Caliwater: Cactus Water (2014)

Caliwater’s Cactus Water is an all-natural beverage that is made with prickly pear cactus (both in concentrate form and extract). The product, which contains 22 percent juice, is sweetened with both the cactus pear juice and added organic stevia. From a taste perspective, the product is light and thirst-quenching, with a flavor that is probably best described as a very mellow berry with an earthy finish. However, there’s some stevia flavor to the finish, which could be an issue for some consumers. Still, if it's all-natural, low-calorie refreshment that the consumer is seeking, this product, which has only 32 calories and 7g of sugar per 11 oz. bottle, is certainly a worthy choice. And compared with other stevia-sweetened beverages, it can hold its own, despite needing consumer education when it comes to flavor. As a functional beverage, we think that Caliwater's got some work to do. The company states that the drink is for hydration and recovery, but that’s not something that’s easily understood from the packaging. Otherwise, the packaging is pretty approachable and straightforward looking, but it doesn’t pop due to the relatively subdued colors. Overall, it’s a nice start for Caliwater’s Cactus Water, but we’d like to see the product have a bit more visual oomph and improved messaging.