Coco Hydro

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: Pak
BevNET Review: Coco Hydro's Instant Coconut Water comes packaged in a 9.7 oz. pouch that claims to be the equivalent of 25 servings. Obviously, a lot of this depends on the strength of the mix that the consumer chooses to make (it's supposed to be 1 tablespoon per 8 oz. of water, but that's not easy to find on the pouch). From a flavor perspective, it's pleasing, but doesn't have much in the way of coconut flavor. Instead, it's salty and sweet with a flavor that is tart and lingers -- and that's mixing it at the recommended concentration. Adding more water quickly results in a watery and washed out flavor, which obviously isn't too enjoyable either. The packaging and branding feel generic and washed out, with a look that might be more appropriate if this were a store brand. While it's hard to miss that this is a coconut water product, it's also hard to imagine consumers connecting with this brand. In addition, the copy, which talks up the nutritional benefits of coconut water, isn't backed by the nutritional panel, which fails to disclose anything in the way of electrolytes. Overall, the concept of multi-serve instant coconut water seems like a good one, but the execution of the flavor (it needs cleaner coconut flavor) and the pouch (which needs some personality) have definite room for improvement. Reviewed on: 4/28/2011