Brief
Nawty Water expands from KwaZulu‑Natal to over 1,000 South African stores
The South African seltzer brand is scaling its retail footprint after a partnership with Pick n Pay and upcoming listings with Checkers Liquor and OK Liquor.
By Felo News Desk · Published
South Africa’s Nawraw seltzer brand Nawty Water is moving from a regional presence in KwaZulu‑Natal to a national rollout, according to co‑founder Michael Tones. The brand’s listing with Pick n Pay will give it access to more than 560 outlets, and further agreements with Checkers Liquor and OK Liquor are expected to push the total to over 1,000 stores during the summer period.
What happened
Initially, Nawty Water entered the market with a deliberately measured rollout, opening its first 20 stores in KwaZulu‑Natal about a year ago. After securing a shelf‑space agreement with Pick n Pay, the brand will now be available in the retailer’s national network, expanding its footprint from a handful of outlets to a nationwide presence. The company also expects listings with Checkers Liquor and OK Liquor, which together should raise the total number of stores to more than 1,000 by the upcoming summer season.
What the report adds
The article notes that Nawty Water’s growth strategy is built on a “learning‑first” approach. Tones says the brand deliberately slowed its early expansion to understand retailer expectations and avoid the pitfalls that have caused other challenger beverage brands to fail. The brand has also partnered with Smollan, a distribution and retail execution firm, since May to improve shelf presence and gain expertise as it scales.
What was said
Michael Tones told Bizcommunity, “We have taken things slowly on purpose. We saw brands come and then fall away, trying to break into this space and we set out to learn as much as we could from retailers about how to do things, and how not to do things.” He added, “We knew we had to stand out from the start… We cut no corners. We showed up in our first 20 stores the same way we are showing up in our big retailers.” Tones also emphasized the brand’s community‑focused retailer relationships, saying, “We treat store owners and retailers as part of our community, not just a touch point.”
How it came about
The brand’s cautious early rollout allowed it to establish consistent standards across its first 20 stores, including sampling teams, floor‑standing units and a visible in‑store presence. That foundation, combined with the Smollan partnership, positioned Nawty Water to negotiate national shelf space with major retailers. The upcoming listings with Checkers Liquor and OK Liquor follow the same model, aiming to replicate the brand’s early‑store standards at a larger scale.
Key facts
- Nawty Water’s listing with Pick n Pay gives it access to over 560 national outlets. (bizcommunity.com)
- Agreements with Checkers Liquor and OK Liquor are expected to raise the total store count to more than 1,000 by summer. (bizcommunity.com)
- Co‑founder Michael Tones says the brand deliberately slowed its early rollout to learn from retailers. (bizcommunity.com)
- Nawty Water partnered with Smollan in May to improve shelf execution as it scales. (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “Nawty Water’s big retail push: from local demand to national rollout”
