POM Wonderful entering the coconut water category is sure to get some buzz, and this product was the starting point for our sampling of its three newest flavors. Overall, it’s a very solid product in both formulation and packaging.
Evolve is Muscle Milk’s new “naturally flavored protein shake” that is geared towards female consumers. All in all, what they’ve put inside the carton is a credible and enjoyable formulation, with 12g of protein, 20 vitamins and minerals, 5g of fiber, and Tonalin, an ingredient that is marketed as helping reduce body fat. We think they’ve got a nice start that, with a few packaging tweaks, could certainly be a formidable offering.
Motto is a new brand of sparkling matcha teas made with honey, agave nectar, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. The brand has done well to hit the ground running with an excellent flavor profile and a minimalist, yet striking, label and bottle.
Natural and organic energy drinks are becoming an increasingly familiar sight these days with a number of new entrants hitting the market following debuts at the 2013 Natural Products Expo West show. One of the companies throwing its hat into the ring is Runa, which markets a range of Amazonian guayusa tea products, and recently launched Runa Clean Energy.
Revive has launched two new line extensions to its brand of kombucha drinks. The company, which is based in Sonoma County, Calif., has introduced Revive Kombucha Gold, a blend of kombucha and coffee, and Revive Kombucha Red, which is made with a hibiscus flower kombucha culture. Aside from a few adjustments to its labels, we think Revive has done an outstanding job with the two new varieties.
Blue Monkey’s Coconut Coffee Drink is a certified organic blend of coconut cream, sugar, coffee and added emulsifiers/stabilizers. It’s billed as a dairy- and soy-free coffee drink, and it features a somewhat light-bodied coffee flavor. Overall, it’s good, but we honestly feel as though more could be done with this product, starting with cutting the calories and offering more variety in flavors.
INGO has introduced a new watermelon variety to its brand of cucumber-flavored drinks. For a zero-calorie product, INGO Cucumber-Watermelon has, much like the flagship beverage, an extremely refreshing flavor without the use of any added sweeteners.
