In today's functional beverage category, where adaptogens, probiotics, and other enhancements blur the lines, it takes a truly unique product to cut through the noise and capture a buyer's attention.

That's exactly what the team behind Chakra Drop crystal charged water accomplished at their very first ECRM session, turning a debut pitch into a major partnership with a national retailer that will see its products on the shelves of 600 stores by year's end.

I sat down with Jennifer Kavovit and Jennifer Baxter, Co-Founders of The Crystal Charged Co. (and who I refer to as “the Jenns) to discuss the origins of Chakra Drop, the world's first crystal-charged water, their ECRM experience, and the key lesson of being adaptable that fast-tracked their success in landing a deal with HomeGoods.

Transforming Hydration into Meditation

The idea for Chakra Drop was born from a desire to take things "back to basics.” Amidst the complexity of the functional beverage aisle, Kavovit and Baxter wanted to re-imagine the simplest necessity: water.

"There's so much water out there on the shelf, but it's still confusing which one's the best," says Baxter. “We created something that was beyond functional. It's intentional."

To create Chakra Drop, the co-founders curated seven specific crystals that align with the body's seven energy centers, or chakras. These crystals are lunar charged in a patented process they say enhances the molecular structure of the water.

Kavovit explains the core mission: "What we wanted to do is create a product that would transform everyday hydration into a mindful moment, a daily ritual that could get people to stop, take a moment out of their day and sip the water with intention.”

They call this practice “hydration meditation.”

Baxter adds that the wellness benefit it delivers doesn't require a special setting, nor should it. "You don't have to go to a yoga class or a meditation class to actually benefit from the water,” she says. “You can be at a stoplight and take a pause, set your intention, take a sip of water.”

For the skeptical buyer, the Kavovit and Baxter quickly learned to bridge the gap between wellness and scientific principle. "We found that this can sound woo-woo to some, but it's also just straight up science,” says Kavovit. She points to the work of Dr. Emoto, who "proved that your thoughts and your intentions affect the structure of water," and Veda Austin, who "proved that water halts memory.” (Check out the PubMed study from Dr. Emoto and Veda Austin’s website for more details on the science).

Meeting Retail Buyers at the ECRM Beverage Session

When Chakra Drop arrived at the ECRM Beverage Session this past summer, they were the sole water-only beverage among a vast number of functional beverages. However, this worked to their advantage, as their unique proposition immediately stood out; the brand’s simplicity, focusing on premium water instead of adding complex ingredients, proved to be a source of strength.

"At the end of the day when everybody wanted water, they came to our booth," Kavovit says. "They came to our booth to relax and hydrate, and they were like, 'wow, I just need a minute.' This day's so busy. And we realized they were coming to us and we were holding space for that.”

The Chakra Drop team was met with a response that demonstrated to them that the product appeals to a diverse consumer base, not just the typically expected "yoga class" demographic. "There was an older gentleman in a suit and we're like, 'oh, I don't know if this is going to go well.'” says Baxter. “But when he sat down the first thing he said was, 'I love it. I have crystals all over my house.'" 

The Big Win: HomeGoods and the Power of Pivoting

The ultimate success from their first ECRM was a major win with HomeGoods. The process, however, was a fast-paced lesson in adaptability. 

The initial buyer meeting served as a crucial learning experience. While the brand presented their case packs, they quickly learned a critical piece of information about the retailer’s display needs: HomeGoods only uses colored boxes. So they got to work. “Being adaptable is important,” says Baxter. “You have to be able to adapt for the specific needs of the buyer.”

This rapid response and willingness to meet the retailer's exact specifications is what accelerated the process. The result? Chakra Drop is scheduled to be on HomeGoods shelves before the end of 2025, a remarkably quick turnaround considering their pitch was in July.

Extending the Crystal-Charged Lineup

Kavovit and Baxter always intended for Chakra Drop  to be the foundation for an entire wellness ecosystem. They realized that the process of charging crystals could transfer energy into both water and oil. This proprietary process became the "mother tincture" for their brand extensions.

This technology has already led to two new product lines: an Organic Tallow cream created by crystal-charging oil, and a Revitalizing Face and Body Spray, each of which carry the central brand message of setting your intention.

Other products in development, including an immunity drink that will use the water as its tincture. They also plan to play in the adaptogen field, but strategically. "We wanted to launch with our mother tincture the water, and then that will become the tincture for an immunity drink that we do want to create, and even a CBD water," says Kavovit. "The focus right now is to get the water out there, build brand awareness and share this amazing experience with people.”

To the point of sharing the experience, they are also building a free online community on their website featuring guided meditations by one of their ambassadors, a yogi and wellness mentor, who guides users through the seven chakra meditations.

Indeed in the same way that atoms, ions, or molecules arrange themselves into a highly ordered, repeating pattern through the process of crystallization, Kavovit and Baxter are aligning their process, products and community around the idea of intention and mindfulness. And it’s already solidifying into the form of a beautiful retail win. 

Editor’s note: Jennifer Kavovit is also Co-Founder of Hatched Hub, a brand incubator and accelerator that helps develop and scale brands. Listen to my recent podcast interview with Jenn and the rest of Hatched Hub here.

Watch the full video interview here