General Merchandise/HBC

Helix Forms Alliance With Royal Buying Group

Powdered beverage company seeking to reach fuel, c-store retailers

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Helix LLC, a health-and-wellness powdered beverage company based in Little Rock, Ark., has chosen Royal Buying Group Inc. (RBG) as its medium to reach the different fuel brands it represents nationwide, and to introduce this new brand to the marketplace.

Helix's powdered energy drink line includes such products as Helix Coconut Water, Soups and soon Women's Health. Helix Energy + Vitamins is a powder that is mixed with water. It comes in flavors including grape, orange and wildberry. Each packet contains 10 calories, with vitamins B and C. It is sugar-free, gluten free and noncarbonated.

Coconut Water comes in lemon-lime and tropical fruit. New products coming this winter will be Helix Energy Tea's in raspberry, lemon and green tea, and Coconut water pineapple and watermelon.

"Our powdered product innovations for the c-store channel are just the beginning. Our Energy and Coconut Water represent the forefront of products, because of current opportunity gaps that exist in the category and the expected growth projections. Starbucks' Refreshers entry into the category last month continues to validate that consumers are searching for powders. Our functional, delicious, powdered beverages will continue to bring new life to old categories. We tailor our products to concentrate primarily on food and beverage, being multi-purposed and having great taste, while creating a true value proposition for our customer. Stay tuned," said Kevin T. Farnan, CEO of Helix.

Helix delivers above-category margins, it said, plus the incremental purchase of high-margin bottled water,. Consumers are already seeing Helix in airports and other outlets, and the company is now introducing its products to RBG members and their customers.

RBG, based in Lisle, Ill., is a national organization dedicated to maximizing sales and profitability of convenience stores, petroleum locations, college book stores, truckstops/travel plaza centers, auto repair facilities, drug stores, tobacco outlets and liquor stores. It represents more than 6,500 locations nationwide. Core service capabilities include negotiating with regional and national suppliers for impactful and competitive sales and marketing programs and providing category management, marketing support and customer service support for its

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