Vital Energy

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 20 oz PET
BevNET Review: Vital Energy’s Acai-Blueberry is a pleasant tasting beverage that features a clean and slightly tangy fruit flavor. Thanks to the restrained use of sweetener (there are 13g of sugar per 8oz serving), the product is very refreshing and quenching, but still has sufficient flavor to satisfy the palate. The acai and blueberry flavor isn’t super accurate, but it’s sufficient, despite there being a slight caffeine note to the finish. Functionally, this variety uses the same enhancements as the other Vital Energy flavors, including vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, taurine, and caffeine. It’s quite effective as an energy drink, having 150mg of caffeine per bottle. Packaging is clean and easy to read, with a softer tone to the label than the brand had in previous design efforts. To that end, it’s a step in the right direction, looking less technical than vitaminwater and other competing enhanced water products. Definitely worth a try.

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 20 oz PET
BevNET Review: Of the three Vital Energy flavors that we sampled, this one was our favorite. That’s the result of an extremely accurate raspberry flavor -- it actually tastes like real raspberries. The apple is a secondary flavor, with a more noticeable presence in the drink’s aroma. Natural tasting fruit flavors make for a product that’s extremely refreshing, while the mellow level of sweetness satisfies the desire for something sweet while not weighing you down with a ton of calories (125 per bottle). Functionally, the product has some kick to it, with 150mg of caffeine along with taurine, vitamin C, calcium, and B vitamins. Packaging feels slightly generic, since it’s text with no real logo (and uses the same bottle as vitaminwater), but it’s clean and easy to read and understand quickly. Overall, we really like the flavor and point of functional differentiation (energy) on this product.

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 20 oz PET
BevNET Review: Vital Energy’s Tangerine flavor is a caffeine and vitamin enhanced beverage that’s also relatively restrained when it comes to calories (60 per 8 ounces). From a flavor perspective, it’s different than the other flavors that we sampled, thanks in part to the use of xanthan gum. This gives the product a more viscous body, almost as if they are trying to create an orange creamsicle flavor. However, the tangerine flavor is rather muted, having a very subtle and clean flavor. Functionally, the product has B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, 150mg of caffeine (150 per bottle), and 100mg of taurine (per bottle). So, this product’s main effect is going to be a caffeine rush, with about the same about of caffeine per ounce as a standard energy drink. Packaging, which has recently been redesigned, is clean, but somewhat devoid of personality, with the exception being the copy that’s on the back of the bottle. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, with the product having a clean front panel that makes the product easy to figure out quickly.