Clearly Canadian
{{Short description|Brand of bottled water}}
{{Primary sources|date=August 2007}}
{{Infobox beverage
|name = Clearly Canadian
|image =Clearly Canadian logo.svg
|caption =
|type = Sparkling water
|manufacturer = Clearly Food & Beverage Company Ltd.
|origin = Canada
|key_people = Paul Tepperman
{{small|(CEO)}}
John Wilkening
{{small|(CFO)}}
|headquarters = Franchisees across Canada
|introduced = December 1987
|color = Clear
|flavor = Sparkling Flavoured & Non-Flavoured Spring Water
|variants =
|related =
|website = {{URL|http://www.clearlycanadian.com}}
}}
Clearly Canadian ({{langx|fr|Clairement Canadien}}) is a brand of premium sparkling waters produced by The Clearly Food & Beverage Company Ltd., in British Columbia.{{cite web |url=https://www.ic.gc.ca/app/scr/cc/CorporationsCanada/fdrlCrpDtls.html?corpId=8232091 |title=Federal Corporation Information |work=Corporations Canada |accessdate=2018-10-06}} The brand was founded in 1987{{Cite web |title=Lions Sale Group {{!}} Import-Export, Sourcing & Bleach Manufacturing Services |url=https://lionssg.com/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=lionssg.com}}{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}{{Cite journal|last=McCullough|first=Michael|date=December 1996|title=Just Add Hype|journal=Canadian Business|volume=69|issue=15|pages=130–132|via=ProQuest}} in British Columbia and is widely recognized in United States, parts of Europe and Japan.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
History
Clearly Canadian was founded in 1987 by Gordon Sim, Doug Mason and others in British Columbia. It is often considered as one of the first premium "new age beverage" products, helping to pave way for the multibillion-dollar market in this category. The brand has produced its products every year since 1987, except for a brief haitus in 2010 and 2011.
Clearly Canadian experienced rapid market-dominating growth throughout the 1990s alongside Snapple and Red Bull, but fell into broad corporate mismanagement beginning in 2000 and up to 2012, when it was acquired by serial entrepreneur, Robert R. Khan, under his 4NCapital Partners investment firm. Large-scale commercial production resumed shortly thereafter in Canada and was precipitated by an online crowd-sourcing campaign that pre-sold in excess of 40,000 cases. Rhett and Link, celebrity hosts of internet comedy show "Good Mythical Morning", played a major role in promoting the campaign to save the beverage of their childhood.{{cn|date=October 2024}}
= Timeline =
{{more sources needed|date=May 2024}}
- 1987: Clearly Canadian flavoured sparkling water is introduced.
- 1993: Annual sales hit $155 million.
- 1993: Royalty agreement with Camfrey Resources is terminated for $22.9 million.
- 1994: Clearly Tea and Clearly Two beverages are test-marketed.
- 1996: Hostile acquisition pursuit of Sun-Rype Products Ltd. initiated.
- 1996: Orbitz, with free-floating gel spheres, is introduced.
- 1997: Cascade Clear Water Co. is acquired.
- 1998: Clearly Canadian O+2, Battery, and Refresher drinks are introduced.
- 2000: Packaging of flagship line is redesigned and diet flavours are added.
- 2001: Founding management exits.
- 2005: Recapitalization brings about new ownership and management.
- 2006: Company founder resigns as chairman.
- 2007: DMR Food Corporation is acquired.{{cite news | url=http://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/DMR-Food-Corporation-Acquired-by-Clearly-Canadian.html | title=DMR Food Corporation Acquired by Clearly Canadian | work=Food Ingredients 1st | date=February 9, 2007 | accessdate=December 22, 2013}}
- 2007: My Organic Baby is acquired.
- 2010: Successful creditor reorganization.
- 2012: 4NCapital Partners, led by Robert Khan, acquires company.
- 2013: Fan-sourced (crowd-sourcing) direct-to-consumer pre-sales campaign.
- 2015: Pre-sale campaign reached its goal of 25,000 cases pre-sold, pushing the product back into production.{{cite web |url=https://clearlycanadian.com/faq-s|title=About Our Products|last= |first= |date=2023|website=clearlycanadian.com|publisher=Clearly Food & Beverage Company Ltd.}}
- 2017: Clearly Canadian producing at national levels in both Vancouver and Montreal.
- 2021: Clearly Canadian is sold in a non-disclosed sale to private investors.
- 2023: Clearly Canadian launches Zero Sugar & Essence Unsweetened portfolios.
- 2024: Clearly Canadian launches its "Originals" in 6-pack SleekCans.{{cite web |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67021821/13714-llc-v-khan/|title=13714, LLC v. Khan (4:23-cv-00960)|last= |first= |date=2023|website=www.courtlistener.com|publisher=Free Law Project}}