Victoria's Kitchen: Organic Lemonade - Ginger (bottle)

Victoria’s Kitchen’s Organic Ginger Lemonade represents what appears to be an evolution of the brand’s focus. Specifically, this is the first flavor that is not almond water-based; the company calls it an “almondade.” Instead, the product is being marketed as a low-calorie (35 calories per 8 oz. serving) organic beverage. Ingredients include water, organic lemon juice from concentrate, fair trade organic sugar, organic cold-pressed ginger juice, and organic cayenne pepper. The flavor profile is quite light, with a nice dose of lemon juice, some mild heat from the ginger and cayenne, and a touch of sweetness to round things out. However, we do think that Victoria's use of lemon juice from concentrate isn’t the best decision for a product that’s attempting to call attention to the use of cold-pressed ginger. Regardless, this product is better tasting and more mainstream than any of the company's previous efforts. And it can definitely hold its own against similar products. From a packaging perspective, the product has a vintage theme to it, which, compared with their earlier efforts, has an arrangement that’s visually clean to the eye. If the intention is to make a line of various flavored lemonades, the current system of having the ginger disconnected from the “organic lemonade” text makes sense. But we definitely feel as though the company could do more to make the lemonade itself more appealing. It will be competing with products that have fruit imagery and other design elements that are more appealing than the Victoria’s Kitchen branding (no offense to the woman pictured on the label). Ultimately, we feel as though the story behind the product is a good one, but we feel as though the company needs to develop a more visually appealing brand and move the photo to the back of the label. Overall, this flavor is a step in the right direction for the brand in that it takes it outside of just being an almond water.