Spartos

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 16oz Plastic
BevNET Review: Spartos Orange + Pineapple Protein water is, in our opinion, the best tasting flavor of the brand. While that might sound like a statement of personal preference, we simply think that the flavors used in this formulation do the best job of masking the sour flavor that is associated with whey protein isolate (the source of protein in the drink). The orange and pineapple flavors are very subtle, and while we realize they are trying to create something that is a “water,” we’d honestly like a little more of these flavorings. In addition, this being one of their sugar-sweetened flavors, it has a big leg up in terms of the drinking experience over the sugar-free flavors that are also part of the line. All in all, we think it’s pretty enjoyable, but it could certainly be refined further. Nutritionally, this has 10g of protein along with added vitamins and minerals -- the same blend that’s found in all of the Spartos flavors that currently make up the portfolio. Visually, the underlying Spartos brand and Spartan-themed brand seems like a good idea, but the execution needs work. Specifically, the brand as a whole has too many colors such that the red (for the sugar-sweetened) and yellow (for the sugar-free) accent colors are easy to miss. And it feels very busy, with lots of text -- some in all caps and some in all lowercase -- that it’s easy to miss the small “sugar free” badge that’s on the sugar-free varieties. Developing the brand further seems like the most pressing issue for this product. As it stands right now, we think that the execution makes it easy to pass over this product. Reviewed on: 3/1/2013

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 16oz Plastic
BevNET Review: Grape + Lemonade, along with Blackberry + Yuzu and Strawberry + Pomegranate, are three very similarly flavored products to the point where we think Spartos should pick one and run with it rather than carry them all. Interestingly enough, it’s this flavor, which also happens to be stevia-sweetened (the other two are sugar-sweetened), that is the best of the trio. It’s otherwise not really worth reviewing the other two as they are so similar. As far as stevia-sweetened drinks are concerned, this one is actually quite good, with a relatively natural sweetness and a pleasant fruit flavor. While grape and lemonade isn’t exactly like peanut butter and jelly in terms of appeal or being a natural pairing, the flavor works, especially considering the underlying sour flavor that comes from the added protein. Speaking of protein, this product has the same nutritional content as the other flavors of Spartos, including 10g of protein and added vitamins and minerals. It’s certainly not the most potent protein drink out there, but for 40 calories it’s certainly one of the lower calorie options out there. On the design front, our feelings about this flavor are the same as the others: the underlying brand is a good concept, but its execution isn’t there yet. The label is a bit of a mess, with a yellow S behind white text that makes the words almost impossible to read. From there, we question the strip of fruit images on the back (it reminds us of Purity Organic, which, unlike this product, actually contains juice) and band of text that runs along the top with words in all capital letters. Realistically, the protein content is what’s going to sell this product, so putting that (and perhaps the calorie content) out front would make more sense. There’s no benefit to being told that the product will vitalize, strengthen, etc.. If you don’t know the benefit of protein, you certainly won’t be purchasing a Spartos. Ultimately, this product is something that we feel as though could be a success if the execution is improved. Reviewed on: 3/1/2013

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 16oz Plastic
BevNET Review: As far as the sugar-free flavors of Spartos go, this was definitely our favorite. Like the flavor pairings chosen in the Orange + Pineapple flavor, this is another prime example of choosing flavors that work well with the sweetener (stevia) and added protein (whey protein isolate). However, it tastes more like “tropical citrus” than whatever the actual combination of jackfruit and watermelon would actually taste like. In terms of increasing the appeal of the drink, going with something simpler would probably help as most consumers probably don’t know what jackfruit tastes like anyway (and it certainly won’t whet the appetite). Beyond that, we think they’ve done a good job of working with the stevia and protein as the aftertaste of the product is definitely not bad. Nutritionally, the product has 40 calories, 0g of sugar, 10g of protein, vitamins (A, E, C, B vitamins), folic acid, calcium, and magnesium to round things out. The exterior of the product and the choice of flavors for the brand (there are a few that are too similar) are the biggest areas that need improvement. In the case of this particular flavor, the greenish yellow colored liquid certainly says that this is a sports product, but the front panel is too cluttered with text. They’ve left off the important stuff, namely how much protein is in it, instead opting for putting generic functional words around the top. Lastly, there are a couple of technical flaws in the execution of the product, including yellow and white on top of one another (very hard to read) and poor typography. Overall, we think it’s a solid concept, but we wish they had stuck with the old label.Reviewed on: 3/1/2013