Phenom

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 16.9 oz Pak
BevNET Review: Phenom’s Pure Coconut Water is made with coconut water from concentrate that has been reconstituted with added vitamins and electrolytes. It tastes on par with other from concentrate coconut waters, which is to say that it has more saltiness and less sweetness than the not-from-concentrate brands do. That said, it’s definitely a drinkable product, but it’s not the best tasting coconut water out there. Functionally, the product has, in addition to the electrolytes that are naturally found in coconut water, a variety of different vitamins that range from 10 percent (E and various B vitamins) to 100 percent (vitamin C) and five different electrolytes. The formulation definitely performs well as a thirst quencher. Packaging feels rather generic, with a white box and black lettering. It definitely looks like something that was designed to intentionally look like a store brand. However, we do like the 16.9 oz. screw top format – being resealable is a big benefit. Overall, it’s a good entry, but it’s hard to imagine choosing this over some of the other brands on the shelves of GNC. Reviewed on: 5/25/2011

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 16.9 oz Pak
BevNET Review: Having never had a mojito made with coconut water (or lemon flavoring, for that matter), the flavor of this product is one that is hard to both conceptualize and describe. What immediately hits your tongue is reminiscent of mint (like the earthy part of fresh mint), but it lacks any minty flavor otherwise. The lemon is something that we don’t get at all, while the coconut water tastes at odds with (and almost interrupts) the “mojito” flavor. As a result, this product seems to lack balance. Functionally, this variety is an “energy” formulation, which means that it has added caffeine (just over 90mg per container) and B vitamins (more so than the other flavors). Marketing a coconut water as an energy formulation is something that has been tried before, but on a smaller scale than GNC, so it’s hard to say just how well this will work out. Either way, we think it’s a novel approach for the Phenom brand. Packaging is a green colored 16.9 oz. screw top Tetra Pak. The color scheme is among the best of the brand, but the text and label design still feel like something that is trying to give off that “store brand” vibe. And since store brands are generally perceived as lesser quality (but better value), we’re not convinced that this is the right approach for a coconut water at this stage of the market. Reviewed on: 5/25/2011

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 16.9 oz Pak
BevNET Review: Of the Phenom line, Blueberry Pomme has the strongest fruit flavor and, despite having the same amount of carbohydrate, tastes the sweetest. The blueberry and pomegranate flavors add an enjoyable note to the mix, but, despite having a touch of elderberry juice, they taste more like candy than their respective fruits. The coconut water, which is derived from concentrate, adds subtle notes of saltiness and nuttiness to the backdrop. Otherwise, this product doesn’t have a very strong coconut water presence. Functionally, this variety is enhanced with vitamins, electrolytes, and antioxidants (in the form of vitamins C and E). In our opinion, it’s really a question of whether consumers will want the added flavoring and vitamins or the less processed style of some of the other brands on the market. And in the case of this product, what they’ve done seems to interfere with the natural simplicity of the product, especially since it looks and is, at least to some extent, marketed as a coconut water brand. Still, this is the most enjoyable flavored offering that’s currently in the Phenom brand.Reviewed on: 5/25/2011