Pregnant Women Need a Drink

Photo By Joanne Jackson
Business executive Gretchen Cook-Anderson (l) and physician Angela Patterson (r) launched Saphia Lifestyle Beverages, LLC on Saturday, July 8, targeting expectant and nursing mothers. They called it a baby shower to celebrate the "birth" of their
new line of Saphia Water. The formal unveiling was held at the Gallery Restaurant
in Silver Spring, Maryland.

By Drew Costley
WI Staff Writer
Thursday, July 13, 2006

In 2001, Gretchen Cook-Anderson was pregnant with her twin sons when she began to experience pre-term labor contractions, a result of a lack of water in her diet. Her obstetrician stressed the importance of water in her diet, so she increased her intake of water and gave birth to healthy twins. The doctor’s instruction also would inspire the birth of Cook-Anderson’s bottled water business a few years later.

Cook-Anderson formed a partnership with Dr. Angela Patterson, and last week they officially launched Saphia Lifestyle Beverages,a company that will release a line of beverages tailored to pre and post natal women.

“I asked Angela, ‘Do you really think that this is possible,’ and she thought it was a great idea because of it is such a niche market,” said Cook-Anderson, who also has a nine-month-old child.

Actually, the market is such a niche, that the duo’s innovation is the first tailored and marketed specifically to pregnant women.

“Hydration is a necessity, especially for pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant,” said Patterson, who is a neonatologist/perinatologist, pediatrician and mother of two. “The amount of water that pregnant women consume during term is not to be taken for granted.”

The self-funded venture will offer vitamin-enriched water in three different flavors, BlissBerry, PacifyinglyPeach and LovinglyLemon, and the duo is researching other flavors.

The company will begin selling their product in 24-bottle cases for $42.99 this summer with plans to branch out to maternity retail stores and outlets in the fall, selling the water in four and six packs. They will also sell single 16.9 ounce bottles of the beverage. They hope to distribute to the entire east coast within the next 12 to 24 months.

“We want to grow quickly but we also want to grow and move intelligently,” Patterson said. “We figured that if we offered the beverage in different flavors that women would be more apt to drink it,” Cook-Anderson added.

“We want to remain focused on our niche market,” Cook-Anderson said. “We’re not Vitamin Water. Vitamin Water markets to everyone. Women like products that are marketed to them and that is exactly what we want to do.”