From Coffee Shops to Fitness Brands: Who Uses White Label Drinks and Why?
In the increasingly competitive world of consumer goods, white label products have become a powerful strategy for companies looking to build a unique brand without manufacturing from scratch. One category that’s quickly gaining attention is white label drinks—beverages produced by one company and rebranded by another for sale. But beyond the expected grocery chains and private retailers, a surprising range of businesses—from boutique coffee shops to modern fitness brands—are jumping on the white label trend. Why? Let’s explore the logic, advantages, and niche opportunities driving this movement.
More Than Just Supermarkets
When people think of white label products, they often picture supermarket shelves filled with private-label soda, water, or juice. But in recent years, the white label drinks concept has evolved beyond retail chains. Businesses of all kinds are discovering the potential of custom-branded beverages as both a revenue stream and a brand enhancer.
One key reason is differentiation. In a saturated market, it’s hard to stand out. Offering your own beverage—whether it’s a cold brew, a protein shake, or a botanical tea—adds personality to your brand and gives customers something to remember you by. Let’s look at the industries embracing white label drinks and what they’re achieving with them.
1. Coffee Shops and Cafés
Independent cafés are turning to white label drinks to offer bottled cold brews, specialty lemonades, or even kombuchas with their own branding. These drinks often reflect the café’s identity—minimalist, eco-conscious, trendy, or artisan. Bottled beverages also serve as “take-home” products, increasing the chance of recurring purchases beyond a single café visit.
For example, a local café might offer its own label of nitro cold brew in glass bottles, subtly reinforcing its brand aesthetic and appealing to its loyal customer base. Plus, selling pre-packaged drinks helps expand business hours—your brand continues to sell even after your shop closes.
2. Fitness Studios and Gyms
Fitness-focused businesses have found an ideal match in white label functional beverages. Think: post-workout protein shakes, collagen-infused waters, or electrolyte-rich drinks with natural ingredients. For fitness brands, selling white label drinks does more than generate revenue—it reinforces the lifestyle they’re selling.
Instead of promoting third-party drinks, they offer their own line that reflects their philosophy: clean ingredients, performance-focused, and aligned with their community’s values. It also becomes a smart marketing tactic—customers feel like they’re consuming something exclusive and curated.
3. Wellness and Spa Brands
Spas, wellness retreats, and yoga studios often emphasize holistic living and curated experiences. Offering a line of detox juices, herbal teas, or CBD-infused drinks under their own brand name enhances the luxurious and personalized atmosphere they’re creating. White label drinks become part of the wellness journey, rather than just a menu item.
For instance, a meditation retreat center might provide guests with branded “Calm Elixirs”—herbal infusions in stylish glass bottles, designed to promote relaxation. Guests take them home as souvenirs, and the brand subtly expands its reach beyond the retreat itself.
4. Influencers and Content Creators
A relatively new but rapidly growing niche is influencers launching their own beverage lines. With loyal followers and strong personal brands, they use white label drinks as a vehicle to monetize their identity. From YouTubers offering gaming energy drinks to wellness influencers launching plant-based tonics, the possibilities are endless.
White label partnerships let influencers skip the complex manufacturing process and go straight to branding and marketing—areas where they excel. The result is often a fast-launch product that resonates with a highly engaged audience.
5. Hotels, Events, and Co-working Spaces
Branded drinks can also be powerful marketing tools for locations and experiences. Hotels might offer in-room bottled water or juices with their own logo. Event organizers can create limited-edition drinks for festivals or product launches. Even co-working spaces use branded coffee or tea cans to boost community feel and brand loyalty.
In all these cases, white label drinks transform from mere refreshments to branded storytelling tools.
Why It Works: Flexibility and Identity
What makes white label drinks such a compelling strategy is the balance of flexibility and identity. Businesses don’t need to invest in equipment, supply chains, or recipe development—manufacturers take care of that. Instead, they focus on packaging, design, flavor profiles, and positioning that align with their brand.
This model reduces risk, shortens time to market, and allows for rapid experimentation. A café might test a seasonal limited-edition drink. A gym could trial different functional drinks to see what sticks. All without major commitments.
Conclusion
The rise of white label drinks reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior—people aren’t just buying products; they’re buying identities, experiences, and affiliations. Businesses of all kinds are realizing that owning a beverage brand isn’t just for beverage companies. It’s for any business that wants to enhance customer experience, deepen loyalty, and tell a story.
Whether it’s a cold brew with your café’s name, a hydration drink with your fitness logo, or a wellness elixir for your retreat center, white label drinks offer a sip-sized way to scale your brand. And in a world where brand is everything, that may just be the smartest move on the menu.