Calling on consumers to "Master the Energy," Manyk Energy is a four-SKU energy drink line that includes a zero-calorie product, and two tea-flavored varieties. While the formulation of the beverages is on par with much of what we've seen in the category, Manyk has a ways to go in revising its packaging.
And the cold brew coffee train keeps rolling... Fresh out of Southern California, Seaworth’s “Single Fin Sludge” is a new organic concentrated cold brew coffee. Well-executed in packaging and flavor, “Single Fin Sludge" is an impressive foray into a category that seems to be growing by the day.
Building on the rapid growth of cold brew and craft coffee brands, Dave’s Coffee is a new line of “coffee syrup” products. In concept, it’s not that much different than most of the other cold brew products that we’ve sampled, but the syrup is a concentrated form that can be mixed with water. However, the fact that it’s syrup form definitely makes it a bit more difficult to mix than other brands that are simply coffee concentrate.
North Carolina-based Cheerwine has launched a new 4-pack of 12 oz slim cans. For a brand with a ton of retro appeal, the foray into a modern-looking package is an interesting move. Nevertheless, we think that the company did a great job staying true to its branding - and formulation.
AriZona recently extended its line of Jack Nicklaus Golden Bear lemonades with a new mint-flavored variety. Although we find the blend of lemonade and mint flavors to be quite appealing, we question whether the brand as a whole can ultimately carve out a successful niche in that there is something that seems disconnected between the image of the golfer and the thoughts of summertime that are inevitable when drinking lemonade.
As far as bottled water is concerned, high pH (aka alkalinized) water is certainly all the rage right now, at least in terms of new product introductions. And for many of the high pH brands that have been around for a while, rebranding efforts are underway. That’s exactly the case for Essentia, which has gone from being a brand that could blend in with the spring water masses to something that is attempting to establish itself as modern and sporty.
Much like the bevy of other sports/hydration drinks on the market, enterade is marketed as a dietary supplement for "hydration during stressful exercise and endurance sports." However, unlike competing brands, enterade contains a bare bones formulation of water, natural flavor, and sodium bicarbonate that makes the product rather unpleasant to consume.
Tibi Tonic is a new hangover recovery supplement aimed at reaching consumers within the nightclub circuit. The brand, which took part in New Beverage Showdown 4 at BevNET Live Winter 12, has done well to differentiate itself from competing recovery drinks with its sophisticated packaging, but we can’t help but feel as though its branding would be better applied to some other form of functional beverage.
Billed as a hybrid sports nutrition/energy drink, RIZE is formulated with trehalose, a naturally occurring sugar that the marketer claims provides twice the energy of glucose. For each of its two flavors, the brand features a pleasant flavor profile, but needs some work to improve its packaging, particularly in detailing the benefits of its formulation and differentiating itself from other products in the energy space.
Inject is a newcomer to the energy category, and from our perspective, the product needs a lot of work, particularly in revising its branding and high-calorie formulation, before it can have any real impact on the market.
2012 saw the launch of a number of new oat-based drinks, including Oatworks, a line of oat and fruit smoothies. The beverages are made with 100 percent fruit juice and puree and a proprietary water-soluble oat fiber called PromOat. Overall, the line is a solid debut and well-positioned to be a leader in the emerging oat category.
Vibrant Earth Juices is a new line of freshly pressed, organic, raw fruit and vegetable juices. Packaged in 3 -5 day juice cleanse regimens, the brand comes in eight varieties, with most named for a specific functional benefit, i.e. Energy, Detox, Calm. Although we are pleased to see more fresh pressed juices coming on the market, Vibrant has some work to do in terms of formulation and packaging.
Marketed as "Hawaiian Volcanic Water," Waiakea has branded itself as a sustainably sourced, high electrolyte, and high alkaline water. While the positioning and sleek packaging of the brand will undoubtedly attract some premium water consumers, we wonder if the market can support yet another brand of water from across the Pacific.
Next 10 Energy Shot is a new energy drink created by a neurosurgeon with the aim of offering a healthier and better performing product than what is currently on the market. While the product has a visually appealing design and a relatively enjoyable flavor, we're not sure as to what the point of differentiation is for this product.
