Review: Glim Activated Charcoal Water

Posted: Aug 14, 2017 at 12:39 PM (Last Updated: Aug 14, 2017 at 1:18 PM)

Covers Products: Activated Charcoal Water

Utilizing activated charcoal as its key ingredient, Glim describes itself as an “alternative water.”

The product, which is made with filtered water, natural flavor, charcoal powder, citric acid, and stevia, has zero calories or sugar. The flavor profile is very light, with the slightly nutty and roasted flavor of the charcoal, which is derived from coconut shells the main thing that you taste. There’s added stevia, but there really isn’t any sweetness to speak of in the product. That said, there also isn’t any stevia aftertaste to speak of, which is definitely a good thing (although it also makes us wonder why they even need it).

Compared with other activated charcoal drinks that we’ve had, most of which seem to have lemonade or a master cleanse at their base, Glim is much closer to the likes of BLK Water than it is one of those products. Pitching a zero calorie cleanse product seems like something that might have a niche, although we think there’s still a hurdle to get over when it comes to drinking black colored liquid.

On the outside, Glim employs a 16.9 oz. plastic bottle that’s fully wrapped with a clear label that features white graphics. This works well with the black backdrop from the liquid, while the copy takes a pretty straightforward approach to communicating the product. We think it’s pretty smart that they’ve addressed the source of the charcoal and its benefits head on, although we do feel the product’s design aesthetic is a bit too serious and technical.

That leads us to our main question, which is whether this is too niche or not. The company, which also lists a Colloidal Silver Water on its website, seems to be focused on products that are technical and super-premium. While that’s not an issue for us, the awareness surrounding these two concepts is certainly far from the mainstream. There’s sure to be demand for what they are selling, but it seems like something that will currently have a very niche audience.

So, we’re left wondering a few things. First, can Glim focus in on activated charcoal, which presently seems like it has more potential than a colloidal silver water, and perhaps refine and expand the product offering. We’re not sure that adding more sweetness is the solution, but having a secondary flavor and making the packaging more approachable might be places to consider. Until then, this seems like a product that will be best suited to e-commerce or select markets where consumers are educated on this concept.


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