Reviews

The notion of Gatorade Organic brings mixed feelings. On the one hand, it’s a totally logical extension that is, honestly, long overdue. But on the other hand...

As one might expect from a dairy producer, Shamrock Farms' new cold brew drinks are very heavy on the milk; the coffee flavor is secondary. That being said, the quality of the coffee -- and its benefits over coffee that is hot-brewed -- are much harder to discern.

Glow is a two-SKU line of functional supplements designed to help promote hydration, energy, and recovery. The company offers “Hydration” and “Energy” varieties, both of which appear to have the same flavor. Regardless of variety name, their primary purpose appears to be to reduce the effects of a hangover.

There’s a lot going on with Native Jack, a nitro cold brew coffee made with hemp oil and protein, but the branding lacks focus.

Normally, we applaud companies that choose to shift into a more proprietary or premium package, but, in the case of Black Medicine, moving to a 9.5 oz. slim can is great move.

Cave Shake is a vegan meal replacement shake that uses coconut milk as its base ingredient. Calling itself a shake as well as a dessert (and using the term “ready-to-eat”), this product seems to straddle the lines between food and beverage.

Califia Black Label Cold Brew represents the first time that the company has released a ready-to-drink straight cold brew. It was really the only piece missing from having a truly complete line.

Hailing from Ireland, Vit-Hit is a blend of water, juice, tea, and vitamins that is marketed as a low-calorie, naturally sweetened beverage. There is certainly no shortage of those, so why drink a Vit-Hit over the competition? That’s the piece that’s really missing for us.

Aqua's reduced-calorie flavored sparkling waters are visually appealing and deliver a refreshing and full-bodied flavor experience. But is the brand being forced into a category where it doesn’t quite belong?

People have tried several times to market a ready-to-drink rooibos tea to children, and it has always failed to catch on. To us, there seems to be a big disconnect between the purchaser (the parent who might be in tune with this) and the end user (a child). Can Bossi, a line of USDA Organic rooibos drinks marketed for kids, succeed where others did not?

Koia is a plant-based protein drink brand that is launching in three flavors. Koia's key selling points are its protein content (16-19 g per bottle depending on the variety), low sugar content, and non-GMO vegan formulation. It also has some really sharp looking packaging.

Mr. Mak’s Ginbao is this new company’s take on an Asian ginger bao (broth) that is delivered in ready-to-drink form. The product comes in three flavors, Original Dynasty, Dragonwell, and Queen Bee, each of which is packaged in an attractive looking 13.9 oz. glass bottle.

Bowery Coffee Co. is a Los Angeles, Calif.-based company that recently launched a five-flavor line of ready-to-drink cold brew coffee beverages. In an overflowing pool of cold brew brands, does Bowery do enough to tell its story in such a way that connects with consumers?

The cold-pressed/high pressure processed segment of the shot category is still a relatively young concept. This is both a good thing in that Saratoga will have less clutter to cut through, but it’s also adds a near term challenge in that the shelf space for this category isn’t as defined as it is for full size juices.