st to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 10.5 per cent from 2023-30 to reach US$361.2 billion. Big-box retailers have taken notice of this rapidly expanding market and have been making concentrated efforts to expand their offerings.  In January, the American retail chain Target announced that it is introducing over 1,000 new wellness-related products, from apparel to supplements to snacks and beverages, onto its physical and virtual shelves, to support consumers on their budget-conscious health journey. The company also revealed the launch of an online wellness destination on Target.com, with ideas, products, meal inspiration, and company-exclusive deals shoppers can tag into and explore.  Rick Gomez, Target’s executive vice-president and chief food, essentials and beauty officer, stated in a release, “Wellness has been redefined to encompass a more holistic way of living – and it’s also different for every person.” Gomez said this is why Target is creating the ultimate destination for customers to support their wellness journey, whether that’s enjoying a non-alcoholic beverage from Sèchey or stocking up on Blume, a Canadian superfood latte brand, to get their daily greens.  Four of Blume’s core flavours, Blue Lavender, Salted Caramel, Matcha Coconut and Reishi Hot Cacao, are now available for purchase at select Target locations in the US and on the big-box retailer’s website. Behind the Blume The idea for Blume began to blossom for co-founder and CEO Karen Danudjaja while she was working in corporate real estate and seeking out healthier caffeine alternatives.  In her hunt for drink options, Danudjaja quickly realised there was a lack of healthy yet tasty beverages, especially ones that featured aesthetically pleasing packaging.  That is when the idea to create a ‘functional beverage’, a drink with an additional layer of nutritional and health benefits, began to form. As the brand owner recalled, “Blume was really about finding this beautiful bridge between the beverages that I love to drink – like a pumpkin spice latte – and functional ingredients.” These functional ingredients range from turmeric for immune system support to lavender for soothing anxiety.  With drink packets that come in a colourful range of soothing watercolour tones, and cute accessories such as the brand’s bubble cup, Blume is a far cry from the medicinal or bohemian aesthetic traditionally associated with healthy drink options, an intentional decision on Danudjaja’s part. As the founder explained, “I wanted packaging that provided an easy introduction into superfoods and into the supplement aisle. That’s why we went with these really beautiful pastel colours and playful copy with easy-to-understand messaging that has all been simplified and made to be friendly and easily understood by someone who’s not a [nutritional] expert.”  The company launched in 2017 and the brand is now available in 4,000 stores across the US and Canada. In 2022, the brand raised C$2 million, and landed in all Whole Foods locations across Canada.  Today, Blume is on pace for its first eight-figure year, with 30 per cent growth compared with this period last year.  As of now, Danudjaja told Inside Retail, the brand plans to stay focused on the beverage category. She revealed that Blume will be launching a line of beverages designed specifically for gut health towards the end of February. The founder’s long-term goal is to continue its US expansion, with hopes of launching into Whole Foods locations there soon.