Else Nutrition achieving high market penetration and rapid growth in online and retail sales in US

Else Nutrition Holdings Inc (CVE:BABY) (OTCMTKS:BABYF) (FRA:0YL), the plant-based baby, toddler and children nutrition company, revealed that it is achieving high market penetration and sales growth rates across online and retail channels.  The company sold its first product online in August 2020 on its own site and in late September on amazon.com.  “Initial online sales through these two channels indicate a good growth trajectory, with more than 20% month-over-month growth, which is expected to accelerate as more products are added to these channels,” said the firm in a statement.  According to sales data, amazon.com monthly sales are doubling every three-to-four months.  READ: Else Nutrition to launch plant-based toddler nutrition at Associated Food Stores Since February this year, Else Plant-Based Complete Nutrition for Toddlers has been sold in Sprouts Farmers Markets (350 doors) and has expanded to the Big-Y (71 large-format grocery doors), Raley's (126 doors), Natural Grocers (159 doors) and large American distributor and retailer Associated Food Stores (AFS).   “Else is currently listed in 900+ stores and on the shelves of 600+ of these with continuous rollout to the remaining,” said the company. It added that the units per store per week (UPSPW) key performance indicator (KPI) is growing steadily at a month-over-month average of 35%. Else onboarded two of the largest natural food distributors — UNFI and KeHE Distributors — which together cover a chunk of the North American retail market. They have opened 14 of distribution centers to supply products to retail stores across the US. Else is currently sold on iHerb, an international online retail platform with a presence in the US, Canada, 180 international markets and on Thrive Markets, a leading US online platform that has over 500,000 subscribers. In terms of new products, Else made a splash this month with its just-launched product line – Plant-Based Whole Foods Complete Nutrition – aimed at children three years and older in vanilla and chocolate flavors. In the second half of the year, Else is planning to launch a series of plant-based complementary nutrition products for babies six months and older, in several flavors. Early in 2022, Else plans to launch liquid ready-to-drink (RTD) versions of its Complete Nutrition for Kids products. Else plans to offer regulatory compliant products in Canada soon, starting online this summer, and later in retail stores. Separately, having developed a line of products, which comply with the European directives, Else is making good progress towards a distribution agreement for France with H&H Group, a strategic investor in Else. It is also talking to H&H group for distribution of its products in China. On the production front, Else has completed its seventh commercial manufacturing run since July 2019 and successfully built inventory to service online and retail expansion. "In the last few months, we have improved our manufacturing process and product quality to consistently produce a high quality and easily dissolved tasty product," Else Nutrition co-founder and CEO Hamutal Yitzhak said in a statement. "Our new kids products can be easily prepared in a cup or in a shaker with cold water, something both kids and parents love and appreciate," she added. Separately, Else told investors that it is carrying out clinical studies to demonstrate scientifically that its line of products support growth, and are well tolerated by young children, as well as kids suffering from health issues. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive