The founders of SpikedSeltzer believe in embracing their passions and listening to their intuitions. They are the original hard seltzer with a clear, crisp, and refreshing flavor made with natural cold pressed fruit essence and purified water, after all. Their symbol is the mermaid—or Siren, which alludes to the spirit of inspiring women. In 2018, SpikedSeltzer will partner with women, who live their life like a boss through food, travel, and spirit, and who have followed their inner sirens to establish brands fueled by their passions.
At one point, Elizabeth Stein saw no clear path to starting what would one day become the number-one selling natural granola company in the world. At that time, she was visiting a retreat while attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. The instructor asked the students to write down their “unpredictable future” and throw it into a campfire. Stein’s paper contained the phrase, “Start a natural foods company,” and within a month, Purely Elizabeth came to fruition. “While I saw no clear path of how to get there, I knew one thing for certain: I wanted to start a company to help others eat better, feel better, and live better. One short month later, without any idea of how to start a natural foods company— where to source ingredients or how to get a product on the shelf at a local market—Purely Elizabeth was born.”
It may come as a surprise to learn that Stein’s career path started in marketing—as a handbag designer. But health and wellness was her true passion, and it all began to take shape at a local triathlon expo. Stein was diligently working to drum up nutrition clients by handing out muffins made with chia, almond flour, coconut oil, and coconut sugar—mostly unknown ingredients at the time. “No one cared about signing up for my nutrition practice, they just wanted to know where they could purchase these delicious muffins. That became the "aha! moment.” Following the retreat, Stein went back to that same triathlon expo—this time to sell her muffin mixes. “I sold out at the race and a few days later, got incredible online press, [and] we had $10,000 in orders within three hours. I was off to the races.”
From the very beginning of Purely Elizabeth, Stein and her team have been committed to making obsession-worthy food using innovative, nutrient-rich ingredients. Really, it’s simple: They believe that good health begins with what you put into your body and that when you eat better, you feel better. The products also happen to be delicious. Stein adds, “It’s so important to differentiate and not create a me-too product. I’ve also worked hard to create a brand that goes beyond granola— one that supports our consumers on their wellness journey.”
Beyond granola means pursuing expansion products with passion—a big part of the business at Purely Elizabeth. The website is chock-full of good-for-you items like bars, oatmeal, and of course the beloved granola. There are also chic mugs, “eat purely” spoons, totes, and t-shirts. It’s marketing genius, and Stein is passionate about “birthing” new projects from start to finish. “There is something so rewarding and energizing about building an idea from inception to a tangible finished product you can share and enjoy with others!” Her recent passion project is a cookbook, Eating Purely.
It’s not surprising that Stein’s career has come full circle. She believes that every step of the journey is meant to lead you to the next path. And when her path isn’t creating her product, it’s woven into it by traveling, seeing new places, enjoying good food, and experimenting in the kitchen. She says, “I’m incredibly lucky that I get to do these with Purely Elizabeth. When your passions and work are aligned, you truly can’t ask for anything else.”
Stein may have started in handbags, but she followed her siren to create a wellness empire that’s feeding souls. “To me, following your siren is all about following that thing inside of you that makes you want to wake up every morning excited for the road ahead. It’s an inner calling that we should all be so lucky to find and follow. I’m incredibly grateful to have followed my siren and be where I am today.”
To find out more about SpikedSeltzer, including retail locations, visit SpikedSeltzer.com.