Looking to challenge the growth and rapid success of Talking Rain's Sparking ICE brand, Coca-Cola has revamped Glaceau Fruitwater, a Vitaminwater line extension that was discontinued a few years ago. Fruitwater is now a zero-calorie, sucralose-sweetened sparkling drink that contains no actual juice. We found the new packaging and formulation to be a great move for the brand, which will likely find traction in mainstream retail.
In the nearly two years since we first sampled BluePrint products, juice cleanses have become en vogue, high pressure processing is gaining momentum, and countless other brands have entered super…
The concept behind ‘tude is pretty straightforward: take apples, cold press them, put them in a bottle, and give them some shelf life via high pressure processing (HPP). Unlike pasteurized apple juices that often use blends of many different types of apples, ‘tude’s “raw” apple juice is very true to taste. While the branding might confuse some consumers, we really do like the simplicity of what they’ve created.
Produced in Thailand and marketed by a Canadian company, Thirsty Buddha is now making its way into the U.S. market. It's Its flagship product is a 16 oz. steel can of not from concentrate coconut water. Ultimately, this is a perfectly fine coconut water that has a nice look compared to some of the other products that are on the market today.
Kate Farms’ Komplete is a line of vegan- and soy-free protein drinks that takes a different approach that other products that we’ve seen in this category. Overall, a very unique product that’s in need of some visual help, especially since what’s inside the container is great.
Riding the tidal wave of demand for coconut water, a range of beverage companies have continued to innovative with the use of the liquid as a complementary ingredient. One such company is Steaz, which recently introduced a an organic green tea and coconut water drink. From our perspective, coconut water and green tea definitely seems like a winning combination and Steaz has done a great job of executing this product.
Joining the somewhat limited ranks of coconut water packaged in glass bottles is Coco Fresco, a Vietnam sourced coconut water. While there are probably some retailers and consumers who will grab a glass bottle over a carton or a can, Coco Fresco really doesn’t feel like a developed brand.
Maverick Brands has extended its line of Coco Libre drinks with Coco Libre Protein, a blend of coconut water and 20 grams of whey and milk protein isolate. In our review of three of the flavors in the line – Chocolate, Vanilla and Almond – we found the formulation of the drinks to be quite enjoyable, and while the packaging could use a few tweaks, the line is great extension for the brand.
Leaping into the growing fray of better-for-you energy drinks, NEO recently launched NEO Energy, an organic energy drink made with electrolytes.The product contains organic caffeine, ginseng, electrolytes, and B vitamins. While the branding doesn’t feel like something that was designed for the natural channel (a likely starting point for an organic energy drink), it's a product that we think will appeal to a variety of consumers.
Known for its super premium line of organic coconut waters, Harmless Harvest recently launched an innovative line of tea products that are made with “raw” tea leaves. The three-SKU line,…
Continuing to expand with new and on-trend ingredients while remaining true to its core as a marketer of Amazonian "superfoods," Sambazon launched Energy Mocha Java and Blended Breakfast smoothies at the recently concluded Expo West show. The unique formulation and packaging of each product impressed our review panel.
HiBall recently launched a pair of new products to its line of organic energy drinks and sparkling waters. From our perspective, Hiball Organic Pomegranate/Acai – a 120-calorie blend made with organic juice and organic sugar – and Hiball Peach Sparkling Energy Water – a zero-calorie product made with the company's certified-organic energy blend are both well-crafted line extensions for the brand.
ZICO recently debuted a 1.5 L Tetra Pak, the first package of its kind in the U.S. The package will be positioned in grocery coolers within the premium juice category and comes in three flavors: Original, Chocolate, and a new Strawberry Banana variety, one made with 20 percent juice. We think that ZICO has done a great job with both the new package and the new flavor, which has a lower calorie profile than competing juice products.
Honest Tea's Honest Splash is a new line of juice drinks designed for older children that is currently sold in a exclusive deal with Target. While the formulation mirrors that of the Honest Kids line, from the packaging, it's not totally obvious that the products are made for kids, which definitely could be by design in the sense that the market for smaller portion sizes is definitely growing.
