ZumXR

Product Type:Sports Drinks: Fitness and Supplement Drinks; Container: 16 oz PET
BevNET Review: Zum was designed to be a beverage that delivers energy, hydration, and electrolytes over an extended release period. What's inside the bottle tastes fairly standard, with a sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium sweetened citrus flavor that we're sure we've had before. Probably the most notable differences are the product's thicker body (xanthan gum is the fourth ingredient) and the little white bits that are floating towards the bottom of the liquid (you're supposed to shake it to distribute them). These are presumably the "nano" particles that are part of the drink's extended release system. As far as the drinking experience goes, we're not overly fond of the drink's thick body, while the flavor is just average. The white particles don’t hurt the drinking experience, but we suspect that it might look less than appealing when the bottle is sitting on the shelf waiting to be purchased. Functionally, the product has caffeine and electrolytes, which provide the energy and hydration benefits. While we did feel a kick of energy from trying the product, the drink's gummy body and lingering sweetener aftertaste made us quickly reach for some water — not exactly what you want from a hydration beverage. As far as the extended release side of the product goes, it sounds nice, but we suspect that most consumers would rather have a more pleasant experience while drinking the beverage than is currently offered. On the outside, the product's minimalist looking design is clean to the eye, but it's lack of personality might be an issue in some markets. Plus, there's already a drink called "Zun" that exists in the energy drink category — this name might just be too close. And lastly, figuring out some succinct way to explain the science behind the product would be helpful — it's totally missing on the package. Overall, we think that the product's concept and execution need to line up better if this brand is going to succeed.Reviewed on: 12/21/2010

Product Type:Sports Drinks: Fitness and Supplement Drinks; Container: 16 oz PET
BevNET Review: Compared to the Citron flavor, which is definitely a very close cousin on this flavor, we prefer the slightly tart lime flavor that's been used in this variety of Zum. However, we still have issues with the drink's flavor, with a somewhat heavy sweetener aftertaste (it uses sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium) and thick body (thanks to the addition of xanthan gum) getting in the way of our ability to enjoy this product. Still, we think that this is the best flavor of the bunch. Functionally, the product was designed to deliver energy and hydration in an extended release format. While those benefits are certainly felt while consuming the product (although only modestly), it's rather difficult to judge the extended release abilities of the product. What we will say is that the little particles that are floating in the drink will likely give it some credibility. On the other hand, it might make some consumers think that there's something wrong with the drink. So, acknowledging and explaining these particles on the front of the label would be a helpful improvement. Otherwise, the look of the drink is just okay — it's clean and simple, but not super memorable either. And, you can't read the "XR" portion of the name, which might be unnecessary anyway. Overall, a good start, but improvement is needed. Reviewed on: 12/21/2010