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Rejuvia: making your daily living more enjoyable with CBD
Rejuvia is an angel-backed direct-to-consumer, science-driven wellness company that creates innovative, convenient, and efficacious organic CBD products. Through my conversation with co-founder RC Williams, I had the chance to delve deeper into Rejuvia’s mission and their eye-catching product range and learn what’s next for the brand.
The birth of Rejuvia
When RC Williams’ mother, Kristen Williams, handed over a CBD product to him for the first time, he fell in love with it. As an active, multitasking college student, he was impressed by its unique ability to alleviate stress and help him sleep better. After testing out several traditional CBD products, RC and Kristen observed that while these solutions were reasonably effective, they lacked both convenience and transparency about their ingredients. This was a turning point for the mother-son duo. Aiming to educate consumers and break the stigma around CBD products while prioritizing quality, transparency, and convenience, they decided to found a company of their own- Rejuvia.
The mother-son duo
RC is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Economics and is passionate about entrepreneurship and the DTC economy. Kristen spent 30+ years in medical manufacturing before embarking on a new challenge with Rejuvia, bringing in a wealth of expertise in operations and compliance. RC shared that in an industry like CBD where regulations are tricky to navigate, quality and scientific testing are uncompromisable and Kristen’s background is perfectly suited to their pursuit. Together, the team seeks to help consumers live and feel their best selves every day through Rejuvia’s range of CBD products that promote balance, recovery, and sleep.
A bright future for CBD
The market for CBD exceeded $2.8B in 2019 and is set to grow at a CAGR of around 52.7% between 2020 and 2026. There are several key drivers explaining this growth, including the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing the production of industrial hemp after a long history of criminalization. A growing number of CBD applications and a rising awareness of the potential benefits of CBD as not just a medical solution but also as a wellness product have also contributed to market growth. In fact, nearly 7% of American adults already use CBD in the form of tinctures, topicals, capsules, and beverages (in order of popularity) and this base is only expected to grow.
However, is it important to mention that the CBD industry is still grappling with complex and ambiguous regulation nation-wide. Even though CBD is legal at the federal level, legality varies from state to state, and also depends on the source of CBD - industrial hemp or marijuana. Most recently, the transition to the new government has begun to impact hemp and CBD, with many CBD businesses left with limited guidance for their hemp-derived products that were made legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. Another challenge for players in the industry is that CBD user demographics skew young. Americans between the ages 18 and 29 are most likely to use CBD consistently, and its popularity decreases with age.
Nonetheless, there is huge celebrity interest in CBD products. Some familiar names include Martha Stewart, who partnered with Canopy Growth Corp to launch a range of CBD products, Gwyneth Paltrow, who is the CEO of Goop, and Mike Tyson, who operates Tyson Ranch and is building a 420-acre cannabis resort. These are just a few among a large pool of influencers advocating for CBD products. Besides, capital is flowing more freely with several investors like Entourage Effect Capital, Poseidon Investment Management, Casa Verde Capital, ENEXIS AB and others dedicated to the space.
The Rejuvia difference
Focus on efficacy, quality, and convenience
Experimenting with the look, feel, and efficacy of their products, RC and Kristen developed a range of sprays, tinctures, balms, and capsules with the guidance of their scientist, researcher, and doctor partners. The different product formats allow consumers more flexibility in the way they choose to consume CBD - whether through sublingual administration, topical application, or ingestion via the mouth. Rejuvia’s products stand apart from the crowd with their proprietary technology to nano-emulsify their organic CBD, allowing for more than twice the absorption as that of conventional CBD products. They are also 100% THC-free, vegan-friendly, and rigorously tested for purity and potency thrice during the manufacturing process.
According to RC, Rejuvia’s sprays especially differentiate them from other CBD brands. Millennials attach a premium to convenience and wellness on-demand, and Rejuvia’s proprietary easy-to-use spray with organic ingredients is a top choice for their customers.
Digital-first strategy
Rejuvia operates a DTC model, selling products online through their website, while utilizing an influencer marketing strategy to spur greater community engagement, brand partnerships, and capital inflow from partners. With a digital-first approach, Rejuvia seeks to double-down on customer retention and build a loyal fanbase digitally to cut through the noise in a space fast headed towards commoditization.
“Having Lauren behind our brand and helping us break through the noise has been very important. As we think about bringing some of our first partners on board, our goal is to bring on digital influencers and other prominent figures who bring a large, engaged audience as well as CPG/DTC expertise” -- R.C. Williams
Reducing stigma for a range of personas
Rejuvia seeks to democratize CBD products and targets a variety of customer segments - busy professionals with stressful jobs and lifestyles, younger millennial and Gen-Z customers trying wellness solutions for the first time, and active individuals who view CBD products as complementary to their exercise regimes.
November and December 2020 were Rejuvia’s biggest months on record. The brand gained momentum through the pandemic-driven e-commerce explosion. RC explained how the pandemic gave people a chance to pause and reflect on wellness. More consumers have been indulging in mindfulness and self-care and have turned to CBD solutions.
What’s next for Rejuvia
Focusing on early adopters, reinforcing a digitally-driven marketing strategy, and smart technology-powered distribution will be key as Rejuvia looks to capture customer attention in a marketplace crowded by established incumbents.
Rejuvia’s next step is to expand its reach - meet customers where they shop and where they gym - and to that end, RC shared that the team aims to gradually make their way into offline channels. They are also actively looking to raise funds while continuing to pursue their digital community-oriented strategy.
You can learn more about Rejuvia, shop for their CBD solutions and join their wellness community through their website https://www.rejuvia.co/. Also visit their Instagram @rejuviaco- 1% of proceeds go to ‘1% for the planet’ (@1percentftp) for their non-profit causes https://campsite.bio/1percentftp.