Can Bloom burst through a super-stacked modern soda category (yes, Pepsi is here now, too)? Can Zenjoy’s teas melt away your stress? And what is Purerista’s ‘epicurean water,’ anyway? We answer the tough questions in this week’s review roundup. To submit your beverage product to BevNET for review, click here. And to browse past reviews, check the archive here.
Originally teased in the spring, Bloom has officially rolled out its new prebiotic soda line – Bloom Pop – at Walmart locations nationwide. Featuring five flavors (Classic Orange, Strawberry Cream, Shirley Temple, Raspberry Lemonade, and Watermelon Lime), each 12 oz can has only 20 calories and 3 to 4 grams of sugar. The beverages are enhanced with probiotics, lightly sweetened with sugar, juice, and stevia, and contain a touch of apple cider vinegar.
Things that stand out:
- Definitely some of the best tasting liquid in the category. The Classic Orange and Strawberry Cream flavors are standouts, delivering full-bodied, sweet, soda-like profiles that are both nostalgic and modern. The sugar and stevia combo tastes great, especially considering the low sugar and caloric content.
- Eye-catching can design with bright gradients, bold fruit graphics, and retro-inspired branding. It feels both visually striking and shelf-ready; to be completely honest, we think it looks better than their flagship lineup.
Things to consider:
- We wonder if Bloom Pop has enough to meaningfully differentiate itself from other prebiotic sodas currently on the market to the point where the consumer would make the switch from a competitor.
- While the fruit-forward flavors are fun, the brand might benefit from introducing more traditional soda formats (e.g., Cola, Root Beer) to better bridge the gap for mainstream consumers.
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Zenjoy is a new line of non-carbonated functional beverages positioned as “stress relief drinks.” available in four tea-based flavors: Mango Black Tea, Passion Fruit Green Tea, Honey Green Tea, and Lavender Black Tea. Each 12 oz can has 70 calories and 15 grams of added organic cane sugar, along with a functional blend of L-theanine, ashwagandha, and lemon balm. Designed to offer both refreshment and calm, Zenjoy drinks present themselves as better-for-you alternatives to traditional sweet teas.
Things that stand out:
- Flavor execution is solid across the board. They can be best described as tasting like mainstream flavored teas while delivering a functional twist of relatively well known adaptogen ingredients.
- Branding is clean and consistent; the name “Zenjoy” effectively communicates the product’s functional intent. Color-coded cans and tea-leaf imagery make flavor differentiation intuitive at shelf level.
Things to consider:
- The overall aesthetic leans heavily into the functional category, which may alienate casual or flavor-first consumers. A more inviting or lifestyle-oriented design could broaden appeal.
- Marketing the beverage primarily as a “stress relief drink” may narrow its perceived usage occasions; emphasizing the tea aspect could unlock more opportunities.
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Purerista is a line of zero-calorie, unsweetened flavored sparkling mineral waters marketed as “epicurean water.” Offered in sleek 12 oz cans, the four-SKU lineup includes Grapefruit, Blood Orange, Cucumber, and Lemon, each finished with a subtle hint of pink sea salt. The brand positions itself as an elevated sparkling experience, aiming for refinement and simplicity.
Things that stand out:
- The flavor experience across the board is well-executed and all four are clean, refreshing, and balanced. The mineral profile and touch of sea salt provide a distinctive and premium-tasting finish.
- Flavors feel like polished takes on classic profiles, with Cucumber and Blood Orange standing out as the winners.
Things to consider:
- The visual branding feels slightly underwhelming and generic. We think it could almost be mistaken for a private label product. It seems that they were trying to go for sophisticated and understated, but it might skew a bit too far in that direction.
- The “epicurean water” tagline is vague and doesn’t clearly communicate the product’s benefits or positioning.
- Flavor names are small and difficult to spot, which can hurt shoppability and quick identification at retail.
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