About Grins

The challenge came from a school food service manager: Make a beverage that will appeal to high school kids’ discerning palates, but that won’t load them down with the high sugar and sodium doses found in many of their preferred drinks.A few months later, Ed Battle brought samples to Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, N.C.“They went nuts for it,” he said.All of a sudden, Battle found himself with a beverage that pleased everyone who tried it—adults and kids alike—but nothing to call it.After racking his brain for a name that expressed the positivity and optimism he wanted to send into schools with each bottle of his new product, Battle finally chose the simple expression we all wear when something quenches our thirst, touches our heart or removes a roadblock in our days—a grin.

Grins is a better-for-you beverage with no artificial flavors or colors. It has no caffeine, no carbonation and it meets the high school beverage standards set by the American Beverage Association.With just 50 calories per 8-ounce serving, real sugar for sweetness, fruit and vegetable juices for color and knockout flavor, Grins has plenty to make both teenagers and parents smile.Nathan Battle, a former teacher, coach and administrator at Forsyth Country Day, was so drawn in by the idea that he switched careers to become Grins’ operations manager, known around the office as “Director of Fun.”“Starting a business is hard work, but at the end of the day, you’re driving home and you’re thinking, ‘I’m selling Grins,’” he said. “You can’t have a bad day selling Grins.”

Grins the beverage is about hydrating consumers by providing an option that tastes great, so they’ll choose it over more sugary soft drinks and sports drinks that aren’t as good for them.But that’s just the beginning.Grins has pledged to give a percentage of its gross revenues from sales of beverages, apparel and other products to a variety of charities that help children and families who are going through difficult times in their lives.“There are a lot of people who need grins more than we do, and we want to help them,” Ed Battle said.

Grins also wants to help schools. The Grin and Share It! program helps educators and students raise money for the materials, activities and experiences that contribute to a strong education.

Grins is available in 16.9-ounce bottles in a growing number of retail outlets. Find a full, updated list of where to buy Grins here. The list of school districts serving Grins in 12-ounce bottles is growing by the week. Learn more about which schools serve Grins here. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to find out where our full-flavored beverages will show up next, and enjoy. After all, Life Deserves Grins.