After thirty years in the beverage business, it’s the innovation and drive of our Rain Makers that make our story unique and define who we are.
Take a trip down memory lane with us to see some of the highlights…
Our History


Two men walk into a bar...
Their idea: fizzy, sparkling water with natural flavors. But what to name it? Hmmmm, something with rain. It’s raining outside and the Talking Heads are playing in the background. “All wet! Hey, you might need a raincoat. Shakedown! Dreams walking in broad daylight. Three hun-dred six-ty five de-grees. Burning down the house…” Talking Rain is born.


The Foundation
Two moves that would come to define us: relocation to Preston, WA and the launch of Sparkling Ice®.


Sip for a Cause
We were the first beverage sponsor to join the Susan G. Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure®.


Addition of a Moat!
JK. Kinda. Our grounds flooded, forming a “protective” waterway around the entire plant…every time it rained in the PNW. Stacked pallets formed our “highway to civilization.”


Sugar Free!
We changed the sweetener in Sparkling Ice® to sucralose – becoming the 1st beverage company in the U.S. to do so.


End of ze World!
We (as in, like, the whole world) were all super worried and so we ran our plant 24/7. You know, just in case.


Launch of ActivWater and Twist
Fun fact: Our Twist slogan was, drumroll please, “Twy One.”


Igniting Sparkling Ice®
After a surprise upset, our little underdog went from a PNW exclusive, to a regional launch in the Midwest with Kroger, to a national brand in aisles near you.


Drip and Drop
Our mascots were kind of a big deal. Check it out! (Oh, and measured IRI dollar sales increased over 300% from the prior year.) Great way to celebrate our 25th birthday!


Moving and Shaking
We completed our national DSD network (one of the few non-alcoholic beverages to accomplish this), launched our Bold Side of Water® campaign, were named the fastest growing non-alcoholic brand in the U.S., and introduced our first brand extension: Sparkling Ice® Lemonades.


An Honor
We grew our retail sales to over $500M per year—an increase of over 30% in just one year. With such success, we found a new way to give back: partnering with Honor Flight, a non-profit that brings veterans to D.C. to visit the monuments built in their honor. Check it out!


Au Naturel
Sparkling Ice® now features colors from natural sources, aka, fruit and vegetable juice!
Guides for Growth
Our team is not average. We foster a culture that’s approachable and transparent, emphasizing accountability and empowerment. We’ve grown from our Pacific Northwest roots, to a market leader in the U.S. — and now to an expansion across the globe. Not too shabby for what was once a little team tucked away in Preston, Washington.
Rain Makers who grew into new opportunities during 2018
Talking Rain is working hard to narrow the gender pay gap. Currently, the Talking Rain gender pay gap slightly favors women Rain Makers.
Rain Makers who know how they contribute to our success