that is going to be comprised of multiple sub-categories within it and there is a big opportunity for there to be a single platform brand (Recess) that drives it”. Thanks to the entire Recess organization and leadership team (Chris Crowe Laurie Breton Simon Goode) for their extremely hard work in making this happen and to all of our distributor and retailer partners for their support and belief in the Recess mission to develop this new Relaxation space.Distribution: Recess’ 5K Store Expansion Deepens Platform StrategyDistribution: Recess’ 5K Store Expansion Deepens Platform Strategy
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Benjamin Witte shared thisBevNET.com, Inc.: "Recess has done a very nice job crafting something that is enjoyable and a bit more of a slow sipper than their other products. Sharp notes of lemon, lime and orange are present as well as some sort of flavoring that has a faint resemblance to what you’d expect from tequila. There’s a very light sweetness to the product as well as a noticeable salt note at the finish – a nice nod to the classic preparation of a margarita served in a salt rimmed glass……Ultimately, we think that Recess’s Zero Proof Margarita is a good line extension for the brand and fits with their tagline of “calm cool collected.” The execution is top notch and if Recess decided to make zero proof a part of their regular lineup, this product is more than worthy of being a year round offering." Great work by the entire Recess team on this limited edition release!
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Seven years in the making Matthew Sztab! Been trying to get you on the team since 2019. Glad we finally made it happen – let's do this
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Benjamin Witte liked thisBenjamin Witte liked thisAfter an incredible few years at Coatue Management , I'm joining Instinct as Chief Business Officer. I'm deeply grateful to Philippe Laffont , Thomas Laffont and the entire Coatue team. I learned a ton, worked alongside some amazing people, and got to partner with founders building some of the most ambitious companies in the world. One of those companies is Instinct. Coatue is co-leading Instinct's latest round, and through that process I got to know Noah Shinn and the team. The more time I spent with them, the more convinced I became that they're building something special, and the more I wanted to be part of it. It's not often you get to back a company as an investor and then go help build it. Instinct is working to make the "doing" side of the internet feel a lot more human: technology that doesn't just give you information but actually helps you get things done. It's a huge idea, and I can't wait to help bring it to life. Very grateful for the last chapter, and fired up for this one.
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Benjamin Witte liked thisBenjamin Witte liked this🏆 Recess continues to be the #1 fastest-selling single-serve sparkling water brand in the U.S. What makes that even more exciting is the bigger shift happening across beverages. With growth in traditional sparkling water slowing, consumers are increasingly looking for more from what they drink — and "mood support" is now the fastest-growing functional benefit in beverages. We believe relaxation is becoming one of the next major beverage categories, and we’re building Recess to lead it. Our mission has always been simple: bring a little more calm and balance to people around the world. One can, one cooler and one moment of Recess at a time. Source: 52 Weeks Ending 09/06/26, Total U.S. MULO
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Benjamin Witte liked thisBenjamin Witte liked thisConsumers want choice in the beers and beverages they choose, whether they have alcohol or not. We believe that shouldn't be just a handful of beer alternatives that once defined the non-alc category. That's why, as consumers seek greater variety and we look to compete across more occasions, Molson Coors is expanding the breadth of choice we offer to align with consumer expectations in the broader beverage aisle. At last week’s Molson Coors Distributor Conference, we laid out what that will look like in 2027. Read more at the link in comments.
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Benjamin Witte liked thisBenjamin Witte liked thisRECESS TAPS HEALTH-ADE SALES CHIEF AS CCO Recess has named Matthew Sztab Chief Commercial Officer. Sztab ran sales at Health-Ade, through its sale to Butterfly-backed Generous Brands last august. Under Sztab, Health-Ade's tracked retail sales grew 23% to $147M. The brand was approaching $250M in retail sales across 65,000 doors when it sold. Recess raised a $30M Series B led by CAVU Consumer Partners last october and is in 15,000+ stores. Recess also hired Graham Goeppert, poppi's SVP of Digital Commerce & Media, into the same role in addition to BeatBox exec Zech Francis to run marketing earlier this year.
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Benjamin Witte reacted on thisExcited to be part of what’s next for Recess. The brand has a real connection with consumers, a great team behind it, and a big opportunity ahead. Looking forward to building on what Ben and the team have created alongside Kyle, Graham, Zech and the entire Recess crew. Thanks to BevNET for the feature!Benjamin Witte reacted on thisRecess is assembling the leadership team behind its push into mainstream retail, digital commerce and new products. The expansion follows a $30 million Series B led by CAVU last year. Link in the first comment below 👇 #CPG #BeverageIndustry #FunctionalBeverages #RetailExpansion #DigitalCommerce
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Benjamin Witte reacted on thisBenjamin Witte reacted on thisRecess is assembling the leadership team behind its push into mainstream retail, digital commerce and new products. The expansion follows a $30 million Series B led by CAVU last year. Link in the first comment below 👇 #CPG #BeverageIndustry #FunctionalBeverages #RetailExpansion #DigitalCommerce
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Benjamin Witte reacted on thisBenjamin Witte reacted on thisHappy to announce I have joined team Recess as a Regional Sales Manager covering the South Central footprint! My time at Liquid Death was awesome, and will cherish the colleagues, friends and experiences of my time there truly. That said, I am very thrilled for this new opportunity to work with the amazing talented team at Recess, cover new territories, and helping drive this growing success story! LFG!!! Ryan McAulay Michael Sarver Brett Hayes Joshua Conklin
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