Industry veteran Ryan Kingman is at the helm as president of a new health and wellness startup, Villager Goods, which today is announcing the launch of Villager coconut water this fall.
Co-founded by Saint Archer Brewing Company founder Josh Landan and VP Jeff Hansson, Villager is also backed by 26 of action sports’ top athletes who have signed on as investor-ambassadors, including Paul Rodriguez, Alana Blanchard, Eric Koston, Coco Ho and Keith Malloy, among others.
Ryan Kingman talked with SES about the new venture, and we learned more about why now was the right time to launch Villager, what sets it apart from other coconut waters on the market, and why the brand and opportunity was appealing to him personally.
Who are the owners and executive team behind Villager?
Ryan Kingman: The Villager ownership team is comprised of our 26 athlete ambassadors, whom we refer to as “Villagers,” along with the brand’s co-founders Josh Landan and Jeff Hansson. Jeff and Josh are also the current Board of Managers.
Additional ownership sits with the executive team, which includes myself as President and Jason Schwenck as VP of Sales. There are a few additional investors, as well.
Is there a relationship with Saint Archer in terms of daily operations, staff/management, production, and distribution?
Ryan Kingman: There is no operational connection between Saint Archer and Villager. Several of the Saint Archer ambassadors feel the philosophy behind Villager suits their lifestyle and are therefore investor/ambassadors for both.
What is the brand philosophy?
Ryan Kingman: Villager was born from the idea that a like-minded, health-conscious community of individuals could spark a movement to positively impact the lives of others. We set out to create a brand we believe in, with products that reflect our commitment to living an authentic, healthy, and meaningful lifestyle.
With many coconut water brands on the market, what opportunity did you see to launch a brand like Villager? How is Villager different than other coconut waters?
Ryan Kingman: While there are certainly established brands in the channel, they are not connecting in an authentic way with our community – particularly younger consumers.
Our vision is to create a brand and movement toward good; one we can all truly believe in, invest in (both literally and figuratively) and feel great about promoting. We will carry this authenticity into other consumer markets as we grow.
Villager coconut water products are organic, and not-from-concentrate. Today’s consumers are very conscious of what they’re putting in their bodies and as a result they want to invest in brands that they feel good about buying and consuming. Our intention is to use our collective influence to create and promote something good.
What about the product strategy sets Villager apart from other brands you have worked on, and why was this new venture appealing to you?
Ryan Kingman: First and foremost it’s something I consume. I give it to my kids to drink. Clearly I believe in the product and that’s really important to me personally. This has been a common theme with the brands I’ve worked in throughout my career. The alignment of heart and mind is important when you create a product, as this is where success starts.
Each product strategy is similar in that it begins with development of the supply chain, followed by the implementations of systems and process to ensure efficiency, and being cost conscious without sacrificing quality. In the case of Villager, it’s simply new vendors and sources with different rules and regulations.
I was drawn to the idea of exploring an entirely new product category and distribution space. I’ve never worked in consumer packaged goods, and recognized this as an opportunity and a challenge. While the industry is totally different from previous brands, I have the ability to stay close to my heart from an ideology, culture and people standpoint. And, it’s an opportunity to do something fun, work alongside people I like, and create a product we know will better lives.
What can we expect from Villager on the marketing front?
Ryan Kingman: Stories. We have an incredible group of people representing the brand, and they are doing amazing things. Villager is simply a conduit through which they can share their incredible experiences. Whether it’s the story of their personal journey, or an expression of what they believe in, Villager is their communication platform. Josh Landan is a filmmaker by trade and passionate about creating content which will provide a great opportunity for us to communicate brand ethos and story.
From a tactical standpoint, we are focusing on many different forms of media, from paid to owned and earned. There are some traditional models in beverage we will also address, but our focus is amplifying the culture and authenticity that is innate to our brand, and sharing it with endemic and other key audiences.
Where will Villager be distributed?
Ryan Kingman: We are launching in select Southern California grocery, natural, and convenience stores with plans for strategic expansion across the continental U.S. and Hawaii. We’re also exploring what the specialty footprint will look like in traditional surf, skate and snow stores.
What have been some of the biggest challenges so far as the brand prepares to launch this fall? Greatest successes?
Ryan Kingman: Starting any company is challenging, plain and simple. Maintaining fiscal responsibility while also not being too frugal is an interesting dynamic. There are certain areas that you simply have to invest: supply chain, legal, etc. You can also be creative in how you approach it. We’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time and been challenged in ways we didn’t think we would be.
Saint Archer expanded into apparel, are there plans at this point for Villager to add other products or categories?
Ryan Kingman: We will be producing a small line of printables and accessories to complement the brand and help us share our brand in ways other than beverage. We don’t have any current plans to develop anything substantial. There are plans to collaborate with what we consider like-minded brands on products that have some correlation to our brand, the product, our story, and our Villagers.
