Episode Details

Chris Lacorata Shares About the Drink Roman Gladiators Used, Now Coming for Gatorade's Crown in Graasi

Published 6 months, 2 weeks ago

Guest: Chris LaCorata, Co-Founder of Grassi, a certified organic barley grass juice powder beverage built for hydration, immunity, and recovery.

In this episode, we cover:

How a series of factory closures and the NAFTA era inspired Chris to build a manufacturing-rooted brand in America
Why the pandemic forced a pivot — and how that pivot led to Grassi
What makes barley grass juice powder a superfood (all 8 essential amino acids, blood/liver detox, zero gluten)
Why Grassi is positioning itself as the healthy alternative to soda AND plain water — "hydration with benefits"
The branding strategy behind going retro/vintage instead of clinical or farmer's market
How they're building a family-run company with intentional, values-aligned distribution partners
Their partnership with an MMA training center and why athletes love it for recovery
Being named Barley Beverage of the Year 2025 by Lux Life AND becoming a finalist at Expo West (Specialty Food Industry) out of 1,000+ brands
What channels they sell through: grassi.com, Amazon, Walmart, Public Square, Faire, and now Gourmet International (nationwide)
Why convenience stores, youth sports, and professional athletics are their biggest growth targets

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