2025 Our First Summer: Real Moments That Made the Season

From beach days to street festivals, this summer wasn’t just hot, it was shared with real moments, real people, and a whole lot of fizz. Say It Ain’t Soda popped up everywhere from BC to Ontario. Whether you found us at your local grocer, caught us at a festival, or joined us for a beach cleanup, you helped us take real soda to the next level.

Retail News: Big Wins, Bigger Reach

We’re beyond excited to share two major milestones for the brand.

We’re now stocked at London Drugs, one of the largest retail chains in BC. This partnership opens up even more opportunities to get real soda into your hands.

And we’re not stopping there. Say It Ain’t Soda is now officially on shelves at Metro, one of the biggest grocery retailers in Ontario. This is huge for us. It means more of you can pickup a can where you already shop, and it’s a major step toward making real soda accessible coast to coast.

Being picked up by these two retailers isn’t just exciting. It tells us there’s real demand for real soda. And we’re here to meet it.

Real Reviews, Real Soda: What Daily Hive Had to Say

This summer, we got a shoutout from Daily Hive, who put all three of our flavours to the test, and they didn’t hold back. What stood out most to them? The realness. In their words, ‘Say It Ain’t Soda skips not just artificial ingredients, but even natural flavorings, something they called “especially unique.”’

They loved that each soda is steeped with real fruit and botanicals (not just essence or extract), lightly sweetened with agave, and finished with crisp BC mountain water. The result? A lineup of drinks that don’t just taste refreshing, they feel like something completely new.

Here’s what they thought about each blend:

Trip to the Tropics

They called this “the perfect drink for a beach day.” The tart grapefruit took the lead at first, followed by smooth guava sweetness and subtle floral hibiscus in the background. They described it as “bright, vibrant, and super refreshing”, a full sensory experience.

Blossoming Orchard

This one “caught me by surprise in the best way,” they wrote. The mix of ume plum, pear, and lavender delivered a juicy sweetness upfront with an elegant floral finish that was neither overpowering nor artificial. They even gave a nod to the “dreamy lilac color,” calling it “super elegant and sophisticated.”

Citrusy Symphony

A clear favorite. With calamansi, blood orange, and star anise, it brought a “bright citrusy scent,” a “serious fruity flavor punch,” and a final note of warmth from the star anise that they said made it “unlike anything I’ve tried before.” Their summary? “Light, refreshing, and beautifully balanced.”

At the heart of it, Daily Hive appreciated that Say It Ain’t Soda doesn’t try to be anything  it’s not. No fake flavors. No health gimmicks. Just real ingredients, bold flavor, and refreshing depth.

We Took Over the Summer Event Scene

This summer, we hit the road, fields, parks, and city streets, to bring Say It Ain’t Soda to the places where real people come together. From street markets to full-on music festivals, We joined in where communities came together, making sure Say It Ain’t Soda was part of the celebration.

We poured at events like From the Ground Up, Feast of Fields, Brewery & the Beast, and Kits Fest, where people tasted Say It Ain’t Soda for the first time, cracked smiles, and cracked open another can.

We also showed up at community-first spaces like Car Free Day and Vegan Night Market, where the focus wasn’t just on products, but on people, values, and shared experiences.

Every event gave us the chance to connect with many people in real time, and it reminded us exactly why we do what we do.

Our Recycling Partnership That Made a Difference

This summer also marked the beginning of a meaningful partnership with Shoreline Rescue Club. It started with a simple story: one guy, a backpack, and a mission to protect the ocean. What began as solo beach cleanups has grown into a full-blown movement, and we knew we had to be part of it.

Together, we launched Say It Ain’t Soda x Shoreline Rescue Club Recycling Program at every event we attended. Here’s the best part: 100% of proceeds from every recycled can collected at our events are donated back to Shoreline Rescue Club to support their work and purchase cleanup equipment. For us, it’s about the full journey, from what goes into the can to what happens after.

Centennial Beach Cleanup: Real People, Real Results

We didn’t just talk the talk, we hit the beach. Last month, we joined Shoreline Rescue Club for a community-led cleanup at Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen, and it was the kind of day that reminds you why this work matters.

With help from volunteers, we collected over 500 items, including:

• 1.46 kg of mostly plastic garbage
• 58 cigarette butts
• 14 aluminum cans
• 23 plastic bottles
• 6 glass bottles
• 6 shoes
• 4 toys
• 2 pairs of sunglasses

Giveaways That Brought the Heat

Nothing says summer like dreaming of sunshine, sand, and somewhere tropical. So we launched our biggest giveaway yet: Win a Trip to the Tropics. One lucky winner walked away with $5,000 toward a dream trip anywhere in the world.

Here’s how it worked: Buy Say It Ain’t Soda, upload your receipt, and get entered. A single can earned one entry, a 4-pack gave you five, and there was no limit on entries. We kept it refreshingly simple.

The response? Unreal. From stories of dream destinations to shared snaps of our customers’ best ways they enjoyed summer, this contest became more than just a giveaway; it turned into a summer-long conversation about where a can of real soda can take you.

Where We’re At Today

We wrapped the summer with new fans, new friends, and more impact than ever. But this is just the beginning. Say It Ain’t Soda is growing fast, and we’re showing up in more places across Canada.

And no matter where you are, it’s never been easier to track us down. Just search soda near me and find your closest stockist.

We’re not slowing down. We’re just getting started.

Conclusion

If this summer proved anything, it’s that people are excited about new, refreshing choices made with real ingredients and real care. Real ingredients, real impact, real connection, that’s what Say It Ain’t Soda is all about. From coastlines to grocery aisles, events to everyday moments, we’ve loved every second of growing this movement with you.

Here’s to more sips, more stories, and more of what matters. Thanks for making it a summer we’ll never forget.