Svelte

Product Type:Functional: Energy Supplement; Container: 15.9 tetra pak
BevNET Review: Using chai as a flavoring for a protein drink is something that we haven’t seen before, but the pairing seems to fit. In this case, the mellow chai flavor helps mask the sweetener finish (it’s sweetened with a mix of sugar, erythritol, and stevia) that we cited in the other varieties, making a more enjoyable flavor. The dairy and gluten free formulation is rich, but smooth, with a lighter mouth feel than many other protein drinks that we’ve tried. Functionally, the 16g of protein is still the most marketable function of this product, followed by the 8g of fiber, vitamins, and mineral content. We’re not totally sold on how they’ve added the word “energy” to the product’s package as “energy drink” might give the consumer the wrong idea about what’s inside the container. Otherwise, we like the look of the container, which has a not so serious vibe in comparison to what you typically see from protein drinks. Plus, the 15.9 oz. resealable TetraPak container is convenient and feels nice in the hand. Overall, this is an innovative approach to a category that’s often filled with aggressive looking, hard to drink products. Definitely worth a try. Reviewed on: 6/2/2010

Product Type:Functional: Energy Supplement; Container: 15.9 oz tetra pak
BevNET Review: The first thing you’ll notice about this protein drink is its packaging, which is a 15.9 oz. screw top TetraPak. While they're not the first to use this container, Svelte's approach to marketing the product is certainly unique. Starting with the name “Svelte”, the product seems to be trying to take a hipster angle on a category whose style is aggressive and male oriented. Svelte’s approach allows for incognito protein drink consumption, with an innocuous looking design that could really hold anything inside. So what is inside this container? Svelte French Vanilla is a sugar, stevia, and erythritol sweetened product that contains 16g of protein (soy based), 8g of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates. It’s generally an enjoyable product to drink, with a moderate level of sweetness and a rich and creamy vanilla flavored body. The finish definitely has some sweetener issues, but it’s about on par with other products using stevia and erythritol. Overall, we love their approach to the packaging and branding, while the flavor and function aren’t so bad either. If this product can fit into the health and natural channels – a place where protein drinks are often limited – we think they’ve got a big opportunity with this product.Reviewed on: 6/2/2010

Product Type:Functional: Energy Supplement; Container: 15.9 oz tetra pak
BevNET Review: For any brand that’s going to be a serious player in the protein drink category, nailing a chocolate flavored formula is, at least in our opinion, very important. To that end, this product definitely succeeds -- it's the best flavor of the Svelte line. The product has a heavy cocoa flavor to it, which is not much of a surprise given that organic cocoa powder is high on the ingredient list. Like the other flavors, this product is sweetened with dried cane syrup (sugar), stevia, and erythritol, which helps achieve their desired level of sweetness without unnecessary calories and carbs. There is a decent note of sweetener aftertaste at the finish, but it’s not as bad as some of the other varieties (like French Vanilla). Functionally, the product has 16g of protein, 8g of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The products “energy” claim appears to be tied to the carbohydrate content, which is something that might lead consumers to believe that the drink contains caffeine or other ingredients typical of energy drinks. Packaging is a 15.9 oz.screw top Tetra Pak, which they’ve decorated with hip, rather than aggressive, imagery and text. The large callout box that says “hello beautiful” might not seem like the best use of space, but it certainly sets the stage for a product that’s more than just your run of the mill protein drink. Plus, things are made a bit more clear through the use of a brown accent color, chocolate bar images, and easy to read text. Overall, an extremely well executed product. Reviewed on: 6/2/2010