Banana Wave

Banana Wave operates in the competitive plant-based beverage market, offering a differentiated product centered on banana as a primary ingredient. The company, which also does business as Fresh Start Beverage Co., was founded in 2013 by H.E. Neter Kush Ben Alkebulan, his fiancée Trendolyn Hopkins, and his mother Claudette Patron. The product's origin is rooted in a multi-generational family recipe from Africa's Nile Valley. The founders demonstrated significant early-stage dedication, including living out of a car for six months to save money and intensively studying business fundamentals.

The company's flagship product is a non-dairy milk alternative made from whole bananas and oats. This combination aims to provide a creamy texture without the fat content often found in other plant-based milks. The product line is shelf-stable and includes Original, Chocolate, Strawberry, Mango, and Unsweetened Original flavors. Nutritionally, the beverages are promoted as being rich in potassium, fiber, Omega-3s, and a range of vitamins, while also being gluten-free, fat-free, soy-free, and Non-GMO Project Verified. The business model is focused on retail distribution through major grocery chains and online sales. Initial traction was gained through farmers markets before securing placement in Whole Foods, which was followed by expansion into other large retailers like Wal-Mart, Kroger, Albertsons, and Sprouts.

In 2014, the company won the People's Choice award at Florida Atlantic University's business plan competition, which, along with funds from friends, family, and angel investors, provided crucial early capital. By September 2020, Steven Gelerman, a food industry veteran, was the CEO. A significant milestone occurred in November 2021, when Canadian investment firm Eat & Beyond Global Holdings Inc. announced its acquisition of Banana Wave by purchasing its parent company, Mylk Brands Inc. This acquisition was intended to provide the necessary capital for marketing and distribution expansion to help the brand scale and potentially lead to a future public offering or sale to a larger conglomerate. Following the acquisition, Banana Wave continued its expansion, securing a distribution agreement with Hannaford Bros. supermarkets in the Northeastern United States in October 2022.

Keywords: banana milk, dairy alternative, plant-based beverage, oat milk, Fresh Start Beverage Co., non-dairy, vegan milk, shelf-stable milk, food and beverage, H.E. Neter Kush Ben Alkebulan, Steven Gelerman, Eat & Beyond, retail food products, natural foods, healthy beverages, superfood drink, gluten-free, non-GMO, functional beverage, fruit-based milk