The Alkaline Water Company Expands Natural and Specialty Food Channel With C.A. Fortune

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ and TSXV: WTER), a leading producer of premium bottled alkaline drinking water sold under the brand name Alkaline88^®, today announced that consumer products sales and marketing agency C.A. Fortune is assuming an expanded role for the Company and will become its national broker for the natural and specialty food trade in all territories.

The natural and specialty food channel presents significant opportunities for the Company, particularly given The Alkaline Water Company’s expanding product line. Within this channel, C.A. Fortune has extensive relationships with retailers who rely on the agency, reflecting its philosophy of delivering wholesome, lifestyle-centric brands and its “best in class” reputation. C.A. Fortune works with major retailers such as Sprouts, among others, regional chains and mom-and-pop stores that would be difficult for the Company to reach on its own.

“We are excited to expand our relationship with C.A. Fortune, which has done a great job for us in the markets and channels where we already work together. With its on-the-ground network of more than 375 associated across the country, C.A. Fortune has a true national reach,” said Richard A. Wright, President and CEO of The Alkaline Water Company Inc. “There are thousands of natural and specialty food retailers in this niche that still don’t carry Alkaline88^®. We expect this expanded partnership will lead to increased product availability within this channel and provide a meaningful boost to our sales,” concluded Mr. Wright.

C.A. Fortune is a leading full-service national consumer products sales and marketing agency. It has more than 375 associates nationwide. C.A. Fortune was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Chicago, with regional offices in Cincinnati, New York City metro, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and Portland, Oregon. To learn more about C.A. Fortune, please visit http://cafortune.com/.

C.A. Fortune’s national presence will be very important to both the Alkaline88 and Soothe product lines, as the Company continues to deepen its market penetration on the national level. Strengthening its distribution within an important silo across the country is consistent with the Company’s national expansion strategy. C.A. Fortune has extensive reach and substantial market know-how, due to its nearly 40 years of operating history.

About The Alkaline Water Company Inc. 
The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ and TSXV: WTER) is a leading producer of premium bottled alkaline drinking water sold under the brand name Alkaline88^®. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, the Company produces healthy, all-natural and great-tasting alkaline water for a balanced lifestyle. Founded in 2012, the Company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, and focuses on national distribution and marketing for retail sale of Alkaline88^®, one of the fastest-growing premium bottled water brands on the market. To learn more about The Alkaline Water Company, please visit www.thealkalinewaterco.com or connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.

About Alkaline Water Products
Alkaline88^® is a premier 8.8 pH balanced bottled alkaline drinking water enhanced with trace minerals and electrolytes. The product offers consumers the unique opportunity to purchase alkaline water in conveniently packaged 500-milliliter, 700-milliliter, 1-liter, 1.5-liter, 3-liter and 1-gallon sizes. The Alkaline Water Company Inc. is currently in the midst of a national mass-market expansion program, where the product is already available for consumer sales at a growing number of major retail locations across many parts of the United States. Learn more about the science behind alkaline water by visiting www.thealkalinewaterco.com.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements.” Statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the following: that the natural and specialty food channel presents significant opportunities for the Company; and that the Company expects its expanded partnership with C.A. Fortune will lead to increased product availability within the natural and specialty food channel and that the partnership provide a meaningful boost to the Company’s sales.

The material assumptions supporting these forward-looking statements include, among others, that the demand for the Company’s products will continue to significantly grow; that the past production capacity of the Company’s co-packing facilities can be maintained or increased; that the Company will receive all necessary regulatory approvals for the production and sale of CBD/hemp-infused water; that there will be increased production capacity through implementation of new production facilities, new co-packers and new technology; that there will be an increase in number of products available for sale to retailers and consumers; that there will be an expansion in geographical areas by national retailers carrying the Company’s products; that there will be an expansion into new national and regional grocery retailers; that there will not be interruptions on production of the Company’s products; that there will not be a recall of products due to unintended contamination or other adverse events relating to the Company’s products; and that the Company will be able to obtain additional capital to meet the Company’s growing demand and satisfy the capital expenditure requirements needed to increase production and support sales activity. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, governmental regulations being implemented regarding the production and sale of alkaline water or any other products, including products containing CBD/hemp; the fact that consumers may not embrace and purchase any of the Company’s infused water products; the fact that the Company may not receive approval for any of its CBD-infused products; the fact that even though the Farm Bill was passed into law, the Company may not receive approval from state and local regulatory bodies, the U.S. Drug Association or the FDA for its CBD/hemp-infused products; additional competitors selling alkaline water and enhanced water products in bulk containers, reducing the Company’s sales; the fact that the Company does not own or operate any of its production facilities and that co-packers may not renew current agreements and/or not satisfy increased production quotas; the fact that the Company has a limited number of suppliers of its unique bulk bottles; the potential for supply-chain interruption due to factors beyond the Company’s control; the fact that there may be a recall of products due to unintended contamination; the inherent uncertainties associated with operating as an early-stage company; changes in customer demand and the fact that consumers may not embrace enhanced water products as expected or at all; the extent to which the Company is successful in gaining new long-term relationships with new retailers and retaining existing relationships with retailers; the Company’s ability to raise the additional funding that it will need to continue to pursue its business, planned capital expansion and sales activity; competition in the industry in which the Company operates; and market conditions. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and Canada. Although the Company believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Readers should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in the reports and other documents the Company files with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, and on the SEDAR, available at www.sedar.com.

The Alkaline Water Company Inc.
James Gilmore
Investor Relations
480-656-2423
[email protected]

Richard A. Wright
President and CEO
480-656-2423
[email protected]ealkalinewaterco.com

Media
Jessica Starman
888-461-2233
[email protected]

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About Ryan Allway

Mr. Allway has over a decade of experience in the financial markets as both a private investor and financial journalist. He has been actively involved in the cannabis industry since its inception, covering public and private companies.