Alova: Cucumber Mint (2015 formulation)

Described as an “aloe infused sparkling water,” Alova is a 60-calorie beverage that’s sweetened with cane sugar. From our perspective, this is more of a low-calorie soda than a sparkling water (think Dry Soda). Made with 15 percent aloe vera juice, the product has a pleasant tasting cucumber and mint flavor with only the slightest trace of aloe (the mint seems to mask it). It’s definitely a different approach than other aloe vera beverages that we’ve seen, and we think it’s a pretty good one. And it is a nice point of differentiation amongst similar carbonated beverages. The cucumber and mint flavors are spot on and they, not the aloe vera, are what would keep us coming back to this product. Having 16g of sugar and 60 calories per bottle is also a huge plus, putting it the realm of other sodas that have low enough calories without using an zero-calorie sweetener. On the outside, we like the choice of an 11.16 oz. glass bottle. However, if the product is going to compete with similar products, we think that Alova needs to do more with the design. As it stands right now, it’s a bit too plain. Making it have a more sophisticated and modern look would definitely help it out. Overall, we like Alova’s approach to its formulation and the solid flavor that it has created, but the branding needs an upgrade.