Created by a former professional hockey player, TruEnergy is an energy shot that was designed with the athlete in mind.

It features a blend of coconut water, natural caffeine, vitamins (B vitamins, vitamins A and E), electrolytes, antioxidants, and coconut water. With 100mg of caffeine in each 1.69 oz. bottle, the product is certainly going to have a caffeine kick that is commensurate with the competition. The rest of the formulation seems thoughtfully created, but, as with any energy drink, it’s hard to really tell how efficacious these ingredients are. But we definitely felt energized after consuming the product.

Fortunately, we also really like the taste. Sweetened with maple syrup, stevia, and, presumably, sugar from the coconut water, the product has a very natural tasting sweetness and a mild fruit flavor that is pleasing to the palate. For a product using stevia and having only 20 calories, we are pretty impressed with what they’ve created. It can definitely hold its own against other competing energy shots.

As mentioned earlier, packaging is a 1.69 oz. plastic bottle. The product’s packaging has a square shape, which gives TruEnergy a unique and memorable appearance. From our usage of the product, it also gives it a practical advantage: the product can lie on its side without rolling. The graphics and branding are relatively minimalist as far as energy shots go -- and we definitely appreciate the positive and approachable look to the brand. But if there’s anything that could use improvement, it’s the size of the copy on the back of the bottle. It’s really difficult to read in some places.

Ultimately, we really like TruEnergy. It feels unique and appealing, although the “formulated by elite athletes” aspect of the product feels slightly lost. Still, what they’ve created feels very mainstream and approachable, and is a very nice change of pace from what we normally see in the energy drink category. For TruEnergy, this represents a unique opportunity to carve out a niche. We certainly think the product has what it takes.