Green Bee Soda

Green Bee Soda Launches New Ginger Buzz Flavor

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:41:26 +0000

BRUNSWICK, MAINE (April 9, 2012) - Green Bee Soda announces the launch of its new flavor Ginger Buzz. Ginger Buzz is handcrafted from Fresh Ginger, Wildflower Honey, and Coriander. It is an all natural soda designed to highlight the fresh flavor of Ginger with a modest calorie count of only 60 calories per bottle.

“This new flavor is unique among other Ginger beverages on the market” says Green Bee Founder, Christopher Kinkade. “We’re using fresh chopped Ginger, no extracts or oils, which better captures the medicinal qualities. It takes more work and care to produce, but our process results in a light and genuine Ginger flavor.”

Ginger is a home remedy for fighting the common cold, tummy aches, nausea and sea sickness. “Ginger does appear to have several medicinal qualities,” says Suzanna Zick, N.D., MPH, research investigator in family medicine at the University of Michigan Health System. She says, ginger has also been shown to warm the body, settle the digestive tract and relieve some types of arthritis. Fresh ginger root appears to have the most medicinal qualities.

About Green Bee Soda

Green Bee Soda handcrafts beverages that harness the power of local bees to offer a healthy alternative to mass produced soda. Wildflower Honey and infusions of botanicals combine to create a unique flavor experience. Just one sip and there’s no turning back from the new revolution in Soda!

Look for Green Bee Soda in natural food stores, fine restaurants, leading supermarkets, gourmet shops and fine pubs. Green Bee Soda is handcrafted and bottled by Green Bee, LLC in Brunswick, Maine.

For more information, visit www.greenbeesoda.com.

Green Bee Soda Announces Partnership With National Distributors

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:17:16 +0000

BRUNSWICK, MAINE (November 10, 2011) - Green Bee Soda is pleased to announce a new distribution partnership with National Distributors of South Portland. The partnership is expected to help expand the customer base for Green Bee Soda throughout the entire State of Maine.

“This partnership offers us the potential to leverage the focused capabilities of National along with the reach of the Anheuser-Busch network” says Green Bee Founder & President, Christopher Kinkade.

National has begun distributing Green Bee Soda in Southern Maine and additional distributors within the Anheuser-Busch network will provide statewide coverage.

“We are very excited about the growth potential for Green Bee Soda and look forward to promoting another Maine-made product to our customers.” says Jason Seavey, N.A. Sales Manager, of National Distributors.

About Green Bee Soda

Green Bee Soda is Maine’s newest soda company introducing unique sodas sweetened with Maine wildflower honey. It is the first soda company to exclusively source its sweeteners from local sustainable resources. Look for Green Bee Soda in leading supermarkets, natural food stores, fine restaurants, gourmet shops and fine pubs in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Green Bee Soda is handcrafted and bottled by Green Bee, LLC in Brunswick, Maine.

For more information, visit www.greenbeesoda.com.

About National Distributors

National Distributors is a family owned company that has been providing quality beverages to retailers for the benefit of consumers for over 50 years. Predominantly servicing retailers in Southern Maine, we also distribute and sell wines in Central & Coastal Maine. We are a company with a vision for the future while doing business in Maine. We are concerned about our environment and have an active “going green” program within the company. We stand behind our products while being good community leaders by promoting the responsible consumption of our products.

For further information contact:

Christopher Kinkade

800-494-0802

sales@greenbeesoda.com

Green Bee Soda Launches Blueberry Dream: “A True Taste Of Maine”

admin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:41:44 +0000

BRUNSWICK, MAINE (September 6, 2011) - Green Bee Soda announces the launch of its new flavor Blueberry Dream. Blueberry Dream is handcrafted from Maine wild blueberries, Maine wildflower honey, and fresh ginger. It is an all natural soda designed to highlight the flavor of Maine wild blueberries.

“We’ve gone straight to the fields at the height of harvest and hand-pressed the berries in small batches to offer a true taste of Maine’s native berry.” says Green Bee Founder, Christopher Kinkade. “The berries, along with our use of Maine wildflower honey, result in a truly unique local beverage and a healthy alternative to mass produced soda.”

According to the Wild Blueberry Association of North America, “Wild Blueberries are rich in phytonutrients — antioxidants such as anthocyanin, as well as anti-inflammatories. These natural substances, found in fruits and vegetables, are believed to protect against disease and promote healthy aging.”

Blueberry Dream is now available for delivery in Maine packaged in both single 12 ounce glass bottles and 4-packs.

Green Bee In Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine

admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:53:52 +0000

One of our renewed commitments here at Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine has been taking care of our health. This includes regular exercise and conscious eating habits. Looking for good alternatives to soda, we serendipitously received a phone call followed by samples in the mail of Green Bee All Natural Soda called Lemon Sting. A four-pack later, and we are hooked.

Lemon Sting is handcrafted with carbonated water, Maine honey, natural lemon juice, and rosemary. That’s it. No sugar. No high fructose corn syrup. No junk. We have to say it is ultimately refreshing, light, and delicious!

Inventor and founder of Green Bee Soda, Christopher Kinkade, was thinking about the declining bee populations and the serious consequences of colony collapse disorder when he had an “Aha” moment. Why don’t more products use honey instead of sugar as a sweetener? Honey’s amazing health benefits include vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes, making it a natural choice.

Handcrafted and bottled in Brunswick, Maine, Green Bee is the first soda company ever to exclusively source its sweeteners from local, sustainable resources. It can be purchased in local natural food stores, fine restaurants, leading supermarkets, and gourmet shops. Check Green Bee’s website for a listing of where to buy Green Bee near you. We are fortunate that Good Tern Natural Foods in Rockland carries it!

Green Bee Soda Announces Expanded Distribution

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:55:29 +0000

Green Bee Soda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Apr 14, 2011 – BRUNSWICK, MAINE (April 14, 2011) – Green Bee Soda recently expanded its distribution capabilities to meet increasing customer demand in Maine and Massachusetts. This past week alone, it added fifteen new outlets to its growing client base of retail stores and restaurants.

New customers include:

• Whole Foods – River St. Cambridge, MA
• South End Formaggio – Boston, MA
• Rising Tide – Kittery, ME
• Beach Pea Baking Co. – Kittery, ME
• Golden Harvest – Kittery, ME
• Carl’s Meat Market – Kittery, ME
• Cat’N Nine Tails Country Store – Cape Neddick, ME
• Nature’s Way Market – South Berwick, ME
• New Morning Natural Foods – Kennebunk, ME
• The Chef & Gardener – Saco, ME
• Aurora Provisions – Portland, ME
• Bootleggers – Topsham, ME
• Marie’s Whole Foods – Readfield, ME
• Cellardoor Winery – Lincolnville, ME
• The Red Sleigh – Perry, ME

Further expansion is underway at Green Bee Soda. “We’re experiencing increased demand for our flagship flavor, Lemon Sting” says Green Bee founder, Christopher Kinkade. “We are grateful to our loyal customer base and we are working hard to build a broader distribution footprint so more people can enjoy our soda.”

# # #

About Green Bee Soda

Green Bee Soda is Maine’s newest soda company introducing unique sodas sweetened with Maine wildflower honey. It is the first soda company to exclusively source its sweeteners from local sustainable resources. Look for Green Bee Soda in leading supermarkets, natural food stores, fine restaurants, gourmet shops and fine pubs in Maine and Massachusetts. Green Bee Soda is handcrafted and bottled by Green Bee, LLC in Brunswick, Maine.

For more information, visit www.greenbeesoda.com.

Green Bee Featured In Down East Magazine

admin — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:43:16 +0000

Soda Buzz

September 2010 – Inside Maine

The days of super-sweet commercial soda made with high fructose corn syrup are definitely numbered. So get out ahead of the curve and switch to Maine’s newest soda. Green Bee All-Natural Soda (800-494-0802, greenbeesoda.com) uses only Maine wildflower honey for sweetener, an enzyme-, vitamin-, and antioxidant-rich (not to mention local) alternative to sugar or corn-based sweeteners. Owner Christopher Kinkade bottles the soda at his wife’s catering company, Belle Fete, in Brunswick. So far the company has launched one flavor, Lemon Sting, with only four ingredients: carbonated water, rosemary, lemon juice, and honey. (More flavors are scheduled for release soon.) Pick up individual twelve-ounce bottles or cases of twenty-four at natural food stores and gourmet shops across the state.

Green Bee at The 20 Mile Meal

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:44:37 +0000

We had a great time at the 20 Mile Meal at Turkey Hill Farm in Cape Elizabeth. The event was used to raise both money and awareness of where our food comes from with all proceeds going to benefit Cultivating Community, a local non-profit that operates youth and community development and education programs focused on sustainable agriculture and eliminating hunger. All of the food and beverages at the event came from a 20 mile radius of the farm. It was a beautiful fall day on the farm!

BevNET.com Lemon Sting Review

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:04:17 +0000

BevNET Review: Using a four ingredient formulation consisting of carbonated water, lemon juice, local Maine honey, and rosemary, Green Bee’s Lemon Sting is an extremely enjoyable and well-crafted product. The flavor is straightforward and clean, with a very natural tasting citrus flavor that pairs perfectly with the honey flavor. The rosemary doesn’t really play a big role in the product’s flavor, adding more of an herbal note to the finish rather than something that’s distinguishable as rosemary. Packaging is a 12 ounce brown glass bottle with a blank crown top. It’s simple and has an artisanal vibe to it, with a large lemon image and a bee image placed prominently on the front of the bottle. It’s really not hard to figure out what this product is, while the visual design definitely helps whet the appetite. Overall, a very well executed product that fits nicely into the super-premium CSD category.

Click here for full review

Brunswick’s Buzzing About Green Bee Sodas

admin — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 17:54:49 +0000

By Hilary Nangle on July 4, 2010

I was drawn in by an adult-version of a lemonade stand as I moseyed along Main Street in Brunswick the other day. Christopher Kinkade and his wife, Lori, were sampling their new Green Bee All-Natural Soda in front of Morning Glory natural foods market. One sip of their debut Lemon Sting flavor, and I was smitten. “It’s made from only four ingredients,” Lori said, then ticked them off: water, rosemary, lemon, and Maine wildflower honey.

“I’ve been a home brewer and soda maker for 20 years,” Christopher said, and this flavor was born of his research into beekeeping. “I realized how healthy bee products were, and I thought ‘why isn’t honey used more as a sweetener? You see a lot of organic sugar and evaporated cane juice, and that’s well and good, but why not honey?’”

Why not, indeed.

So he began playing around with Maine-grown honey as a sweetener. “It was a no-brainer. We’re the only local soda company using honey. I love the flavor of lemon and rosemary, and after a lot of experimentation, I said, ‘Aha! This is it.’”

I have to agree. It’s light and lovely, with the subtle sweetness of honey. I drank my sample, then requested more. Currently, it’s only sold at Morning Glory, but with time, it will be available in more stores. Seek it out. And look for a new “top secret” flavor to debut in late summer.

Times Record Feature Story

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:05:28 +0000

From buzz to fizz: Honey sweetens new local soda

The public will get a chance to taste Christopher Kinkade’s Green Bee “Lemon Sting” soda, made with local honey, at Morning Glory Natural Foods in Brunswick on Friday.

(Troy R. Bennett / The Times Record)

By Seth Koenig, Times Record Staff

Published:

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 2:11 PM EDT

BRUNSWICK — As American consumers become more health conscious, uncorking a new soda pop company might seem like a risky business venture. But longtime kitchen tinkerer Christopher Kinkade thinks he’s found the key to creating a tasty soft drink that’s also fairly healthy. Honey.

Kinkade recently founded Green Bee Soda in Brunswick, where he’s begun to distribute the brand’s inaugural flavor, “Lemon Sting.” The Harpswell man stumbled upon the idea during his normal course of dabbling. He roasts his own coffee and bakes his own bread, and, as he described it, “I started getting into beekeeping.”

“The more I got into it, the more I realized we should be using honey more often,” he said. “It’s really an amazing sweetener.”

Natural honey, said Kinkade, is a lower calorie option to the sugars used by most soda producers. It’s also a source of vitamins, natural enzymes and antioxidants.

“Everybody likes the sweet stuff and everybody likes the bubbly stuff,” he said. “But why does it always have to be sugar-based or high fructose corn syrup?”

On Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kinkade and his wife will offer a premiere tasting of “Lemon Sting” at Morning Glory Natural Foods on Maine Street in Brunswick. Kinkade’s wife, Lori, runs Belle Fete Catering company.

The burgeoning soda scientist moved to Maine about five years ago after previous stints in Boston and New York, where he toiled in technology and investment banking. The couple came to Maine in search of a “better lifestyle,” Kinkade recalled, but that quality of life isn’t restricted to just eating healthy.

He wants stuff that tastes good, too. Hence, the calculated choice of precisely which honey to use in Green Bee Soda. For his initial run of bottles, Kinkade used the honey of bees that pollinate Maine wild flowers, knowing the source of the sweetener would be local and abundant — as opposed to, say, honey from bees that alight on orange blossoms.

Local, abundant and yummy, that is.

“I just love the taste of it,” he said. “You put a spoonful of that honey in your mouth and you feel like you’re in a fresh field of wild flowers. It’s hard to make a bad soda when you’re starting with that.”

To round out the mix, he adds rosemary, lemon juice and, of course, carbonated water. That’s the entirety of the ingredients list. No undefinable chemicals or polysyllabic mystery liquids here.

“You don’t need a PhD to read our labels,” he joked.

Kinkade is encouraged by the feedback he’s received on his fledgling soda brand so far. He hopes to add a second flavor to the mix by later this summer, and ultimately build up to “four or five” selections of Green Bee Sodas.

For now, he’s working to create a buzz surrounding the unusual new beverage.

skoenig@timesrecord.com