Arizona Energy Shots

Product Type:Functional: Energy Shot; Container: 2 oz shot
BevNET Review: The “A.M. Awake” variety of AriZona’s Fast Shot is a tea and juice based (13 percent juice) energy shot that’s uses a proprietary formulation (with no added caffeine) that’s designed to help get you going in the morning hours. There’s a cocktail of ingredients, which were “scientifically blended formula by nutritionist Oz Garcia”, including B vitamins, glutamine, wild green oat extract, rhodiola rosea, ginseng, taurine, L-theanine, L-tyrosine, guarana, and more. It’s sweetened with sugar, sucralose, and ace-k, which results in a mixture that’s pretty sweet, but low in calories. There’s a decent note of fruit flavor to the mix, which tastes like apple, pear, and citrus, while the added tea and functional ingredients give the product a mild note of green tea and a somewhat bitter finish. Aside from the finish and the aftertaste, this product is definitely an enjoyable entry. On the outside, they’ve made great use of the AriZona branding, with a vertical logo and familiar color scheme that is easy to spot from a distance. The “AM Awake” name is also quite intuitive, with a specific benefit that we think is a pretty marketable one. On the other hand, the plug for nutritionist Oz Garcia seems a bit lost in the shuffle – and we’re not sure that it really belongs on the front panel. Overall, we like what they’ve done with this product.Reviewed on: 7/8/2009

Product Type:Functional: Energy Shot; Container: 2 oz shot
BevNET Review: When we first saw that AriZona was getting into the energy shot category, we were honestly somewhat skeptical. Fortunately, what they’ve put inside this bottle is extremely enjoyable (and potent) and is built on a base of tea that is vintage AriZona. It’s a mixture of sugar, honey, and sucralose to sweeten this moderately sweet shot, but there’s still only 10 calories per shot. They’ve supplemented the green tea with added caffeine, plus they’ve added taurine, ginseng, inositol, glucuronolactone, milk thistle, and loads of B vitamins. From a performance point of view, it seems to be on par with other products that are on the market, but the pleasant flavor of AriZona green tea is a nice benefit. In fact, it tastes almost like a concentrated version of AriZona’s flagship iced tea product, which should make this product have instant appeal with many consumers. The same goes for the packaging, which looks like a miniature version of one of AriZona’s green tea bottles. Capitalizing on that brand equity seems like a very wise move, especially since the shape of the bottle and its formulation seem very much like the offspring of the AriZona brand. The name “Rx Energy Fast Shot” is easy to read and intuitive, with a call out to the product’s “natural green tea energy” that lets the consumer know exactly what’s inside. Overall, this is a superbly executed product. Reviewed on: 7/8/2009

Product Type:Functional: Energy Shot; Container: 2 oz shot
BevNET Review: Rounding out AriZona’s Fast Shot lineup is their PM Relax Shot, a vitamin, herbal, and GABA infused product that, as the name suggests, is designed to help you relax and unwind. From a flavor point of view, this product has a light tea flavor, a good dose of honey, a hint of peach, and a slightly herbal note to the finish. It’s probably the most original and enjoyable tasting of the three AriZona Fast Shot flavors that we sampled. On the other hand, the marketability of this product is definitely not going to be as great as the other varieties, but that’s only due to the fact that the relaxation category is still in its infancy. However, they’ve put their best foot forward, with a clean and easy to understand design that makes great use of the powerful AriZona brand name. Overall, a unique and well executed product that could be a hit if relaxation products continue to catch on. Reviewed on: 7/8/2009