Sanzo
 | |
| Type | Sparkling water |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2019 |
| Website | drinksanzo |
Sanzo is an American brand of sparkling water flavored with Asian fruits. These flavors include lychee, yuzu, pomelo, calamansi, mango, and formerly Asian pear.
History
[edit]Sanzo was founded in 2019 by Sandro Roco, a Filipino American who grew up in the New York City metro area.[1][2] Roco had the idea to start the company in mid-2018, citing a lack of Asian-inspired beverages in American grocery markets. Roco stated, "Crazy Rich Asians was the number one film at the box office, Korean pop was hitting a fever pitch, and the influence of Asian food and culture was really starting to make its mark on American culture. But when I walked the beverage aisles at both markets like Whole Foods and H-Mart, I didn’t feel there was anything properly capturing this shift in culture."[3] Sanzo's initial flavors were calamansi, lychee, and mango.[3]
In August 2020, Sanzo raised US$1.3 million in seed funding.[4]
In February 2022, Sanzo announced a new yuzu flavor[5] and shared that they had raised $10 million in Series A funding led by CircleUp Growth Partners.[6] In March 2022, they became available in Whole Foods nationwide,[7] which Roco cited as when "things started getting pretty interesting for us.[8]" Later that year, Sanzo partnered with professional basketball player Jeremy Lin to release a limited Asian pear flavor for the 10th anniversary of "Linsanity", a cultural phenomenon in response to Lin's performance during the 2011–12 NBA season.[9][10]
In February 2023, Sanzo announced a new pomelo flavor.[11] As of March 2023, the company had 18 employees and their drinks were available at Whole Foods Market, Target, and Panda Express, among other retailers.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Goldberg, Morgan (2023-03-15). "How I Got My Job: From Nuclear Engineer to Cult-Favorite Seltzer Founder". Eater. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Raczka, Rachel Kim (2021-09-12). "Sanzo's Asian-inspired sparkling water is the antidote to LaCroix fatigue". Fast Company. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ a b Thompson, Kat (2021-08-05). "Asian Flavors Are Seeping Into the Seltzer World". Thrillist. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Yu, Douglas (2020-08-06). "Asian-Inspired Sparkling Water Brand Sanzo Raises $1.3 Million In Seed Funding To Expand Distribution". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Staff (2022-02-04). "This Week's New Products: Rockstar Gets Unplugged; Sanzo, Brew Dr., HOP WTR Spotlight Citrus Flavors". BevNET. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
- ^ Goldberg, Morgan (2023-03-15). "How I Got My Job: From Nuclear Engineer to Cult-Favorite Seltzer Founder". Eater. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
- ^ Ayomari (2022-10-11). "Sanzo & Jeremy Lin Launch Collaborative Can to Celebrate 10-year Anniversary of 'Linsanity'". FoodBeast. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Avery, Brad (2022-10-11). "Sanzo Commemorates 'Linsanity' Anniversary with Jeremy Lin LTO Launch". BevNET. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Ayomari (2023-02-28). "Asian-Inspired Sanzo Sparkling Water Announces New 'Pomelo' Flavor". Foodbeast. Retrieved 2024-03-17.