Beverage is a competitive space, and breaking into national retail is the dream for many emerging brands. We sat down with Trevor Burns, VP of Sales at Leisure Project, to discuss how their hydration brand made the leap from regional player to securing nationwide distribution with Whole Foods. With a background at Red Bull and years of CPG expertise, Trevor shares the strategy, challenges, and lessons learned along their journey. This is volume 1 of an ongoing series.
Building the Foundation: Start Local, Think National
For Trevor Burns, the path to national retail begins in your backyard.
When Leisure Project launched, the team intentionally focused on Los Angeles — a hotbed for beverage innovation alongside Chicago and New York. The LA market offered a perfect testing ground with several notable regional natural chains that were more willing to take a chance on emerging brands.
"Whole Foods does reviews about once a year, depending on your category... sometimes it's 12 to 18 months between reviews. So you really get like one shot a year."
This regional approach allowed Leisure Project to build velocities with retailers like Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres, and Mother's Market, establishing critical mass while generating the data necessary to approach larger retailers.
Translating Regional Success into National Opportunity
What turned heads at Whole Foods wasn’t just that Leisure Project was selling — it was how efficiently they were selling compared to established brands.
"We started seeing that our velocity numbers in the natural space started coming up higher and higher," Burns shares.
Internal scan data showed that Leisure Project was generating 7.7 units per SKU per store per week over 52 weeks — more than double the natural channel average of 3.3–3.5 units. During summer promos, they jumped to 12.1 units.
"When you start looking at these other brands that are out there, we are now the seventh largest hydration brand in the natural channel across the country," Burns states.
The Path to Whole Foods: Persistence Meets Preparation
The journey wasn’t linear. Burns faced multiple setbacks over 18 months — from buyer turnover to review cycles.
"Whole Foods does reviews about once a year, depending on your category... sometimes it's 12 to 18 months between reviews. So you really get like one shot a year."
The breakthrough came through:
- Strategic broker partnership: Switching to Green Spoon Sales brought data leverage and Whole Foods credibility.
- Industry connections: Conversations at BevNet led to decision-maker introductions.
- Perfect timing: Aligning with buyers at key conferences.
- Trend alignment: “Whole Foods publishes a trend report each year. We took that and said, ‘Our product fits multiple trends — magnesium, hydration, sustainability.’”
From Pitch to Launch: Managing the Logistics
Winning the account was just the beginning.
“Let’s say Whole Foods forecasts 1,500 cases/week — 6,000 cases/month. They send projections for the first 2–3 months.”
That meant planning:
- Production: “We need to be able to make enough product.”
- Distribution: DSD vs. UNFI/KeHE.
- Network expansion: Whole Foods is an anchor for 13 UNFI DCs, unlocking national scale.
Unexpectedly, UNFI reorganized mid-launch. Burns adapted by securing a spot in UNFI’s Up Next program to get an internal advocate.
Advice for Emerging Brands
Burns leaves founders with key insights:
- Choose your channel strategy early: "Decide what type of brand you want to be."
- Use data to tell your story: "Data justifies why you’re a safer bet."
- Build the right team: "Reach out for help — make it happen."
- Be patient: “If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.”
This interview is part of Glimpse’s Expert Series showcasing innovative brands and their path to retail success.
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