# #118 From Bicycle Beginnings to Global Recognitions with Chlorophyll Water Founder, Matt Levine

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2023-12-12
- Length: 47m
- Episode: 2
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-12-12-118-from-bicycle-beginnings-to-global-recognitions-with-chlorophyll-water-founde
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e6a207af

## Summary

Matt Levine, founder of Chlorophyll Water, explains how he launched the first Clean Label Project certified bottled water in the US by starting with a single SKU and delivering product on his bicycle to New York yoga studios. He details his scrappy, bootstrapped approach to securing national distribution with Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Urban Outfitters by leveraging LinkedIn and RangeMe to build direct relationships with buyers without using brokers. Levine emphasizes maintaining profitability over rapid growth, using data-driven sales pitches on RangeMe, and evolving packaging to 100% recycled plastic with clean flake label technology to meet sustainability standards.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Matt Levine and Chlorophyll Water Origins
2. From Bicycle Deliveries to Yoga Studio Distribution
3. Securing National Retail with Whole Foods and Sprouts
4. Scrappy Sales Strategy: LinkedIn, RangeMe, and No Brokers
5. Product Strategy: Single SKU Focus and One Liter Expansion
6. Sustainable Packaging Evolution and Supply Chain Challenges
7. Building Community and Collaborating with Other Founders

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Chlorophyll Water (product)
- Clean Label Project (other)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Sprouts (company)
- Alo Yoga (company)
- Urban Outfitters (company)
- UNFI (company)
- KeHE (company)
- RangeMe (tool)
- LinkedIn (tool)
- Poppi (product)
- Mud Water (product)
- Pizza Cupcake (product)
- Cheeky Chicky Boom (product)
- Santa Cruz Beverages (company)

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- [Hydro Flask: Travis Rosbach. How a thirsty surfer changed the water bottle industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-24-hydro-flask-travis-rosbach-how-a-thirsty-surfer-changed-the-water-bottle-industr) (How I Built This)
- [259 - It's definitely NOT beer with Not Beer founder Dillon Dandurand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-05-01-259-its-definitely-not-beer-with-not-beer-founder-dillon-dandurand) (People of Packaging)
- [S'well: Sarah Kauss](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-04-06-swell-sarah-kauss) (How I Built This)
- [How I Built Resilience: Kara Goldin of Hint](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-01-how-i-built-resilience-kara-goldin-of-hint) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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