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Reeds -- >>> Reed's, Inc. Announces New Distribution Agreement for Canada


Reed's Retail Brand Presence to Expand Nationwide Across the Canadian Market


May 15, 2013



http://finance.yahoo.com/news/reeds-inc-announces-distribution-agreement-123000028.html



LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - May 15, 2013) - Reed's, Inc. (NYSE MKT: REED), maker of the top-selling sodas in natural food stores nationwide, announced today that it has formed a new distribution agreement with Lassonde Industries (TSX: LAS-A) based in Rougemont (Québec), Canada. Lassonde Industries Inc is a leader in the development, manufacture and sales of a wide range of fruit and vegetable juices and drinks throughout Canada and the United States. This new agreement gives Lassonde Inc the rights to distribute the Reed's family of brands throughout the entire country of Canada.

Neal Cohane, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Reed's, stated, "Our partnership with Lassonde Industries is extremely exciting and a huge step forward for the development of our brands in Canada. Lassonde's success is based largely on their highly skilled sales force and their extensive, intricate distribution network, which reaches almost every chain supermarket, convenience store and independent retailer throughout Canada. We anticipate significantly increasing our retail footprint in the coming months in Canada, and look forward to working with Lassonde to make Reed's and Virgil's nationally recognized brands in the Canadian marketplace."

Chris Reed, Founder and CEO of Reed's, Inc., commented, "In Canada, our brands have primarily been found in small, niche, natural retailers on the west coast. It is a significant testament to the success of Reed's brands that we have negotiated a partnership with Lassonde Industries, a 'giant' in the fruit juice and drink industry in Canada. We have always believed that Canada has been a marketplace ripe for our brands to flourish. This new partnership will be the catalyst to significantly enhance our revenue in the future."

About Lassonde Industries Inc.

Lassonde Industries Inc. is a North American leader in the development, manufacture and sale of a wide range of fruit and vegetable juices and drinks marketed under brands such as Everfresh, Fairlee, Flavür, Fruité, Graves, Oasis and Rougemont.

Lassonde is also the second largest producer of store brand ready-to-drink fruit juices and drinks in the United States and a major producer of cranberry juices, drinks and sauces.

Lassonde also develops, manufactures and markets specialty food products under brands such as Antico and Canton. The Company imports and markets selected wines from various countries and manufactures apple ciders and wine-based beverages.

The Company produces superior quality products through the efforts of some 2,000 people working in 14 plants across Canada and the United States. To learn more, visit: www.lassonde.com

About Reed's, Inc.

Reed's, Inc. makes the top-selling natural sodas in the natural foods industry sold in over 13,000 natural food markets and supermarkets nationwide. Its six award-winning non-alcoholic Ginger Brews are unique in the beverage industry, being brewed, not manufactured and using fresh ginger, spices and fruits in a brewing process that predates commercial soft drinks. The Company owns the top-selling root beer line in natural foods, the Virgil's Root Beer product line, and the top-selling cola line in natural foods, the China Cola product line. In 2012, the Company launched Reed's Culture Club Kombucha line of organic live beverages. Other product lines include: Reed's Ginger Candies and Reed's Ginger Ice Creams. In 2009, Reed's started producing private label natural beverages for select national chains. Reed's products are sold through specialty gourmet and natural food stores, mainstream supermarket chains, retail stores and restaurants nationwide, and in Canada, as well as through private label relationships with major supermarket chains.

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