Taste Radio

In this episode, we’re joined by Kelly Heekin and Ben Schmidt, the co-founders of premium hydration beverage brand Hoist, who discussed their strategy for mainstreaming a niche concept. Founded in 2009, Hoist was developed to be a more palatable version of Pedialyte, which in recent years has attracted a following among adults who use the products as rapid-hydration recovery drinks. Heekin and Schmidt said that while Hoist was ahead of its time, they were willing to be patient and wait for the market to catch up to the opportunity. “To be successful in this industry, you have to have the staying power and the ability to adapt,” Schmidt said. “It’s not going to be an overnight success, that’s for sure.” The co-founders explained how they incubated the brand for years in their backyard of Cincinnati, which allowed them to learn from mistakes before embarking on a national launch. That strategy is bearing fruit: Hoist is currently available in 10,000 retail locations across the U.S. As part of our interview, Hee