Birmingham drinks brand Revibed joins the Sainsbury's meal deal

A Birmingham drinks brand that won an investment offer on Dragons' Den has landed a place in one of the most coveted spots in British retail: the supermarket meal deal.

Revibed's raspberry and acai sparkling water is now part of the Sainsbury's meal deal in 109 stores across the UK.

From the family kitchen

The brand was founded by Eugene Patterson, a Birmingham entrepreneur, who created it with his father in their family kitchen, inspired by flavours from their Caribbean roots. It is built around the idea of "Find Your Vibe", with drinks designed for different moods.

Revibed secured a £50,000 investment offer from Steven Bartlett when it appeared on the BBC programme.

The sparkling water has five calories a serving. It usually sells for £1.99 on its own, and can now be picked up as part of Sainsbury's standard meal deal, which costs £3.95.

"An iconic British tradition"

"Not only are we thrilled to be partnering with one of the UK's biggest supermarkets but also as part of the iconic British meal deal," Mr Patterson said.

"We can't wait for more people to enjoy our drinks as part of this well-known tradition. Revibed was created by my father and I in our family kitchen, inspired by flavours from our Caribbean roots."

"As a brand, we are on a mission to encourage people to live a happier and healthier lifestyle through elevating your everyday."

Why the meal deal matters

For a small drinks company, a meal deal listing is a big step. Meal deals put a product in front of huge numbers of lunchtime shoppers who might never pick it out from a crowded drinks aisle, and being included at a fixed bundle price takes away the hesitation of paying full price for an unfamiliar brand.

It can also be hard to win. Supermarkets have limited fridge space, and brands competing for a place in the meal deal are up against some of the biggest names in soft drinks, which spend heavily on promotion.

Appearing on Dragons' Den has helped many small firms get the attention of buyers. Even where a deal agreed on screen changes once the cameras stop, the publicity alone can bring new customers and open doors with retailers.

A growing market

Low-calorie and functional drinks have been one of the fastest-growing parts of the soft drinks market, as shoppers look for alternatives to sugary fizzy drinks. The sugar levy on soft drinks, introduced in 2018, also pushed many brands to cut sugar or launch low-sugar ranges.

Birmingham has a growing number of independent food and drink producers, from craft breweries and coffee roasters to sauce makers and bakeries, many of which started at street food markets or online before moving into shops.

Revibed's success in landing a national supermarket listing is the kind of step many of them are aiming for. Shoppers can find the drink in the chilled meal deal section of participating Sainsbury's stores.