Matthew Kennedy, president of Sustain Brand, said his company sources and sells local products.
“We have dedicated space that we put in grocery stores. It’s our shelf, we own it, we can manage it as we see fit,” Kennedy said. “We’re always looking for new, interesting, unique products tied to the community, and this is a unique product that is certainly tied to the community.”
Through partnering with Sustain Brand, the price of the water bottles to produce has significantly decreased for the city from 45 cents to 27 cents, said Jim Collins, director of Hamilton’s Department of Gas and Water.
Collins said the city will sell the water to Sustain Brand for 32 cents — a profit of 5 cents for each bottle — and they will distribute it to the stores.
According to the city, to be the most competitive it can, given its bottling capacity and market prices, it will begin selling six-packs.
“Sustain Brand presently has a small display in Jungle Jim’s and recently has been given shelf space in 150 local Kroger stores,” according to a city report.
Kennedy said Jungle Jim’s has already expressed interest in wanting to sell Hamilton’s water.
The city’s bottled water label includes images of the Soldiers, Sailors and Pioneers Monument, and the 2010 Berkeley Springs award for World’s Best Municipal Tap Water.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2179 or hpoturalski@coxohio.com.
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