Posca Hydrate, the sparkling hydration brand co-founded by media personality and fitness fanatic Merrick Watts, has announced a strategic partnership with SPC Global. The brand, which “transforms a 2,000-year-old ancient Roman recipe for modern consumers,” will significantly expand its distribution reach through the collaboration as it works toward becoming Australia’s “fastest-growing” functional beverage.
Through this partnership, Posca Hydrate becomes the inaugural brand partner for The Original Beverage Co., SPC Global’s newly launched premium beverage division focused on health and wellness drinks that deliver genuine functional benefits.
“I grew up in Melbourne with SPC products as pantry staples, so this partnership feels like it’s come full circle. We’ve always believed Posca Hydrate can become a legendary Aussie product, and teaming up with SPC, a trusted brand that’s Merrick Watts, Posca Hydrate Co-Founder been in Australian homes for generations, gives us the firepower to make that vision a reality,” says Mr Watts.
Ed Stening, Posca Hydrate co-founder and experienced beverage executive said, “Merrick and I started Posca Hydrate with a bold idea – take what ancient Roman gladiators and scholars were drinking and turn it into something functional, refreshing, and genuinely better for you. For a company like SPC Global with decades of trust behind them to step in and say ‘we’re with you’ – it’s more than a partnership, it’s fuel for what comes next.”
The Posca Hydrate and SPC Global partnership addresses a clear opportunity in Australia’s beverage landscape. As consumers increasingly seek ‘better-for-you’ drinks with reduced sugar and functional ingredients[1], they are simultaneously moving away from traditional sports and energy drinks that can be “heavy on sugar and stimulants and compromising on taste”.
Posca Hydrate offers a different approach: zero sugar, four essential electrolytes, and antioxidant-rich red wine vinegar that supports gut health and hydration – “it’s the elixir to fix ya”. The sparkling formulation and clean ingredients profile appeal to health-conscious consumers who don’t want to sacrifice flavour.
The Original Beverage Co. collaboration provides Posca Hydrate access to SPC Globa’s established distribution network and channel relationships, accelerating the brand’s domestic and global expansion plans.
SPC Global Managing Director Robert Iervasi says, “The Original Beverage Co. was part of the company’s ambitious growth strategy and aligned with changing consumer preferences for premium products which deliver real health and wellness benefits. Working with Posca Hydrate, a brand created to support hydration, as well as overall health and wellbeing, shares our mission to take great-tasting, good-for-you beverages to the world.”
[1] Soft Drinks in Australia: 2024 Industry Overview, Euromonitor.
