# Founder Feature: BJ McCaslin of Holy! Water

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-04-25
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 145
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-04-25-founder-feature-bj-mccaslin-of-holy-water
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/c5bf63aa

## Summary

BJ McCaslin, co-founder of Holy! Water, discusses the functional beverage brand's strategy, which centers on high-dose ketones (BHB), functional mushrooms, and nootropics to address hydration, focus, and non-alcoholic social needs. He details the rigorous R&D process required to mask the bitter taste of these ingredients while maintaining efficacy, and outlines a distribution strategy that leverages personal networks, brokers, and key partners like Live Nation and Khe-Cre. McCaslin emphasizes the importance of human capital, D2C validation, and community-driven growth in navigating a saturated market, sharing lessons from distributor rejections and successful retail placements at Bristol Farms and Sprouts.

## Outline

1. Introduction: BJ McCaslin and Holy! Water Overview
2. Product Formulation: Ketones, Mushrooms, and Flavor Challenges
3. Distribution Strategy: Live Nation, Brokers, and Retail Partnerships
4. Category Positioning: The Rise of Non-Alcoholic and Functional Beverages
5. Marketing and Unit Economics: D2C, Trade Shows, and Human Capital
6. Advice for Founders: Trade Show Execution and Community Building

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Holy! Water (product)
- Vita Coco (company)
- Live Nation (company)
- Ketone IQ (product)
- Recess (product)
- Hi-O (product)
- Poppy & Kin (product)
- Desoi (product)
- Bristol Farms (company)
- Sprouts (company)
- Costco (company)
- Khe-Cre (company)
- Canteen (company)
- Anheuser Busch (company)
- Expo West (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [Health-Ade Kombucha: Daina Trout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout) (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)
- [21 Seeds: Kat Hantas](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-21-21-seeds-kat-hantas) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Andy Dunn of Bonobos](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-04-17-advice-line-with-andy-dunn-of-bonobos) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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