Sayan Chaga

Product Type:Tea: Alternative; Container: 16 oz
BevNET Review: Unlike the other three flavors of Chaga that we sampled, this variety has zero calories, which is the result of excluding sweetener of any kind. Unfortunately, this result in a flavor that’s rather astringent tasting and somewhat unpleasant, especially at the finish where unsweetened citrus flavors hit your tongue. The base chaga flavor is more or less masked by these flavors, which is definitely a disappointment. The bigger issue for this product is one of missed opportunity – citrus is likely to be the most eye catching flavor if this brand proves to be anything like an RTD tea brand. Having no sugar and particularly strong citrus flavors is not likely the best approach in our opinion. Packaging is the best of the bunch, with images of lemon and lime that are familiar and appealing. However, we think there’s still too much text on the front panel – and not enough to tell you what’s actually inside the bottle (in terms of flavor). Overall, they definitely need a citrus flavor as part of the lineup, but the current execution doesn’t seem like the right way to go.Reviewed on: 4/13/2010

Product Type:Tea: Alternative; Container: 16 oz
BevNET Review: Sayan Chaga is based on chaga, which is a mushroom that grows on select varieties of trees. It has a long standing reputation for its health benefits, but it's a new flavor to the beverage arena. With their recently reformulated "Refreshing Original" variety, Sayan has managed to create an almost tea like flavor, with a subtle spice and nuttiness that's been given a very mild level of sweetness (it has honey-like qualities, but it’s actually sugar). The reformulated product is quite drinkable and its flavor is not that far off from flavored black tea, although it definitely still maintains its own unique identity. Still, since it’s not a tea, we think that this product is going to have an uphill battle to win over consumers on the tea aisle (where it will likely end up). Visually, the product has taken a big step forward. Gone is the vertical text and word “Sayan”, which help makes the front of the label easier to read. In addition, the product features additional callouts regarding the drink’s healthy focus, which is certainly why a consumer is going to consider trying this product. However, the product still lacks the ability to whet the appetite, which is the side effect of chaga being a niche flavor at this point. Overall, an improvement over the original, but still a niche product. Reviewed on: 4/13/2010

Product Type:Tea: Alternative; Container: 16 oz
BevNET Review: The Wild Raspberry variety of Chaga is a reformulated version of their “Raspberry” flavor that was in the initial lineup. Like some of the other flavors, this product is made with chaga, meadowsweet, and sweet clover, which gives the product its slightly earthy flavor. The reformulation is a definite improvement, as it ultimately drinks like raspberry flavored black tea. It’s sweetened with cane sugar, which gives it a mellow and clean sweetness. So in that sense, we’re pretty sure that consumers will like what they find inside this bottle. That’s assuming they are lured in by what they see on the outside, which, compared to the original proprietary bottle and vertical lettering, is much improved. They’ve added appealing images of fruit on the front panel of the bottle, which should help with the drink’s appeal. Also prominently placed are the words “no caffeine” (a nice differentiator over tea) and “super antioxidant”. Both of these help distinguish the product from tea, but neither helps describe what this product actually is or at least what it tastes like. Overall, it’s an improved product, but it’s not quite there yet.Reviewed on: 4/13/2010