Venga

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 18 oz. PET
BevNET Review: Venga Brainstorm features a fruit punch style flavor that's derived from pear, pomegranate, blueberry, and blackberry juices as well as added herbal and functional ingredients. It's an enjoyable tasting mixture that has a moderate level of sweetness (from the juice and added glucose syrup) with subtle notes of rooibos tea adding a touch of spice to the finish. From a functionality point of view, the drink has added ginkgo biloba, ginseng, antioxidants, and vitamins, which are designed to "go straight to your head." Clearly, we can't vouch for that or tell you that the effects can be felt. To us, this product is really about taste, appearance (which we certainly feels functional), and getting a little something extra in your drink. Plus, the drink has over 260 calories per bottle which is among the highest of the lineup. That being said, we wonder if this flavor runs the risk of being passed over for one of the more tangible functions in the line. Reviewed on: 1/23/2009

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 18 oz. PET
BevNET Review: Calorie Burn is the only low calorie variety of the Venga lineup, but that doesn't mean they've skimped on flavor. Using a mixture of orange, kiwi, and lime juices (5%), the product has a very natural taste to it, which is heavily influenced by the added juices. It's sweetened with sucralose, but there's only minimal aftertaste, thanks to the acidity of the lime. Really, this flavor drinks like a limeade, which is probably something that could be promoted to help bolster the appeal of this variety. On the functional end of the drink, Calorie Burn features Citramax, caffeine, L-carnitine, chromium, and vitamins. Aside from Citramax, which has been used in weight loss products for a long time, the product's explanation of its calorie burning effects seem somewhat loose and rely on EGCG, which is somewhat passé after the failure of other products that have gone down this path. Still, the drink delivers big time with flavor and packaging, so if they can tighten up the functional messaging and promote the flavor a bit more, we think this can be a winner.Reviewed on: 1/23/2009

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 18 oz. PET
BevNET Review: This variety of Venga uses 25% juice (pear, passionfruit, guava, aloe vera) and a touch of skim milk to prove the main base of flavor. It's pretty big on tropical fruit flavor, with a strong level of sweetness, while the addition of skim milk gives the product a creaminess and texture that sets it apart from the other varieties. Functionally, the product, as the name implies, is designed to give you a daily dose -- but of what? Reading the fine print on the front of the label as well as the nutrition panel, this product delivers essential vitamins in the form of vitamin A, B vitamins, and vitamin E. That's all well and good, but the fact that the drink has 130 calories per 8 ounce serving might create a roadblock for consumers who are seeking a healthy product. However, we like the concept of the drink as well as the dairy influenced flavor. Adding more vitamins and/or reducing the calories seems like the obvious direction to go. Otherwise, it's a very enjoyable tasting product and we love the packaging and name.Reviewed on: 1/23/2009

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 18 oz. PET
BevNET Review: Energize is one of the more creative tasting flavors of the Venga lineup. Using a mixture of apple and sea buckthorn berry juices, the mixture has a very smooth fruit flavor with notes of sweet and tart. Also added to the mixture are yerba mate, caffeine, taurine, ginseng, and B vitamins, which make up the product's energy cocktail. All in all, it's a very easy drinking mixture with just the right amount of sweetness and a very smooth, clean finish. Packaging is our favorite piece of this product, with a uniquely shaped 18 ounce bottle that has a decidedly functional, but hip feeling to it. The name "ENERGIZE" is placed front and center and easy to read, while the addition of a lightning bolt icon should make this drink's purpose identifiable even from a far. Overall, our favorite variety of the Venga lineup.Reviewed on: 1/23/2009

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 18 oz. PET
BevNET Review: Of the Venga lineup, this was the only flavor that felt like it didn't have balance to its flavor profile. Specifically, the drink's blend of juices (orange, white grape, grapefruit), white tea, and added vitamins have a slightly astringent taste to the finish, leaving us feeling like the drink needs a little something to help offset this. Functionality wise, the product appears on par with the other varieties, delivering a decent amount of vitamins (A, C, E, B) as well as aloe vera. On the calorie front, this variety is more reasonable than some of the other flavors, with less than 200 calories per 18 ounce bottle. On the outside, the look is clean and attractive, but the name Health & Zen might be a bit too conceptual. Our biggest question is why not describe the flavor? Simply listing the key ingredients doesn't really give the drinker enough of a sense of what's inside the bottle -- is it a juice, a tea, or both? Reviewed on: 1/23/2009

Product Type:Water: Enhanced; Container: 18 oz. PET
BevNET Review: Venga's "Rehydrate" variety is a 10% juice based formulation that's designed to quench your thirst and help rehydration. On the first point, it succeeds greatly, delivering a very pleasant orange flavor that reaps the benefits of using real juice. The flavor has a very sports drink like flavor, with a moderate level of sweetness that gives the tropical orange flavor some balance. Functionally, the product has a variety of added ingredients, including green tea, electrolytes, calcium, B vitamins, and aloe vera. It's hard to say what these ingredients actually add to the enjoyment of the mix, but it certainly goes well with the theme of the drink. On the outside, this 18 ounce bottle has been given a very unique looking label, which has a definite vibe of functionality. They've done it so well, in fact, that we were honestly expecting something that tastes medicinal. Overall, extremely enjoyable flavor and an innovative approach to the positioning and appearance of the product.Reviewed on: 1/23/2009