We interviewed Alex Vialy, co-founder of Blue Bear, a wellness company known for its innovative sleep and relaxation drinks. Alongside his partner Justin, Alex has been instrumental in growing Blue Bear from a simple idea born out of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic into a company that is not only unique in its product offerings but also committed to quality, sustainability, and kosher certification. In our conversation, Alex shares insights into the company’s journey, the motivation behind their products, and the new developments on the horizon.

OU Kosher: Alex, please tell us about your story, how you founded the company. 

Alex: I’m a co-founder and have stepped away from day-to-day activities. I used to be COO.  As of last month, I’ve resumed a legal practice because I’m an attorney.

The team is growing at Blue Bear, and I switch roles often. Now, it’s mostly in Justin’s domain, and I have more of an advisory role as co-founder—a kind of counsel position. He and I talk a lot.

The company began in the wake of COVID when everyone’s sleep schedules were off. Justin had this idea to find products that could help with improving sleeping habits. With the shift to working from home and disrupted routines, it was hard to get back on track if you were behind on sleep. So, we looked at what was available—mostly pills and powders. While effective, they weren’t exactly enjoyable.

We thought, why not offer something in liquid form? For instance, melatonin, a popular sleep supplement, is absorbed 80% faster as a liquid because of its large surface area. We also chose flavors that are really tasty, like white peach tea. We thought, why not make a sleep tea in a can, ready to drink?

The Unique Position of Blue Bear in the Market

OU Kosher: Are you the only one in this space? Are there other companies doing that kind of packaging for a sleep supplement?

 Alex: We were surprised that others haven’t really done it, even after a couple of years in business. To answer your question, yes, specifically for sleep tea, we are the only one offering it in a can. You can find chamomile tea bags marketed as nighttime tea, but it’s not a ready-to-drink format like ours, where you can just pop it open from the fridge. On the flip side, there are sleep drinks, but we weren’t fans of them. Neurosleep, for example, has been around for about a decade and performs well, but it comes in a big plastic bottle filled with sweet orange liquid. We thought that’s not what you want before bed—it’s almost like a Gatorade.

OU Kosher: What does your label look like then? What are you doing in terms of additives? I assume there’s no sugar, right? It seems strange that someone would sell a sleep drink loaded with sugar.

Alex: Yeah, we actually use the same formulation team that Neuro used at one point. We asked why this product is doing well when it has sugar? It’s supposed to help you sleep! Some of our competitors also started with sugar in their formulas, which was something we wanted to avoid at all costs.

Creating the Blue Bear Brand

OU Kosher: Was it your research that encouraged you to create the business?

Alex: Absolutely. Recognizing the gap in the market was key, especially for Justin. He had the vision not just for the functionality of the product—helping with sleep as a supplement—but also for the branding. That’s really his strength. He’s done other projects in the past, and he realized that “Blue Bear” not only rolls off the tongue with a nice alliteration but also conjures the image of a resting, hibernating bear. Plus, there’s a clever play on words—Blue Bear is the opposite of Red Bull. There are layers to it, and I’ve loved working on this and growing the business. The product also speaks for itself. I’ve sold things in the past, but this product really does help you sleep and tastes great.

Our goal was to become like Red Bull, but for sleep drinks. In the 1980s, when Red Bull came around, they were pitching their energy drink to beverage buyers, who were like, “What’s an energy drink? Do you mean coffee?” We want to do the same for sleep drinks. If you ask someone what a sleep drink is now, they might think of a chamomile tea bag. We’re not quite a household name yet, but that’s the goal with our further production runs.

OU Kosher: The look and feel of your product definitely contributes to that sense of nighttime relaxation with the blues and darker colors. Can you tell me what your label looks like?

Alex: In addition to tea, melatonin is the main supplement, which really helps with sleep. But we’ve also included a mix of other herbs and adaptogens that, in combination, have more of an effect than your average melatonin pill.  We recently increased the dosage because we received feedback from customers asking for the daily recommended dose. There’s also Lavender, known for its calming properties, and chamomile. We worked closely with our formulators to include everything that’s healthy and can help you sleep or relax. We also added GABA and L-theanine, which are newer ingredients recognized for promoting relaxation.

OU Kosher: Alex, what exactly is an adaptogen?

Alex: An adaptogen is a type of molecule that has a specific effect on your brain. They’ve become popular recently, especially among fitness enthusiasts who promote adaptogens for focus. But adaptogens can also promote calmness, which is why we focus on them.

The Challenges of Introducing a New Product Category

OU Kosher: So, in terms of innovation, you’re really talking about creating a new class of products, almost a new category.

Alex: Exactly. The category is new, and that’s been a challenge for us. A lot of what we do involves educating people. Building a brand in an unsaturated market has its pros and cons. The challenge has been gaining traction because people might not understand or might not think the market is ready for this kind of product.

OU Kosher: So how are you doing? How are you balancing retail shelves with direct sales?

Alex: We haven’t focused much on retail. Initially, we thought the business would be primarily online, and to an extent, that’s still our belief. Our main revenue channels are Amazon Prime and our website. However, it seems like our vision of a fully online business isn’t quite in line with the current market reality. The reality is that 80% of beverages are sold in physical retail locations. We thought we could thrive with just 20% of that market share, but while our sales are growing, we still want to be more widespread. So, we recently partnered with a broker to help us get into physical locations. He’s pitching to places like Vitamin Shoppe, Walmart, and Walgreens. Whole Foods is in the mix too, but probably not in the first round of pitches. It seems to depend a lot on the broker’s relationships, but we’re very interested in working with Whole Foods, given our natural and organic profile.

The Decision to Pursue OU Kosher Certification

OU Kosher: It sounds like a great fit. Alex, can you share a little bit about your decision to get kosher certification?

Alex: Well, I’m Jewish, and I wanted to honor the Jewish tradition by having our product be kosher.  My rabbi, who has become a great mentor to me over the past year or two, suggested that we look into kosher certification for our next production run. It was fascinating.

OU Kosher: And why did you choose OU Kosher?

Alex: As basic consumers, we felt that OU has a stronger presence compared to other certifications like KSA or the alternatives.

OU Kosher: Well, it is ubiquitous. You made the right decision; it’s definitely the best-known brand out there.

OU Kosher: In terms of sustainability, is that something on your radar?

Alex: It is, although as a small business, our impact is somewhat limited. We factor sustainability into our decision-making process, particularly on the supply chain side of things. We work with partners who prioritize recycling. Many of our suppliers are certified for their environmental practices in harvesting and sourcing ingredients, and the same goes for our co-packing manufacturer. We work with some of the big players in the industry who charge a premium, but they have the best factory protocols and certifications.

For example, our manufacturer recommended using aluminum cans because they are much more recyclable than plastic. Aluminum breaks down and is recycled much faster than plastic, which, while slightly cheaper, isn’t as eco-friendly. We also prefer the feel of aluminum, which aligns with our brand.

OU Kosher: I have to tell you that I try to avoid plastic containers. I’m more inclined to buy something in aluminum.

Alex: Same here. There’s so much information out there, and it’s hard to know what’s right. You can find articles arguing both sides of an issue. But with the recent discussions about microplastics, I’m also trying to stay away from them.

OU Kosher: In terms of customer feedback, how are you connecting with your customers?

Alex: That’s an ongoing process for us. We’re always trying to improve. The most basic way we connect is through reviews, especially on Amazon, which is our main revenue source. On Amazon, reviews are not prompted or incentivized—you can’t offer rewards for them. It’s all pretty much anonymous, and Amazon handles the customer interactions.

We pay close attention to these reviews. Recently, one came in that really stood out. A customer wrote a few paragraphs explaining how she integrated our product into her nightly ritual. She mentioned being sensitive to overly sweet things before bed, but our product hit the right spot for her. That feedback mirrored our own enjoyment of the product and was really affirming to see.

Expanding the Product Line: Blue Bear Relax and Blue Bear Refresh

OU Kosher: As far as the future goes, are there any plans, or is the goal to hold steady and scale the business?

Alex: The plans are actually coming to fruition. Right now, we’re in the fifth week of our production run for a new product line we’re introducing to the Blue Bear world. The whole theme has been sleep health, but at our core, we’re a wellness company. The two new products we’re introducing are similar but designed for different times of the day when you might want a drink.

The first product is called Blue Bear Relax. It still has chamomile and we have added a little lemon balm but doesn’t contain melatonin or Ashwagandha, which were the main drivers for the sleep effect. It’s still enjoyable, and you can have it whenever you want to relax. The second product, which will be the third in our lineup, is called Blue Bear Refresh. Refresh doesn’t have any relaxing adaptogens or herbs; it’s more about hydration and immunity support with ingredients like sea salt and vitamin c blended in a refreshing raspberry peach green tea. It’s really refreshing—though I hate to use that word, but that’s the idea. It also includes ingredients like holy basil and zinc to help add to the immunity support.

OU Kosher: It sounds like you’re staying true to your theme of nutrient-rich, functional ingredients.

Alex: Exactly. We don’t want to be just another empty, sugary drink. Our products are made with premium, healthy, functional ingredients. People who take the time to read labels before buying are the kind of customers who enjoy Blue Bear, and that’s who we’re targeting with these new products.

OU Kosher: So these new drinks are meant for the middle of the day, more for energy?

Alex: Not specifically for energy. We debated making it more of an energy drink, but we settled on an all purpose anytime of the day refreshing tea instead. Some of our customers told us they love the product but can’t drink more than one can without falling asleep. The idea was to offer something that people could have one, two, or even three of during the day without dozing off. We’re expanding into both day and night.

OU Kosher: That’s great. Just to wrap up, what advice would you give to someone starting a food or beverage company?

Alex: I’d say that, from my experience—having been both a lawyer and an entrepreneur—being a lawyer is much more regimented. There are rules to follow, deadlines, and a clear process. But as an entrepreneur, you have to be ready to create your own structure, set internal deadlines, and take responsibility for everything because no one else will enforce it for you.

For instance, with our new production run featuring the new products, we’re producing more than triple the inventory we’ve ever made. It’s taken up a whole warehouse in Orange, CA, near where we are. For entrepreneurs, my advice is to do whatever it takes—don’t be afraid to Google things, call friends for advice, or even ask for money. We’re figuring out if we want to open a round of investment to continue scaling, which comes with its own challenges.

Looking Ahead: Scaling Blue Bear

OU Kosher: That’s a huge step. Is your distributor ready to sell those units?

Alex: That’s been the recent discussion. It’s a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg situation. Our distributor wants the units produced before providing samples to buyers to finalize deals. He’s started soft discussions about purchase orders, and as soon as the products are ready, we’ll get the samples over, close the deals, and hopefully, you’ll find us in regional or national retailers.

OU Kosher: That’s exciting and a significant inventory for anyone.

Alex: Yeah, it is.

OU Kosher: Alex, I really appreciate your time. It was great talking to you, and I wish you and the team the best. Your packaging is incredible, and the look and feel are all there. Now it’s just a matter of getting it in front of enough people.

Alex: Thanks, I appreciate that. And thank you for your time as well. 

OU Kosher: Let us know how you’re doing, and we’ll do whatever we can to help you get the word out.

https://bluebear.com/