Fresh Fizz is a new line of all natural sodas made with a straightforward list of ingredients. The Brooklyn-based company has launched with four flavors: Jalapeno Lime, Hibiscus Ginger, Cherry Cola and Lemon Mint.

The products are flavored exclusively with juice (4-11% per ? oz. can) and spices and are sweetened with honey. The end result is that each can has 75 calories and 19 grams of sugar, putting it on the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to full calorie CSDs.

Given that these products use premium ingredients, it’s no surprise that they’ve really nailed the taste of these drinks. All four have an extremely fresh and enjoyable taste, which is certainly good for any product that has the word “fresh” in the name. Here’s a rundown of the four:

• Jalapeño Lime - Made with a blend of carbonated water, lime juice, honey and jalapeño, this product is sweet and tart, with a spicy finish. The flavors are perfectly balanced and this is a product that we literally couldn’t stop drinking.

• Lemon Mint - One of the first things you’ll notice about this product is the super fresh note of mint, which is by itself a reason to try this product. But they’ve done a great job of combining it with lemon, honey, and sparkling water (think sparkling lemonade) to create something that is a great alternative to classic citrus sodas. 

• Cherry Cola - We’ve tasted plenty of high end colas, but this is one of the few takes on a cherry cola.  The use of cherry and orange juices along with orange peel, nutmeg and kola nut give this product complex layers of flavor.

• Hibiscus Ginger - With ingredients including lemon, ginger, hibiscus and honey, this product has some typically assertive flavors that combine to make something that is very well balanced.

Moving on to the packaging, Fresh Fizz’s first effort is a nice start for the brand. The labels are vibrant and modern looking, but also have an artisanal look to them that certainly feels like it fits the part of the super premium CSD category.

Otherwise, the label follows a straightforward top-to-bottom hierarchy with the company logo, flavor icon, and an illustration of the hero ingredients taking up the majority of the front panel. There’s also some really brief copy at the bottom, which calls out the natural ingredients and use of honey. 

However, we feel that there needs to be more work done on the Fresh Fizz branding and these labels as a whole. It really comes down to one specific thing, which is that the branding doesn’t feel strong enough visually in its current form. As a result, we think it would be pretty easy for someone to see the Fresh Fizz logo and think that it’s a product descriptor rather than the name of the brand.

Developing an identity that is more branded will not only help Fresh Fizz’s packaging become more intuitive, it will also help with the curb appeal for the product. The current logo doesn’t really connect with the consumer; we think that this is a missed opportunity and something that will be important as the brand grows.

In the end, this is a really nice first effort from Fresh Fizz. As is often the case with startups, the company needs some work on its branding strategy, but they definitely feel like they are in a really good spot when it comes to the liquid inside the cans.