ZICO

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 14 oz PET
BevNET Review: ZICO’s Latte variety is a blend of coconut water from concentrate, sugar, coconut cream, natural coffee and vanilla. The product is part coconut water line extension and part coffee drink, with the more notable part of the latter being the added caffeine (85mg -- enough to be an energy drink) and the lack of dairy. From a flavor perspective, the final production samples definitely taste better than the original pre-release samples that we first tested. The formulation has a more pronounced coffee flavor, but also has more coconut water flavor than we remember. But, more importantly, the product tastes quite balanced, with a rich and creamy finish that can definitely hold its own with just about any coffee drink out there. From a positioning point of view, going into coffee is a logical next step for the category, although it’s definitely not as groundbreaking as the chocolate variety was, either for ZICO or for the category. It looks and feels like a part of the ZICO line, which is to say that this product is something that stays on the coconut water shelf (rather than the coffee shelf). Our only question for what they’ve set out to do is the use of the word “Latte,” which implies a milk heavy formulation rather than what’s actually in the bottle. Overall, we’re big fans of ZICO Latte.Reviewed on: 5/28/2013

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 1.5L Tetrapak
BevNET Review: Of the three flavors that make up ZICO's new lineup of 1.5 L refrigerated juices, the Strawberry Banana flavor is the formulation that is unique to this package format (Natural and Chocolate are available in other formats) and the variety that we were most excited about trying. This 100 percent juice blend is made with 80 percent coconut water, strawberry, orange, raspberry and lemon juices, and banana puree (also included are natural flavors and other juices for color). From a flavor perspective, it tastes almost like a strawberry banana smoothie drink but with a lot less viscous body. Coconut water serves as much better “filler” than apple or white grape juice as is typically used in 100 percent juice drinks. It not only adds a unique twist to the flavor, but it also adds electrolytes and helps the product achieve a lower calorie profile than competing juice products (it has 60 calories and 11 g of sugar per 8 oz. serving). On the packaging front, this is the first 1.5 L Tetra Pak that we’ve seen used for beverages in the US. It's a nice evolution from their shelf stable liter package, with the same front panel as they use on their other products being the foundation. Plus, it has a very slim body, which fits nicely with the healthy theme of the product. From there, the “A” shaped top to the carton has been wisely used to designate the flavor while also adding an accent of color and a screw top cap makes it easy to reseal. Overall, we like both this product and its approach to gaining shelf space in a part of the store that has yet to carry coconut water.Reviewed on: 3/27/2013

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 14 oz. PET
BevNET Review: The latest flavor extension to ZICO’s Pure Premium Coconut Water line is also their most ambitious to date: Chocolate. Using a base of (from concentrate) coconut water, coconut cream, cocoa, vanilla, and carrageenan, the product tastes more like a chocolate drink than a coconut water variety; the coconut flavor is very much a secondary flavor, with the coconut cream seeming to be the place where most of the coconut flavor is coming from. In our tests, we found ZICO Chocolate to have a very unique and, well, addictive flavor. Nutritionally, the product has a reasonable 110 calories per 14 oz bottle, 32 percent less sugar than some competing fruit flavored coconut waters, and it’s loaded with electrolytes (20 percent more than other ZICO flavors). Packaging, which is, at the time of review, not 100 percent complete, the same as the other ZICO PET varieties with the flavor callout coming via text and color differences. What we like about this product’s package is that it is both easily recognizable as a coconut water and a chocolate drink, giving it two places that it can compete. Overall, we really enjoyed ZICO Chocolate, both for its innovative qualities and its high-quality execution of a tough flavor maneuver. Reviewed on: 1/19/2012

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 14 oz PET
BevNET Review: The most recent flavor of ZICO’s Pure Premium Coconut Water shows a lot of promise for what we might see in the future from ZICO. Since the launch of their bottled line, which is made in the USA using coconut water concentrate, the flavors have gotten progressively better. And their latest, Tao Mango, is a very enjoyable and well formulated product. This time around, they’ve paired their coconut water with, as the name suggests, mango flavoring. It’s a really simple and straightforward tasting product, but again, that’s the result of proper flavor work (we’ve tasted a lot of bad mango flavors in our day). The coconut water and mango flavor work in harmony together, with neither one taking full control over your palate (we call that “balance”). It’s sweet, but not too sweet, making this a product that one could definitely consume during or after physical activity. And with the natural electrolytes, we’re sure that’s exactly what consumers will be doing with this product. On the outside, we like the look of the bottle, with a clean and easy to read front panel. Honestly, the only thing we question is the necessity of the word “tao” – coconut water itself already feels exotic enough and it’s just one more thing to think about when scanning the cooler shelves. Nit picking aside, this is a very strong effort from ZICO -- definitely at the top of this brand.Reviewed on: 1/19/2012

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 14 oz PET
BevNET Review: Of ZICO's PET lineup, their latest effort, Piña Tropicale, is definitely their best. Starting with a base of 100 percent pure coconut water from concentrate, they've added pineapple and citrus flavors and citric acid. The combination of the added fruit flavors with the coconut water makes for something that definitely tastes reminiscent of a pina colada. The drink's most exciting attribute is its mellow, spot-on level of sweetness, a trick they manage to pull off with zero added sugar. Plus, you have all the naturally hydrating benefits of coconut water, including natural potassium (26% more than a banana), calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. On the outside, we like the visual design of the bottle, with a clean and vibrant looking label creating something that?s inviting and appealing. Overall, Piña Tropicale is a very well executed product from ZICO and it's definitely our favorite PET flavor that they've produced to date.Reviewed on: 1/19/2012

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 14 oz PET
BevNET Review: Of ZICO’s two new flavored coconut water varieties, we liked this one better. This product starts with the same base of 100 percent coconut water from concentrate, but this time around they’ve added pomegranate and berry flavors. Unlike the Lima Citron variety, the pomegranate and berry goes quite well with the coconut water flavor. Plus, they’ve used restraint with it, which makes for a smooth transition between the different tastes that make up the product. And, of course, this comes with the hydrating benefits of coconut water, delivered in the form of electrolytes, including magnesium, sodium, calcium, and chloride. Packaging is now a 14 oz. PET bottle, which offers the consumer a few more ounces over the old 11 oz. Tetra Pak AND it offers the benefits of being resealable. From a visual standpoint, we like that despite the added real estate, they haven’t added to the front portion of the label. The result is something that’s visually appealing and easy for the eye to digest. The full package feels sporty and cool, with a polished look that’s definitely helped by their new choice of bottle. Overall, simultaneously switching the package type, formula, and flavor are bold moves for ZICO, but they’ve executed it well – and the differences between the pack are a bit more obvious than in the past. Reviewed on: 3/8/2010

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 14 oz PET
BevNET Review: With ZICO’s move to a new bottle comes new flavors – and Lima Citron is the first of the two that we sampled. Like the other ZICO flavors that are now available in PET, this variety uses 100 percent coconut water from concentrate, which has been aided with lime and citrus flavoring. The resulting product is lightly sweet (13g of sugar per bottle) and has a mellow coconut water flavor, while the added lime and citrus flavors add a tart and sour note. While each of these flavors would likely be okay by itself, their marriage creates something that doesn’t go perfectly together. Mainly, this is because the citrus flavor is too sharp relative to the smooth and earthy coconut water base. Otherwise, we conceptually like what they’re trying to do with this product, blending in a very popular sports drink flavor to help create a product that’s more marketable than the competition's. We’d say the same for the packaging, which, in a 14 oz. PET, offers something that’s a stark contrast to Tetra Pak that the brand has used in the past. It has a sporty yet chic vibe to it, thanks to the cleanly executed ZICO branding and easy to read front panel. Plus, they’ve made a good effort (on the side panel) of explaining the functional benefits in a way that your average consumer can understand them. Overall, the product is conceptually a step in the right direction and the visual execution is there, but we’d like to see some adjustment to the lime and citrus flavors used in the product. Reviewed on: 3/8/2010

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 14 oz PET
BevNET Review: Compared with the old Tetra-format ZICO, which we tasted side by side with this one, the new bottled version (which also uses coconut water from concentrate instead of Brazilian coconut water not from concentrate) has a distinctly different taste. Rather than the clean and light flavor of the original, the new one has a more robust coconut taste and aroma, less sweetness (it has about 25 percent less sugar), and a slightly cloudier look to the liquid itself. Plus, there’s an almost caramel-like note to it, which gives the product more depth than the prior formulation. Ultimately, if you’re someone that previously drank ZICO because it was light and clean flavored, you might be in for a surprise, but we think that this new flavor could have appeal with consumers who are new to the category. On the packaging front, the 14 oz. bottle looks much more substantial than the 11 oz. Tetra Pak and adds a resealable top. Plus it has a cleaner, more sophisticated feeling to it, making for a nice alternative to the Tetra offerings. Overall, it’s a bold move for ZICO, but also one that is innovative and hints at where the category is going in the future.Reviewed on: 3/8/2010

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 11fl oz tetra pak
BevNET Review: ZICO Passion Fruit • Orange Peel feels like a slightly confused beverage. First off, the name "passion fruit • orange peel" does not give the consumer a clear idea of what the flavor is and (on a more picky note) is just too long. Perhaps "orange passion fruit" would be a better name for it. The fruit flavor itself is good, but still doesn't give the product mainstream appeal. The passion fruit and orange peel flavors don't really mask the coconut water flavor -- they just add to the finish of the flavor. Overall, the quality of the product is very high and the health benefits are great, but we just don't think the American consumer is ready for a product like this. ZICO has a long road ahead of them that will take lots of time and money to make this product a success.Reviewed on: 7/12/2004

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 11fl oz tetra pak
BevNET Review: ZICO Natural is straight up coconut water (with no added sugars or flavors) packaged in an 11 oz Tetra Pak container. The flavor of this product is very unique and most likely not familiar to US consumers. To best describe it in terms that a US consumer can understand, ZICO Natural has a very mellow body that most closely resembles an extremely light almond flavor. In addition, the product has a slightly milk-like finish that has just a touch of sweetness to it. Our taste tests for this product lead us to believe that the American consumer will need some definite convincing before accepting a flavor like this. The lack of sweetness combined with the unique consistency of the product (as well as the Tetra Pak container) will create an uphill battle for ZICO's attempts to enter the US market. Our take? The design of the package is nice, but ZICO is going to have to spend a lot of money (or hope for the media to catch on) if it will ever gain mass market appeal. Reviewed on: 7/12/2004

Product Type:Juice: Coconut Water and Juice; Container: 11fl oz tetra pak
BevNET Review: ZICO Mango is the same base product as ZICO Natural but with added mango flavor. It's a very subtle mango flavor that does not mask the flavor of the coconut water. Instead, it gives the product a slightly bitter finish. This makes it somewhat difficult to distinguish the added flavor as mango. The general consensus of our taste test was to stick with the Natural ZICO.Reviewed on: 7/12/2004