Carbon-neutral and anti-plastic campaigning soft drink brand, GUNNA Drinks, has secured new listings with out-of-home outlets including Irish-born Mexican burrito bar Boojum and UK-wide pasta chain Vapiano.
GUNNA aims to revolutionise the beverage landscape with drinks that are not only beneficial for health but also kind to the planet. The company is committed to significantly reducing plastic consumption in the soft drinks sector, focusing on infinitely recyclable aluminium bottles and cans. These new partnerships demonstrate the growing appetite within the catering trade and among its customers for sustainably produced soft drinks that offer additional health benefits.
Another key to GUNNA’s success is that from its inception, it has been committed to delivering full-flavoured soft drinks. Each of its three flavours has been specially crafted to offer a complex taste profile and pleasant mouthfeel, making them perfect for on-trade settings. Whether enjoyed alone, used as a mixer or as a base for mocktails, GUNNA drinks provide a sophisticated non-alcoholic option for teenage and adult consumers, alike.
Partnering with Mexican eatery, Boojum
Since introducing its immune-boosting, vitamin-enriched soft drinks at Boojum’s Leeds outlet in April 2024, GUNNA has achieved sales figures comparable to those of legacy brands, indicating robust consumer demand for healthy and sustainable options. Following this success, Boojum has expanded the brand’s presence to its Nottingham location, with plans for further distribution to coincide with upcoming openings in Birmingham and Liverpool in the coming weeks. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with GUNNA’s collective sales figures rivalling major Coca-Cola products, such as Coke Zero. Moreover, individual GUNNA drinks are performing on par with long-established favourites like Sprite.
Boojum has leveraged GUNNA’s vibrant, engaging branding to boost sales, integrating it into point-of-sale displays, stocking glass-fronted fridges with GUNNA cans and featuring the drinks on its social media platforms. Boojum’s health-conscious and sustainability-minded customer base, primarily consisting of students and young adults, resonates with GUNNA’s mission. It is evident that this consumer demographic is poised to accelerate the change that Gunna is working to bring about in the beverage industry.
Boojum’s operations manager, Rob Powell, said: “GUNNA cans are the drinks of choice when customers and influencers create social posts. Boojum is a real magnet for quality-obsessed people who are value-driven and care about doing the right thing, and the demographics perfectly aligned with GUNNA.”
Partnering with pasta masters, Vapiano
In October 2023, GUNNA partnered with pasta chain Vapiano. The brand has performed well across the nationwide estate and is now available at five locations in London and Manchester. Following the successful introduction of its Pink Punk Raspberry Lemonade and Miss Mojita Twisted Lemonade (with lemon and ginger), Turtle Juice Tropical Lemonade – featuring mango and lime – was added to the menu in August 2024 and is already showing strong like-for-like sales performance. All three GUNNA flavours are now featured on the menu and this expansion not only showcases the GUNNA range but also reinforces the brand’s commitment to offering diverse, flavourful and healthy beverage options. Nearly 40,000 units have been sold since the partnership launched late last year, with each site serving around 150 GUNNA drinks per week. The soft drinks are now the restaurant’s second best-selling non-alcoholic beverages after Coca-Cola.
Melvin Jay, continued: “Consumers are clearly ready for something new, and the success of our partnerships with Boojum and Vapiano highlights that people are actively seeking out healthier, environmentally conscious beverage options. Our performance alongside long-established soda brands shows that the market is shifting in favour of sustainable alternatives. At GUNNA, we have long been confident that this demand was out there, and it is excellent to see this confirmed. We hope that other restaurants and stores will recognise this and adapt their offering accordingly.”
A Full-Flavour Experience for the Catering Trade
From launch, GUNNA has been committed to creating soft drinks that are full of flavour and this particularly sets the brand apart in the HORECA industry. Its carefully crafted flavours not only cater to the growing demand for healthier, more sustainable beverage options but also meet the high standards expected in restaurants, bars, and cafes. The versatility of GUNNA’s range makes it an attractive option for establishments looking to expand their non-alcoholic offerings. As consumers become more health-conscious and seek out interesting alternatives to alcoholic drinks, GUNNA’s drinks offer a premium alternative to traditional soft drinks.
The current GUNNA range includes:
- Pink Punk Raspberry Lemonade: A vibrant blend of tangy raspberries and zesty lemon
- Miss Mojita Twisted Lemonade: A refreshing combination of lemon and ginger, with a hint of mint; reminiscent of a classic mojito
- Turtle Juice Tropical Lemonade: An exotic fusion of mango and lime for a taste of the tropics
Melvin Jay, founder of GUNNA Drinks, commented: “We’ve always believed that choosing a healthier, more sustainable option shouldn’t mean sacrificing flavour. Our drinks are designed to deliver a full sensory experience, making them ideal for hospitality venues where quality and taste are paramount. The success we’re seeing with partners like Boojum and Vapiano demonstrates that there’s a real appetite for premium, full-flavoured soft drinks that also align with consumers’ values around health and sustainability. We’re excited to continue this success with our new partnership with Homeslice.”