REBBL

REBBL Pop is a new USDA Organic “sparkling prebiotic soda” that is the latest line extension from a company that to date has been known for their functional plant-based beverages. The product line, which is perishable and requires refrigeration, joins a growing number of brands that have expanded into the better-for-you CSD space known as “Pop.”

The line is launching in four flavors: Blackberry, Ginger Lime, Root Beer and Mandarin Orange. The fruit flavored SKUs contain added juice (ranging from 3% to 11%), which serves as both a flavoring and sweetener, as well as coconut nectar, monk fruit and stevia. The Root Beer SKU contains no fruit juice but does contain the same sweetener blend as the others. 

The end result is that the products have a modest 45-50 calories and 5 grams of sugar per 12 ounce can. This, combined with added prebiotics (organic acacia), puts it in the same ballpark as other carbonated beverages that are being marketed as next-gen “Pop.” 

Let’s take a look at the flavor profile of each SKU:

• Mandarin Orange: Featuring 11% juice from a combination of tangerine, mandarin orange, and lemon, this one has a bright citrus flavor that’s quite gulpable and does a really nice job of masking the monk fruit and stevia sweeteners.

• Blackberry: This tart variety is full of berry flavor thanks to7% juice from blackberry and pomegranate. Like Mandarin Orange, the full-bodied fruit flavor hides the sweeteners quite nicely and, as a result, the product tastes like a full calorie product even though it isn’t.

• Ginger Lime: While it contains 3% juice from lemon and lime juices, Ginger Lime drinks more like a traditional CSD than the prior two flavors. What you have here appears to be their riff on a ginger ale -- and a spicy one at that. The core flavors are good, but there’s a bit too much sweetener aftertaste at the finish.

• Root Beer: This is the only SKU that doesn’t contain fruit juice and is the most literal translation of an existing CSD that you’ll find in the line. With a rich and creamy body and nice pleasant vanilla notes, this definitely tastes like a high quality root beer. You can still taste a bit of the sweeteners, but not so much that it gets in the way of enjoyment.

For the product’s packaging, REBBL has gone with a 12 ounce slim can with a label wrapped around the body that leaves exposed areas at the top and bottom. A shrink sleeve label (or ultimately a printed can, though we realize there are supply chain constraints right now) would definitely look better, in our opinion.

The design of the label is centered around the REBBL logo, which literally sits in the middle of the can. To make the word “Pop,” they’ve placed a large P to the top left of the REBBL logo and another one to the lower right of it. Unfortunately, it’s one of those logos that’s readable only if you know what it’s supposed to say. If you don’t, we think your eye might go searching around the label.

The rest of the label is filled with key product attributes, including a callouts for organic certification and sugar content, and some copy about digestive health and immunity, while the flavor name is near the bottom and the product description (“sparkling prebiotic tonic”) is at the literal bottom. Overall, the layout  feels like it could benefit from a clearer hierarchy.

On that same note, the package is missing a key element: something that quantifies the prebiotic content (presumably the added organic acacia). Typically, this comes in the form of dietary fiber on the nutrition facts panel, but that’s missing on these products. If nothing else, this will make it hard for a label reading consumer to gauge this product against the competition.

Overall, we like the notion of REBBL moving into the sparkling space and the “Pop” category seems like a good place to do it right now. However, we think that the brand needs to both work on the branding and consider moving to a shelf stable offering if they want to compete in a big way.

Released in October as a Whole Foods exclusive, REBBL Mayan Cocoa Gold Label is branded as an “ultimate super herb elixir.” The USDA Organic certified beverage includes four varieties of medicinal mushrooms as well as maca and ashwagandha.

The formulation is free of dairy, soy, and grain, using a coconut milk base that has been enhanced with hazelnut butter and sweetened with a blend of coconut sugar and stevia. Additional flavor ingredients include cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, cayenne and pink sea salt.

On the nutritional front, the product has 250 calories, 6 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, 17 grams of fat and 9 grams of sugar per 12 oz. bottle. There’s also 10-20 mg of caffeine, MCTs, and the previously mentioned functional ingredients, depending on the SKU. REBBL does a nice job of disclosing the exact content of these ingredients on the side of the bottle.

When it comes to taste, this product exceeded our expectations; We were admittedly a bit hesitant when we saw the amount of functional ingredients, but the end result is very well crafted. The rich chocolate flavor hits your palate almost immediately, while the spice quickly starts to build. The product has some distinct cayenne flavor and it’s a really nice complement to the chocolate. We also taste notes of coconut, salt and hazelnut, while the added stevia is well masked. 

On the outside, the product follows the same layout as the other REBBL Super Herbs drinks. In this case, there’s a gold label, which, along with the text “GOLD LABEL” sitting in the middle, gives this product a more serious and super-functional tone. This is furthered by the somewhat long list of hero ingredients that sits above the “Mayan Cocoa” callout. Having flavor be the literal last element on the label just heightens the focus on functionality.

While the package looks nice and definitely exudes the look of something that’s more potent than the core line, it also made us feel like it was going to taste inferior to their flagship products. If there were an actual compromise in flavor to get the added functionality, this would be a fine approach-- but since it’s not, we wish the “gold label” aspect of the brand didn’t completely take over the way it does.

Overall, we are really pleased with the concept and the execution of the liquid. Regardless of our questions about the approach to the label, Mayan Cocoa Gold Label represents some of REBBL’s best work yet.

With Turmeric Golden-Milk already in its lineup, Rebbl’s latest offering, Turmeric Lemon Tart, clearly shows that the company sees opportunity in turmeric-based offerings.

The two products share some common ingredients at their base, including coconut milk, honey, and turmeric. However, Lemon Tart is a very different product from its counterpart. The addition of lemon juice makes the product have a tart and bright flavor, which is honestly a bit easier on the palate than the spiced flavor of Golden-Milk. Despite the bright yellow color of the liquid, the flavor is mild and refreshing, with a hefty dose of lemon followed by notes of vanilla, turmeric, ginger, and salt.

The combination of honey and stevia also works quite well as you cannot even taste the stevia at all. This approach also works out well when it comes to the nutrition facts panel where you’ll find 11g of sugars and 150 calories per bottle.

On the functionality side of things, this product hangs its hat on two things: turmeric (1800mg) and MCTs (4.7g). While the product also contains quillaja, which could certainly qualify as a “super herb,” the approach that they’ve taken with this product seems timely and on trend. In addition, they’ve added black pepper, which is known to increase the bioavailability of turmeric.

Visually, this product is, at least in our opinion, their sharpest looking SKU to date. The bright yellow color of the bottle is noticeably more vibrant and eye catching than their other labels, which use more muted colors or shades of brown. It also feels more approachable and inviting, which is partially due to the color and partially due to fact that we think that this is one of their more mainstream and understandable blends.

Overall, Rebbl Turmeric Lemon Tart is a really well-executed product and a welcome addition to their lineup. It’s a product that has the ability to appeal to both their existing consumers and broaden their base to new users and push the brand closer to the mainstream.

Ever since Rebbl launched its Super Herbs line, it seems like each new flavor and iteration is taking the brand to higher levels of flavor and polish. The brand's latest flavor, Vanilla Spice Protein, very much continues that trend.

The product mixes a coconut milk base with 16g of vegan protein -- derived from pea, sunflower, and pumpkin sources -- per bottle. It’s something that can definitely hold its own with many soy or whey protein beverages. While maca, ashwagandha, and reishi give it a boost of herbal ingredients it’s really the protein that’s going to lure most consumers in.

For the flavor, the “Vanilla Spice” is basically a chai flavor, but without the black tea. The difference is really subtle, with the added herbs and flavorings doing a good job of fooling the palate. The only things that are obviously different are the coconut cream, which adds a slight coconut finish, and the use of stevia. On the latter, there is just a hint, but it is one of the better uses of stevia that we’ve tasted.

Nutritionally, in addition to the previously mentioned 16g of protein, each bottle packs 250 calories, 8g of fat, 2g of fiber, calcium, and iron. It certainly could be used as a meal replacement product.

In terms of packaging, the 12 oz. round bottle is fully-wrapped like the rest of the Rebbl Super Herbs line. The design is polished and clean, although the amount of text on the front makes the label rather busy. Fortunately, most of it is pretty easy to visually digest in a quick manner. If anything, the herbal ingredients seem a bit lost in the shuffle, especially with the amount of space dedicated to calling out the product’s protein content.