Metromint Blog

Halloween at Metromint

by Jaime Borschuk, Web & Print Manager

This Halloween, Metromint held an online costume contest for our fans. We were happy to receive a number of costume photos from enthusiastic fans, though we had to select just one winner. Our costume winner is Jenikah. Jenikah spent a week making this beautiful peacock costume by hand! These photos show the costume modeled by Megan Jade:

The Metromint office also held a costume contest among employees.  Founder Rio Miura and President Scott Lowe awarded the grand prize of 1 paid day off work to Jenn Chan, who wore a Bruno inspired Velcro suit that kept her warm, uncomfortable, and sticking to everyone and everything all day long.   Yours truly was declared the 2nd prize winner of a $75 gift certificate to Whole Foods for my Alladin Sane-era version of David Bowie's alter ego Ziggy Stardust, which Metromint President Scott Lowe deemed as "solid." Honorable mentions went to Kiyoe Nakazawa's cheerleading costume, and Tessa Phosrithong's Vampire costume. Go team!

blooms of possibilities

5/13/09
by Michele Thorne, Wellness & Outreach Director

A few weeks ago Jaime, Jenn, and I decided to get out of the office for our Monday morning team meeting. We took a field trip around the corner to Brickhouse restaurant and met over a light breakfast.

The sun was shining beautifully through the big windows and we sat right up front to bask in it. As we were discussing our current projects, I looked up to see three beautiful paintings on the wall, one with a Metromint bottle painted in as one of the subjects. The paintings were created by Hiroko Sakai. She is native to Japan, but lives here in SF now. I decided to interview her via email.

MT: How long have you been painting?
HS: I’ve been painting since I can remember, but my professional art career started in the early 1990’s. In the beginning of my career, I forced myself to “never say I can’t”. Whatever project I got, the first thing I would say is “OK. I can do it!”.

MT: What brought you to San Francisco?
HS: Well, I was in Japan working when I had a medical condition that landed me in the hospital. During that time, I met a man (who was from America) and he encouraged and supported my healing. We had a whirlwind romance and we married in Japan. Shortly after, I moved to San Francisco. I was pregnant when I moved here and it was a huge change. My relationship became abusive and I knew I had to leave. I went to the Asian Women’s Shelter in San Francisco with my 4 month-old baby, which saved my life.

MT: How did you get back to painting after that?
HS: I began drawing to sweep out my stuck emotions which had piled up inside. At first, my sketches were colorless, and then one by one, they slowly came back to my paper. My art was healing.

MT: What was your inspiration to include Metromint in your painting?
HS: I always enjoy doing something fun and playful in my paintings; adapting edgy and/or traditional elements with things that people feel common or familiar with. The painting you saw in the café is called “Mystery” and the inspiration was a parody of the famous statue “Venus de Milo”. I thought it would be fun to add some modern imaginations on her lost arms. Then, I thought Metromint is one of the things that represents a modern, fashionable girl’s life.

MT: Generally, what inspires you?
HS: Life!

Thanks Hiroko! You are an inspiration! Check out Hiroko’s work around town: http://www.hirokosfart.com/Bio/Bio.html

valentine's haiku winners!

2/26/09
by Jaime Borschuk, Web & Print Manager

I would like to thank everyone who submitted a poem or video to us for this contest! It was hard for us to narrow it down to 3 winners, so we chose 3 written haikus and 2 videos. Without further ado, here they are:

Cooling sensations Metromint tickles your tongue No sweeteners, just love --Charlene Jennings

Sorry, Valentine. Metromint has won my heart. I sip. I sigh. Love! --Patricia Gilmore

On Valentine's Day Fill my bath with Metromint Then leave me alone. --PF Dumanis

a little imagination and some tape

1/15/09
by Michele Thorne, Wellness & Outreach Director
 
Every now and again I have to bring my son to the office. It's not because he just wants to hang out with me, nor is it because there is anything especially child friendly about our office. When he is here, though, he finds a way to be creative, and it is inspiring.
 
With palettes of Metromint and Metroelectro, boxes for sending out samples, and of course desks and people, our office doesn’t seem at first sight to be the most creative place. It is a loft with cement, bricks, high ceilings…but there is something. You can feel it when you walk around. Maybe it's the skylight, or maybe it’s Rio's energy, but whenever employees' kids are here, they are moved to create and inspire us too.

If you ever come to our office, which is often mistaken for a café, you might notice a handful of drawings made by our children. If you come on a day when one of them is here, you might see a Metroelectro roboticon with a hydration laser and extra Metromint energy packs! It is amazing what a little imagination and some tape can do!

spicin' up the mail

11/19/08
by Michele Thorne, Wellness & Outreach Director

It is not everyday that I get personal notes, but now and then I will receive a handwritten note from a fan, and I love them. I recently noticed a thick, personalized envelope in my mailbox and, when I opened it up, I was completely blown away! Inside were 16 handwritten thank you cards from the John Marshall High School 5th Period Culinary class students, taught by Ms. Andrea Phillips in Los Angeles, CA. My favorite detail: The cards were created from old cooking magazines.

As if it could get any better than that, the letters were more than a friendly communication. Ms. Phillips let me know that the students’ letters actually help JMHS meet many of their educational standards and school wide learning goals to help the students become effective communicators. One of the letters was from a student named Josue O. who says, “Thank you for giving us some of your product. My favorite was the Lemonmint. I am also glad you gave us this water because both mint and water reduce stress and tension. I’m glad because I’m always studying for tests.”

We wish you all stress-less tests, and to all the culinary students at JMHS, YOU ROCK!

we salute sacramento!

7/29/08
by Jaime Borschuk, Web & Print Manager

from left to right: Brian Bland, Jaime Borschuk, Michele Thorne, Mahru Elahi, Matt Collins, Jon Weber

This month the Metromint Sales and Marketing departments worked overtime to focus special efforts on one location: Sacramento. We participated in local events, found enthusiasts to be in our Sacramento Word-of-Mouth program, advertised in local online publications, worked with regional vendors to offer in-store promotions, offered a free six-case giveaway to area residents (congratulations Heather Masson!), and hit the streets each weekend to hand out free, cold Metromint to folks trying to beat the heat. Why? Well, Sacramento is hot and we knew people would be thirsty. And, since Sacramento is near our home base in San Francisco, we figured we’d just show up and cool everyone off. 

The Sacramento initiative gave us the perfect opportunity to communicate with consumers in the field, and to witness candid reactions to the product first-hand. This is the kind of face-to-face interaction and feedback you can’t get from working inside the office. Weekend street teams consisted largely of Metromint employees who quickly changed hats to reach out to the public. The photo above shows our team on Saturday, July 12, taking a lunch break at a local taqueria in our Metromint whites. We had a great time that night cooling down the crowd at the 2nd Saturday Artwalk.

Cheers Sacramento, it was fun hanging out with you!

gardening is not a rational act

7/1/08
by Jon Weber, Creative Director

When my wife and I first bought our home over 10 years ago, I had little experience gardening. I have fond memories helping my mother turn the soil and tend to the vegetable plots we planted each year, but I had little knowledge of what was happening or the science behind it. All I knew was that I loved getting my hands dirty, and the idea of planting a seed and watching it grow and bare fruit.

The first year we owned the house I killed the front yard, so we needed to replant it. I did a lot of reading, and a lot of hard work went into ripping out the old stuff, replanting, mulching, and reconfiguring the watering system— but I loved it and my work paid off. Well, almost, since there were a number of plants that just didn’t make it no matter how hard I tried.

Next, I tackled the back yard. Knowing that I wasn’t up to the task on my own, I set a modest budget and I hired a landscape architect and a contractor. After approving the plans, I was presented with an estimate that was double the original budget. Instead of modifying the design, I ended up doing a lot of the work myself. From learning how to lay PVC, to digging drainage trenches, to pruning the rhodies, I had to learn a lot on the fly, but I had fun and ended up with what I wanted (with mixed results).

It’s a lot like the work we do at Metromint. Years ago, we planted a seed that had enormous potential. We watered and cared for it. Pulled out the weeds and replanted again. On a daily basis we are challenged with
addressing monumental tasks with modest budgets. If we can’t afford to hire someone to do a project, we end up doing it our selves. Before I started working at Metromint, I never designed a trade show booth, produced a 15-second spot, or even built a web site. But I read books, listened to smart people and implemented what I learned...again, with mixed results.

We have seen resounding growth. We’re now one of the top ten premium waters in the country. And with the introduction of our new enhanced water line, we’re looking for our brand to continue to blossom. Yes, it’s been hard work for everyone involved, but we do it because we love it.

summer hydration

6/11/08
by Rich Kerlin, Metromint Public Relations

I’ve been fortunate during my career to have promoted some pretty amazing ideas and innovations— from floating hotels to airplane internet service to Metromint water. If you’re a publicist, it’s always a big plus when you’re associated with a product that’s forging new territory AND connecting with fans. The rule of thumb is this: if it’s breaking new ground, whatever the product is, it will be newsworthy.

And with Metromint, it's true. I speak with reporters each and every day, and I hear it over and over and over again: Metromint’s different. What’s your secret? It’s great when something so simple can be viewed as such a big idea. But to me, it’s our simplicity that makes us so special. No bells and whistles – just mintwater.

Working in Palm Springs, where the summer heat can often rise to 110 degrees or more, I know firsthand the importance of hydration. That’s why this month we’re promoting the importance of staying hydrated during the hot summer months. We're offering fans and consumers tips about drinking that magic 64-ounces of water per day, drinking water throughout the day, and not relying on thirst as an indicator that you should drink more water. And since my dog, a big Rhodesian ridgeback named Wiser, and I live in one of the hottest places on earth, I follow those rules religiously! In fact, water’s never been so important to me.

I’ll never forget the first time I met the Metromint team in San Francisco. I remember coming away from my interview thinking these people are about big ideas, and it’s true. I have not worked with a nicer group of people— all with passion for the product and a lot of big ideas. It’s invigorating and contagious to be around this positive energy. And since I receive a lot of customer feedback directly from fans like you, I know that you feel the same way about Metromint. So keep your ideas coming. We appreciate them.

Orangemint is my favorite, followed by Cherrymint, our latest. You’ll find my refrigerator stocked full of those varieties throughout the summer. And I’ve noticed lately that when I have friends over to swim, a bottle of Metromint is the first thing they ask for. Of course, that’s after they get their big welcome smooch from Wiser.

Stay hydrated, think big and enjoy your summer!

creating the new

5/7/08
by Rio Miura, Founder of Metromint

When my eyes start opening wide and I start grinning after 10:00 pm, my husband Scott knows what is happening to me. "New ideas!” I don’t know why but I am always thinking about new products which are mostly related to food or beverage. I started to take notes of these ideas with my sketches for years and Metromint was one of them.

When I tried making the first Metromint, it was so funny. It happened at our kitchen one night….all of sudden I decided to put an Altoid in a glass of water, and then a big light hit! It was a moment that I will never forget. I am so excited about creating things— making a sand castle on the beach with my kids ( 6yr and 5yr) or new kinds of beverages for our business. Of course, the beverage making has more risk than the sandcastle making, but I have Scott. He covers various hurdles, letting me walk without having to worry about the challenges along the way— so I can still grin at 10:00pm. Scott and I are great team!

We recently became parents of #3. Baby Eri was born on March 14th at 4:44 am. It was such a fun time delivering Eri. I absolutely enjoyed every moment of the labor. And I am still thrilled doing all the work involved with having a new born in my life, and not enough sleep! Babies are a miracle & fascinating….I am so lucky to have one more chance to raise a person. Is this something to do with “creating?” Then yes, I love being a mom!