Expo East Preview: ALO Unveils Pulp-Free Line

Enrich_PF_MockALO, the top-selling brand of aloe drinks in the natural channel, is set to debut a new line of pulp-free varieties at the upcoming Natural Products Expo East show, which will begin next week. The company will also introduce a new 975 mL multi-serve bottle and a new apple and pear-infused flavor to its original line-up at the event.

Henry Chen, President, ALO Drink said that the new pulp-free line was in development since last year and designed to satisfy both current and new consumers.

“We noticed that our fans not only enjoyed the pulp and texture of our drinks, but also fell in love with our unique flavor profiles,” Chen told BevNET. “But some who tried our drinks couldn’t get passed the texture even though they liked the taste.”

Formulated with the same amount of aloe vera as its flagship line, ALO Pulp-Free is made with pureed aloe gel, which “improves absorption of nutrients,” according to the company. Available in five varieties — Allure, a mangosteen and mango flavor, Awaken, a wheatgrass flavor, Comfort, a watermelon and peach flavor, Enrich, a pomegranate and cranberry flavor, and Exposed, a honey flavor — the drinks are packaged in ALO’s 16.9 oz. square-edged bottle with the brand’s distinctive green cap. The products will be line-priced at $1.99 – $2.19.

“It was important for us to maintain the same natural qualities and to continue to use real aloe vera straight from the leaf,” Chen said. “Unlike other aloe vera based drinks that reconstitute from powder, add no fruit juices, or use artificial flavors, our pulp free blends are still made with real aloe vera juice and gel from the hand-filleted inner leaf of the plant. But in ALO Drink Pulp Free, that aloe vera gel is pureed finely for the same taste and goodness of our original line but with a smooth and more ‘familiar’ mouth feel.  It took a little time to get everything just right.”

alo_1l_allureThe large-format 975 mL package, which holds two of ALO’s most popular varieties, Exposed and Allure, is the first multi-serve product for the brand. Priced at $3.69 per bottle, the beverages will be sold in mass and grocery channels alongside the brand’s single-serve products. Chen said that club was an unlikely destination for the package because ALO already sells a multi-pack in that channel.

ALO Crisp, made with Fuji apple and pear flavors, is the latest addition to its aloe pulp and juice line, which now boasts ten varieties.

The new products will launch in stores sometime in the spring of 2015, according to ALO, whose drinks are sold nationwide at Whole Foods Market, Rite Aid, Sprouts, Cost Plus, and Vitamin Shoppe as well a regional chains including Ingles, Raley’s, Wegman’s, King Soopers and Albertson’s.