Thirty

by Thirty Drink

Review: Thirty Natural Recovery

Posted: Feb 28, 2017 at 3:49 PM (Last Updated: Feb 28, 2017 at 4:52 PM)

Covers Products: Raspberry Cherry 2017, Tangerine Orange 2017

Thirty is a low calorie beverage that is billed as a “health-focused recovery drink.”

The product’s formulation includes electrolytes, which, according the company are intended to be “nearly triple” the amount found in a standard sports drink. In addition, the product contains a host of vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin D, and B vitamins, and is sweetened with sugar, stevia, and monk fruit.

In terms of taste, the two flavors, Raspberry + Cherry and Tangerine + Orange, both appear to be cut from the same cloth as a sports drink. The flavors, both of which are clear in color, are sweet and slightly salty. The three sweetener blend does a nice job of creating a full calorie level of sweetness with only minimal sweetener aftertaste. However, there’s nothing about either flavor that is super memorable, either.

From a branding and packaging sense, we feel as though there’s some work left to be done. The 12 oz. slim bottle seems like a fine choice, but the branding doesn’t really jump out or connect with us. This is partially due to the product not really doing a great job of communicating its purpose and benefits. You’ll find “A Natural Recovery” under the Thirty logo, which feels like an incomplete thought since it lacks “drink” or “beverage” after it. And as we’ve seen with countless other beverages that have been marketed as recovery drinks, this isn’t a segment that the consumer fully understands.

That leaves this product relegated to the functional drink set that lives in between the likes of sports, energy, and newer categories like coconut water. From our perspective, if this product is about electrolytes and low calorie, it should be more assertive about it and make a more direct approach to the sports drink consumer.

In its current form, we’re ultimately concerned that Thirty is a product that will be passed over. The packaging and the messaging don’t really stand out, while the flavors aren’t compelling enough to bring us back just for that. The product is new and seems raw and ready for iteration and improvement.

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