Bloomfi eld Plaza - 6600 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfi eld Twp., MI 48301 248-671-0087 www.mbjewelrydesign.com Need extra spending money? We buy Gold, Silver, Stones and Coins. 2085820 16 October 6 • 2016 Entrepreneur Jody Levy creates WTRMLN WTR, attracts Beyonce as an investor. Robin Schwartz | Contributing Writer U gly melons are sitting pretty these days in a first-of-its-kind sports drink that’s taken the world by storm. WTRMLN WTR (watermelon water or cold-pressed, bottled watermelon juice) is made with two simple ingre- dients: fresh watermelon and organic lemon. Even the name of the product, spelled without vowels, uses “only the essentials,” says artist-turned-beverage-company- owner Jody Levy. She created the drink to address the problem of food waste after learning roughly 800 million pounds of perfectly good watermelons go unused in the United States every year — simply because of their looks. “We source the seconds,” Levy explains, “ugly watermelons or those that people don’t want to buy because they are seeded, sunburned, oddly shaped or aesthetically imperfect.” Levy, who grew up in Birmingham and attended Cranbrook, co-founded WTRMLN WTR in 2013 with her friend Harlan Berger. She presently lives in New York. Three years after its founding, the juicy pink drink can be found at Whole Foods Market, Plum Market, Kroger, Costco, Papa Joes and 7,500 other stores nationwide. The com- pany has 40 full-time employees and four manufacturing facili- ties in Michigan, New York, New Jersey and California. Oh, and Beyonce is one of their investors. As you might Beyonce is an imagine, that made investor. headlines when the news broke in May. “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,” the entertainment icon said in a press release. “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.” Levy caught Beyonce’s attention by sending her cases of WTRMLN WTR details after the singer released her track “Drunk in Love” with the lyric, “I’ve been drinking watermelon.” The two eventually met and decided to form a partnership. “She really is connected to our ethos and our mission, which we call ‘seeding change,’” Levy says. “Our use of waste melons, our use of waste from produc- tion (the company uses 100 percent of its waste. For example, the pulp goes to feed livestock). Beyonce aligned with many of our company’s core values.” NO SUGAR ADDED The sweet drink contains no additives; it’s ugar. The company low in calories and sugar. says it’s packed with electrolytes (especial- mino acid L-citrulline ly potassium), the amino and the antioxidant lycopene. The product -free, non-GMO, is all-natural, gluten-free, vegan and kosher. It’s made using an cience known as high- innovation in food science pressure processing. eserve the nutri- “We are able to preserve ents, flavor and good d enzymes and kill harmful bacteria, , ” Levy says. ave a “That allows us to have 45-day shelf life.” LN Levy calls WTRMLN st expen- WTR “one of the least cessible, sive ($3.99), most accessible, cold-pressed juices on the market.” Financial details were not disclosed, but nnual revenues [are] the company says “annual currently on pace to more than triple in ous year.” 2016 from the previous Levy has received national press agazine, Vogue coverage in Time magazine, and Men’s Health (to name a few). It’s no wonder she refers liquid to her invention as “liquid love.” “I never envisioned d ar myself anywhere near y,” the beverage industry, very she says. “I look at every ce bottle as this interface to a bigger story — from tion, bring- farm to bottle education, ing awareness of the ingredients and purity of the product. t.” is creative entrepre- What’s next for this Looking for WTRMLN WTR? You’ll find it locally at t Whole Foods Market, Plum Market, Kroger, Costsco and Papa Joe’s. oe’s. For more information, visit www.wtrmlnwtr.com. neur? Levy is also a partner in a mezcal spirits company called GEM&Bolt. Mezcal is an agave-based liquor. The company is currently in Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles, making its way across the globe. When she’s not traveling the world or whipping up unique beverages, Levy still comes home to visit family members and friends in Metro Detroit. In the future, she also hopes to bring business back to her hometown. “I’m a fifth-generation Detroiter. I’m a totally proud Detroiter,” she says. “When people ask, ‘Where are you from?’ I say, ‘Detroit.’” * s 2016 MB JEWELRY DESIGN Saving The Watermelons! rStudio Time Pieces That Span Many Lifetimes... D i a m o n d s , I n l a y, 1 4 W G Sketch, Model, Metal Estate Jewelry... Something for Everyone to Love Again and Again… metro » ©Jonsa Colored Stones, YG Diamonds, 14KT, 18KT Ageless, Endless, Timeless...From Then Until Now Jody Levy