R-LINE Electrolyte Drink's marketing focus on events struck gold last weekend when the Mount Maunganui-based company was invited to be exclusive drinks sponsor for the New Plymouth ITU World Cup.
This sprint distance triathlon attracted a top field of athletes, including Spaniards Mario Mola, Sunday's winner, and Javier Gomez, the current world champion, said R-Line's founder Phill Dromgool.
"It's our endurance event sponsorship campaign that is setting us out from the competition now," he said.
"In the early days, we focused on commercial teams and have sold to over 20 of New Zealand's top tier teams in the ITM Cup, Heartland Championship, ANZ Championship, ASB Premiership and NBL basketball league. We have now managed to penetrate the crowded sports nutrition market and are growing steadily at 200 per cent annual sales growth, with new retailers coming on board weekly."
Mr Dromgool set up the company three years ago after coming up with a new electrolyte formulation and range of flavours. A key point of difference from his competition in the supplements market, was that the R-Line product is a syrup concentrate, not a powder. In R-Line's most recent financial year, the company sold 14,300 bottles of product, mostly through specialty sports and cycleships nationwide.