GOOD4U: Endurance

Billed as the “system preload” formulation, Tropical Citrus is a pleasant and familiar-tasting beverage that is sweetened with sugar, glucose, and stevia. From a functional point of view, this product is almost identical to the Cactus Starfruit flavor, with the only noticeable difference being the addition of natural caffeine from guarana (they have also removed L-glutamine). While caffeine is certainly a good addition, the name “system preload” implied to us that this drink would have protein. We’re sure that we’re not alone in coming up with our own way to interpret this somewhat vague functional description -- instead, we would suggest that they focus on what’s in it (e.g. electrolytes & caffeine). Further on that, we would simplify the visual presentation. The words “athletic supplement” do not add to the appeal, while the flavor name unfortunately ends up hidden on one of the bottle’s ribs. We would also eliminate (at least from the front panel) the “Good4U sports nutrition” badge, “balanced with stevia” and “100% natural.” Lastly, the placement of the calorie content is good in theory, but in practice having three different calorie choices (0, 20, 25) will likely confuse consumers. Even without those elements, it is pretty easy to figure out that this is a sports drink. Overall, it tastes pretty good, but the visual appearance leaves some room for improvement.