So Real

Product Type:Juice: Fruit Juice; Container: 16oz Plastic
BevNET Review: So Real’s Citrus Pear is a sugar and stevia sweetened beverage that is enhanced with calcium, fiber, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. The flavor is very much that of a juice cocktail meets an enhanced water, with apple (1 percent apple juice), pear, and orange the primary flavors. It definitely tastes like a reduced calorie beverage, which it is (25 calories per bottle), with a touch of stevia at the finish. Otherwise, the product tastes good, but not great, with a flavor that is reminiscent of a children’s juice box. The functional benefits are nice, but somewhat confusing in the sense that it’s not really clear what this product’s primary purpose is. The name “So Real” doesn’t help, with that name probably being better used on something that actually has real fruit content. And, unfortunately, we’d say the same thing about the label design, which has a somewhat unattractive color palette and aesthetic appearance that again feels at odds with the word “real.” Overall, the concept definitely seems like a marketable one, but we think it would have a much better chance of success if the branding were different.Reviewed on: 10/26/2012

Product Type:Juice: Fruit Juice; Container: 16oz Plastic
BevNET Review: Of the four initial flavors of SoReal that we sampled, the Tangerine Melon variety was definitely our favorite. There’s a nice tartness and tang to the flavor of the product, which gives it a level of sophistication that we didn’t find in the other varieties. And for a product that’s 25 calories per bottle, it delivers full calorie flavor, with the sugar and fruit flavoring masking the added stevia that is used to keep the calories and sugar content low. Functionally, there’s a lot going on in this product, with calcium, fiber, electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. While that’s all well and good, it doesn’t fill any one particular need directly, which keeps the messaging of the product from being direct (and therefore as effective). We’d say the same for branding and for the design of the bottle. Aside from the overuse of shades of pink and purple (it has a somewhat monotone look to it), it’s not really clear what this product is. General “wellness” functional beverages have always been a tough sell, so trying to make it more specific would help. Lastly, we’re not overly fond of the name, “SoReal,” which seems out of place on a product that, aside from the 1 percent juice content and green tea extract, doesn’t have ingredients that a consumer will likely recognize. Overall, the nicest flavor of the bunch, but it’s design and positioning could still stand to be improved.Reviewed on: 10/26/2012