Irish functional beverage brand, VITHIT, arrived in Australia in 2018, with its all-natural, low sugar vitamin range of flavours. Now with new flavours and a local production team, Food & Drink Business spoke with VITHIT Australia director, Renwick Watts, about the functional beverage market and plans for the future.
Founded in Dublin in 2008 by ex-rugby player, Gary Lavin, VITHIT has become a global leader in the functional beverage market. From taking a chance on a gap in the sports recovery drink segment to establishing a presence in a dozen different countries, and becoming one of the top performers in the UK and Ireland, VITHIT has ventured far.
Australian launch
The company’s first foray onto Australian shelves was in November 2018, in a distribution deal with Coles that landed the range in more than 700 stores. The skies were also being tested, with WHSmith carrying VITHIT beverages at airports around the country in 2019. It was around this time that Lavin asked current VITHIT Australia director, Renwick Watts, to jump onboard and lead the charge down under, establishing an Australian branch of the company.
Watts previously worked with Red Bull and Capi, so had plenty of experience in the Australian beverage industry. He told Food & Drink Business that retailers were under a lot of pressure from consumers to offer clean beverages, and VITHIT was able to slot into that space with ease.
“We were really surprised with how quickly the Australian consumer grew to enjoy the brand and what we stood for. It was a bit of a snowball effect,” said Watts.
“Consumers were wanting drinks with no added sugar and low calories, but didn't want to sacrifice on flavour. So our goal was always creating a great tasting product that people would repeat purchase.”
The Australian range was initially made up of three flavours that were also available in VITHIT’s home base, but had to be formulated completely differently to fit food standards requirements. In early 2021, the company landed another major distribution agreement.
Local manufacturing and longevity
“One of our biggest moments was being stocked in Woolworths. Initially it was supposed to be in 200 stores, but within two months VITHIT was in 800 stores, which was a gamechanger for us,” said Watts.
“Before that, we were importing the product from our facility in France, and knew that it didn't stack up from a sustainability or supply point of view. So now we've got a local manufacturing agreement with a company in Sydney.”
Watts said the current focus for VITHIT Australia is building the brand up from a grassroots level, after being lucky enough to land national retailers early in the journey.
“There have been a lot of brands that just haven't, for some reason, worked in the Australian market,” said Watts.
“When we first entered the market, kombucha was seeing rapid growth across retail, convenience and food service. Now we’re seeing different trends driving the functional beverage market, like hydration.
“VITHIT is a bit of a hybrid product, so it's able to remain mainstream in the face of trends. It blends tea and vitamins, but the flavour profile remains the key driver. We’re aimed at the everyday person training, who wants their vitamins and also wants hydration.”
There’s still room for brands in the hydration space however. Watts said as competitors continue to innovate and the functional beverage category opens up, Australian consumers are able to enjoy better tasting and better-for-you products.
“Back in the UK, the vitamin water category is much larger than Australia. So for us, it’s about educating and letting consumers know what sets apart VITHIT from other options on the market,” he said.
Future focus
“We're still quite a small team in the Australian market. Focusing on where we can grow brand awareness and distribution, as well as NPD, is key,” said Watts.
“If we can build more of a brand in the Australian market, then the sales will flow from that. But innovation is a big one for us. New flavours, different pack sizes and formats, so we can drive additional categories in supermarkets and in the independent space.
“As we touched on, it’s been a bit of a wild ride – getting VITHIT to where it is today in Australia with just one person on the ground has been equal parts challenging and rewarding. We’re proud of how far it’s come – now in over 3000 retailers across the country – and even more excited about where we’re headed next,” he said.
This article first appeared in the June/July 2025 edition of Food & Drink Business magazine.
