On Heels of 'Lemonade,' Beyonce Backs Upstart Watermelon Water Brand

In her 2013 song "Drunk in Love," Beyonce sings "I've been drinking watermelon." Now she owns a piece of a watermelon water brand. Watrmln Wtr on Tuesday announced that the megastar was investing in the brand as part of a recent capital raise. The brand did not disclose Beyonce's exact investment. It is also unclear if she will be involved in marketing. "We don't know her potential involvement in marketing right now -- who knows where year two goes!" a Watrmln representative stated in an email. "Beyonce is aligned with many of our company's core values, especially our commitment to empowerment and passion to 'seed change and spread liquid love' among fitness enthusiasts," brand co-founder and creative director Jody Levy said in a statement. "She is an inspiring human whose involvement will help educate the world about the importance of putting clean food and drinks into our bodies so that we can all be happy and healthy." Watrmln Wtr is based in New York and was founded three years ago. It is sold in 7,500 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada and is carried by outlets including Whole Foods, Kroger and Costco, according to the brand. Of late Beyonce is associated with another fruit -- lemons -- as a result of the release of her "Lemonade" album. Watrmln Wtr contains a "drop of organic lemon juice," as well as cold pressed watermelon. The singer's involvement has its seeds in the "Drunk in Love" watermelon lyric, according to BevNet.com. The trade publication reported that Ms. Levy arranged to have samples of the drink sent to Beyonce's management company after Ms. Levy's friends alerted her to the lyric. "The two sides eventually reached a deal based on aligned values, particularly that of bringing healthy products to more consumers," BevNet reported. In a statement, Beyonce said: "I invested in Wtrmln Wtr because it's the future of clean, natural hydration; as partners, we share a simple mission to deliver accessible wellness to the world. This is more than an investment in a brand, it's an investment in female leaders, fitness, American farmers, and the health of people and our planet." Beyonce has previously been associated with Pepsi, including an appearance in a big-budget ad in 2013 called "Mirrors." That came after a deal struck in late 2012 that Pepsi described as a "true creative and wide-ranging global collaboration," including linking with Beyonce to develop "new content and innovative ways to engage fans, consumers and retailers to benefit both brands." But that arrangement was apparently short-lived. A PepsiCo spokeswoman on Tuesday said in an email that "our corporate sponsorship/contract ended in 2013."

On Heels of 'Lemonade,' Beyonce Backs Upstart Watermelon Water Brand

Featured Stories