Alkaline88® Launches in 2,400 Rite Aid Stores Nationwide

The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ and TSXV: WTER) (the “Company”), a producer of bottled alkaline water, flavored-infused waters, and CBD infused products sold under the brand names Alkaline88®, A88 Infused™, and A88CBD™, respectively, today announced that its flagship brand, Alkaline88™ will soon be available in all 2,467 Rite Aid stores nationwide. 

“We are excited to announce that our flagship brand, Alkaline88®, will soon be available at over 2,400 Rite Aid stores. This is a major win for us in the drugstore trade channel as the brand has a very loyal following of customers. Their wellness and loyalty program, which rewards members on purchases, has over 13 million active users, and their retail stores serve 8.2 million customers per week. Rite Aid’s renewed focus on wellness and family-friendly stores align with our brand philosophy of clean and pure beverage with no added chemicals or preservatives. We believe customers will enjoy Alkaline88’s smooth taste, and we look forward to introducing them to our growing line of flavor-infused waters and our CBD line in the future,” stated Richard Wright, President, and CEO of The Alkaline Water Company.

Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation’s leading drugstore chains and the largest on the east coast. Founded in 1962, the company operates approximately 2,400 stores in 18 states with a strong presence on both the East and West Coast. 

About Rite Aid Corporation

Rite Aid Corporation is on the front lines of delivering health care services and retail products to over 1.6 million Americans daily. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to engage with customers and improve their health outcomes. Rite Aid provide an array of whole-being health products and services for the entire family through over 2,400 retail pharmacy locations across 18 states. Through EnvisionRxOptions, Rite Aid also delivers pharmacy benefit management to approximately 1,900 clients and 3.4 million members.

About The Alkaline Water Company Inc.

Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company (NASDAQ and TSXV: WTER) is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkakline88®, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88® delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts our trademarked label ‘Clean Beverage.’ Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88® launched A88 infused™ in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 infused™ flavored water is available in seven unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the Company launched A88CBD Infused™ brand, featuring a broad line of topical and ingestible products. These products are made with lab-tested full-spectrum hemp and include salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, bath-salts, CBD infused drinks, beverage shots, tinctures, capsules, gummies, and powder packs. To purchase A88CBD Infused™ products online, visit us at www.A88CBD.com. To learn more about The Alkaline Water Company, please visit www.thealkalinewaterco.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

The Company intends to comply in full with all federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations as the Company develops its CBD-infused ingestible products. The Company will not pursue the commercial production or sale of CBD-infused ingestible products until legally permitted.  The Company is closely watching and responding to all regulatory developments within the FDA and in each individual U.S. state, and plans to launch its CBD infused ingestible products accordingly.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements.” Statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the following: that the Company looks forward to introducing them to the Company’s growing line of flavor-infused waters and the Company’s CBD line in the future.

The material assumptions supporting these forward-looking statements include, among others, that the demand for the Company’s products will continue to significantly grow; that the past production capacity of the Company’s co-packing facilities can be maintained or increased; that there will be increased production capacity through implementation of new production facilities, new co-packers and new technology; that there will be an increase in number of products available for sale to retailers and consumers; that there will be an expansion in geographical areas by national retailers carrying the Company’s products; that there will be an expansion into new national and regional grocery retailers; that there will be an expansion into new e-commerce, home delivery, convenience, and healthy food channels; that there will not be interruptions on production of the Company’s products; that there will not be a recall of products due to unintended contamination or other adverse events relating to the Company’s products; and that the Company will be able to obtain additional capital to meet the Company’s growing demand and satisfy the capital expenditure requirements needed to increase production and support sales activity. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, governmental regulations being implemented regarding the production and sale of alkaline water or any other products, including products containing hemp/CBD; the fact that consumers may not embrace and purchase any of the Company’s CBD-infused products; the fact that the Company may not be permitted by the FDA or other regulatory authority to market or sell any of its CBD-infused products; additional competitors selling alkaline water and enhanced water products in bulk containers reducing the Company’s sales; the fact that the Company does not own or operate any of its production facilities and that co-packers may not renew current agreements and/or not satisfy increased production quotas; the fact that the Company has a limited number of suppliers of its unique bulk bottles; the potential for supply-chain interruption due to factors beyond the Company’s control; the fact that there may be a recall of products due to unintended contamination; the inherent uncertainties associated with operating as an early stage company; changes in customer demand and the fact that consumers may not embrace enhanced water products as expected or at all; the extent to which the Company is successful in gaining new long-term relationships with new retailers and retaining existing relationships with retailers; the Company’s ability to raise the additional funding that it will need to continue to pursue its business, planned capital expansion and sales activity; and competition in the industry in which the Company operates and market conditions. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and Canada. Although the Company believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Readers should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in the reports and other documents the Company files with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, and on the SEDAR, available at www.sedar.com.

The Alkaline Water Company Inc.

Richard A. Wright President and CEO 800-923-1910 [e-mail]

Media

Jessica Starman 888-461-2233 [e-mail]

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