Company: Liquid I.V., Los Angeles, CA
Nomination Submitted by: KWT Global
Company Description: Liquid I.V. is a wellness company based in Los Angeles, CA, created to fuel life's adventures. The product line features great-tasting, non-GMO electrolyte drink mixes made in the USA utilizing Cellular Transport Technology (CTT)® to enhance rapid absorption of water and other key ingredients into the body.
Nomination Category: Thought Leadership Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Thought Leader of The Year - Consumer Products
 Nomination Title: Mike Keech | Consumer Products
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated organization since January 1 2022, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated individual: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 200 words used.
Joining Liquid I.V. in December 2020 as CEO, Mike Keech saw an opportunity to apply 25 years of global brand management and marketing experience to a functional hydration company dedicated to wellness. Under his leadership, the brand has grown nearly 400%. Before Liquid I.V., Mike led well-known brands such as Coca-Cola, L’Oréal, and Ben and Jerry’s and supported their growth, demonstrating knowledgeable experience in understanding consumer trends and the entrepreneurial skills needed to scale growth.
Mike has utilized previous experience to grow Liquid I.V.’s name and status, leveraging the triple bottom line (people, profit, and planet) and expanding the brand reach – resulting in product availability in over 80,000 retail stores, as well as via a unique omni-channel ecosystem. The company's explosion into the powdered hydration space can be attributed to Mike’s dedication to the brand, the leadership of the team, and impact programming. Before Liquid I.V., powdered hydration was not a prominent form of hydration. As a science-backed product offering faster hydration than water alone, 3x the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, and 8 vitamins and nutrients, Liquid I.V. enhances the rapid absorption of water and key nutrients into the body.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the nominee's thought leadership achievements since January 1, 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 232 words used.
Mike is committed to making hydration accessible to everyone, and Liquid I.V.’s growth and expansion are exemplified through the evolution of its impact programs. Impact work began in 2015 with a 500-serving donation and the promise that for every purchase, the company would donate a serving to a person in need. This commitment expanded with over 15 million servings donated in 2023 for a total of over 51.5 million servings donated between 2015 and February 2024. Under Mike’s leadership, Liquid I.V. has intensified its commitment to making hydration universally accessible and fostering growth by developing community impact initiatives. In 2022, Liquid I.V. shifted its focus from the 1 to 1 donation model to working with partners and community leaders already expanding clean water access. In January 2023, Liquid I.V. announced $1.3M in grants for clean water access solutions. Throughout the year, Liquid I.V. expanded this amount for a total of $5M dedicated to impact work, including another $1.85M in water security grants given in fall 2023. Recent grant recipients include MAP International, Mothers of the Amazon, and DigDeep for international and domestic efforts. Under Mike, Liquid I.V. also held its Inaugural Confluence gathering in May 2023, which brought together 10 change-making organizations in water security and provided $50K in grant funding for each participating organization to aid in advancing clean water security.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the nominee's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
Through a grant from Liquid I.V. in 2023, the International Rescue Committee was able to reach over 38,400 drought-affected individuals in Ethiopia and meet critical water, sanitation, and hygiene needs by rehabilitating infrastructure and providing training to local community members within the South Omo Zone. The grant given to UCLA enabled the program to fund three water security projects, an undergraduate research scholars program, an equity, diversity, and inclusion graduate fellows program, and a faculty research project. Additionally, through an ongoing partnership with MAP International, Liquid I.V. has funded the construction of over 20 hand pump wells in rural Liberian communities, and provide water filters in the neighboring country of Burkina Faso. By providing the locals with functioning and sanitary systems, they have been able to avoid previously unsafe drinking conditions that caused infections, diarrheal diseases, childhood malnutrition, and more.
Mike has remained focused on his mission to provide equitable access to clean and abundant water as the foundation of a healthier world. Many hydration brands cater to active individuals by partnering with sports companies, but Mike believes that hydration – and Liquid I.V.’s products – are for everyone. He remains driven by the fact that two billion people across the globe do not have access to safe and clean drinking water and has set his sights on water security by 2050. Since clean water and hydration go hand-in-hand, Liquid I.V. prioritizes investments in projects that address water access issues at their root cause.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 193 words used.
We included two links to press releases announcing Liquid I.V.’s $1.3M in grants for clean water access solutions and the brand’s inaugural Confluence event, both of which provide further detail on Liquid I.V. grant recipients, how funding is being utilized, and Liquid I.V.’s innovative approach to bringing together organizations working toward water access solutions.
Additionally, we included a link to the RETHINK Retail Podcast with CEO Mike Keech, where he discussed his passion for the health and wellness industry and how he is enabling Liquid I.V. to be a force for good. During the interview, Mike speaks to how the impact program has transformed under his leadership, as well as his perspective on working to create lasting impact and change around clean water issues through a 360-degree program.
We’ve also linked to an overview of the Impact on the Road initiative that details Liquid I.V.’s roadtrip from LA to Washington D.C. to capture inspiring stories of changemakers in the water space. Lastly, we've also included a link to a Forbes article from Mike that offers his tips on maintaining momentum after an acquisition.
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