Drinks firm enlists Jesus to sell spiritual water

By Martinne Geller

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - A drinks company is banking on some divine help in a new venture -- selling spiritual water in bottles featuring Jesus and carrying prayers -- despite warnings this promotion could backfire.

Spiritual Brands Inc., a start-up company from Florida, is hoping to make a splash in the competitive bottled water market, worth over $11 billion a year in the United States alone, with its new Spiritual Water.

Available in 10 varieties, one flavor "Balance" features a picture of Jesus on the front with The Lord's Prayer on the back in both English and Spanish while "Focus" carries a likeness of the Virgin Mary.

While the labels are different, all 10 kinds of Spiritual Water, which made its official debut this week at a trade show in Miami, are the same -- purified water -- with a suggested retail price for 16.9-ounce bottles of up to $1.99.

Elicko Taieb, company founder and chief executive, said the idea was to take something that people always have with them, and use it to lift their spirits or keep them focused. Church works he said, but only on Sundays.

"I tried to figure out ... something that people have access to all the time, and if they're losing their focus, or feeling negative or sad, they can see it and get back on track," the Israel-born entrepreneur told Reuters on Friday.

He said the company chose Christianity first, since it is so prevalent in the United States, but has plans to expand.

"We are working on covering everyone, from Muslims to Jews to Buddhists," said Taieb. "Hopefully by next year we will begin to launch those products, by right now we are working hard on getting distribution."