Kalo
by Kalo
Review: Kalo
Covers Products: Lemon Lavender, Strawberry Watermelon
Kalo is a line of flavored sparkling waters enhanced with full spectrum hemp extract. The lineup features four flavors that are lightly sweetened with cane sugar and contain only 15 calories per 12 oz. can.
For the purposes of the review, we sampled two flavors, Lemon Lavender and Strawberry Watermelon. The two other flavors that we did not sample are Peach Pomegranate and Lime Raspberry. All of the products contain 20 mg of CBD.
From a taste perspective, these products are light and crisp. That being said, we feel that the flavor of the Lemon Lavender is the better of the two that we tried. The herbal note of lavender and the splash of citrus (from lemon juice) work well with the low level of sweetness.
In the case of Strawberry Watermelon, the taste of flavoring is clear. While we like the added lemon juice, the lack of sweetness makes these fruit flavors, which normally are sweet, fall somewhat flat.
Finally, we’ll complement both flavors for masking the added hemp. We’re still seeing a lot of CBD products that create a cottonmouth effect -- and, thankfully, this isn’t one of them.
On the outside, the product uses a white sleeve wrap label that features a bright blue Kalo logo that runs from bottom to top. There are various text callouts, including “Create Happiness” along the side (editor’s note: the company’s website depicts a newer version of the package that has this text in a colored ring at the top of the can). The flavor name is placed above the logo in a very small circular shape that also includes outlined illustrations of fruit.
While the design might be eye-catching, we think that it needs work to be effective. First and foremost, both the size and placement of the flavor name needs to be reconsidered. This is an important element that should be larger and better integrated into the hierarchy so that it’s clear what this product is. Finally, we’re not big fans of the tagline “Create Happiness” -- it feels too pie-in-the-sky and we think the real estate would be better used with something that helps influence the consumer’s purchase decision.
In the end, Kalo’s is a good and timely product concept that could have a place in the market, if they can refine both the flavor and packaging.