Juni, the sparkling adaptogen tea brand co-founded by Jay Shetty, Radhi Devlukia, and Kim Perell, has landed in more than 600 Albertsons Companies stores across California, pushing its national retail footprint past 8,500 locations. The rollout covers participating Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, and Pavilions banners and represents one of the brand's largest single-chain expansions to date.
The Product Proposition
Juni's core line — available in Lemon Zest, Peach, Tropical, and Raspberry — carries USDA Organic Certification, zero sugar, and just 5 calories per serving. Each SKU is powered by the brand's proprietary Super-5™ Blend, which combines ashwagandha, lion's mane, reishi mushroom, acerola cherry, and green tea. The functional positioning targets everyday mood and focus support, a benefits cluster that has gained significant shelf space across the better-for-you beverage segment in recent years.
The Albertsons expansion follows Juni's recently launched Lemonade collection and builds on existing placement at Whole Foods Market, Costco, Target, Kroger banners, and Sprouts. That breadth of conventional and natural-channel distribution is notable for a brand at this stage — suggesting its adaptogen-forward positioning is resonating across shopper demographics rather than remaining confined to the specialty set.
What It Means for Operators
For buyers and category managers watching the functional beverage industry trends, Juni's rapid door count growth underscores how quickly adaptogen and mushroom-based beverages have moved from fringe novelty to mainstream shelf staple. The brand's ability to secure space across value-driven formats like Costco alongside premium grocers like Whole Foods and Erewhon illustrates the broadening consumer base for low-calorie, functional sparkling beverages.
"The momentum we're seeing from both consumers and retailers reinforces that people are looking for beverages that deliver great taste alongside everyday wellness benefits," said Kim Perell, CEO and Co-Founder of Juni. "Partnering with Albertsons Companies is an important milestone in our growth strategy, and we're excited to make Juni even more accessible to shoppers across California."
For hospitality and foodservice operators considering functional non-alcoholic beverages for on-premise menus or retail-to-go sets, category movement like this signals where consumer purchase intent is heading. Brands crossing the 8,500-location threshold with clean-label, functional credentials are increasingly turning up in hotel minibar programs, café grab-and-go sets, and specialty foodservice accounts. Our non-alcoholic beverage coverage has tracked this shift in depth as the NAB segment continues to gain velocity across both retail and on-premise channels.
Co-Founder Radhi Devlukia framed the expansion in mission terms: "From day one, our vision has been to create a beverage that people genuinely enjoy while helping them bring a little more joy, balance, and clarity into their everyday lives."
Juni's retail-first growth strategy — anchored by celebrity co-founders with large wellness-oriented audiences — has accelerated its distribution timeline considerably compared with traditional emerging beverage brands. Whether that velocity translates into sustained velocity at shelf will be the next metric for the category to watch.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
