Motto is a sparkling matcha beverage that was originally launched almost a decade ago and was the winner of the New Beverage Showdown 5 in 2013. Originally packaged in a longneck 12 ounce glass bottle, Motto is now packaged in a 12 ounce can and features a refined formula.

Now positioned as a “fresh soda,” the new Motto has a slightly lower amount of sugar and calories than the original (60 calories and 13 grams of sugar versus 70 calories and 16 grams of sugar). However, the ingredients list appears to be mostly the same with sparkling water, matcha, honey, agave, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt as the primary ingredients. There are also added organic plant extracts for color and flavor. 

Motto’s flavor is quite enjoyable and definitely more balanced than what we remember of the original. The product has a mild matcha flavor that isn’t grassy and it lacks the “chew” that we remember from the original. There’s a touch of sweetness from the added honey and agave followed by very mellow notes of lemon and apple cider vinegar. You can taste the salt at the drink’s finish, but it, too, is pretty mild. 

Another thing that feels more dialed in than the original is the drink’s level of carbonation. The original was so carbonated that it was best to open the bottle over a sink, but this one does not have that issue.  This could be related to the fact that this version is shelf stable, but regardless they’ve gotten it to a good spot where it works well with the different flavors and gives it a nice crisp finish. 

Moving on to the packaging, Motto utilizes a shrink sleeve label with a matte finish. The label is dark green – clearly meant to mimic the color of matcha – and the brand’s cross logo is the only thing that sits on the front of the can. The design is definitely striking and eye-catching, although it’s not overly functional as it lacks any copy to tell you what the drink is.

For that, you’ll have to turn to the side of the can. There you’ll find the brand name, the tag line “Drink for life,” and “sparkling matcha.” It’s simple and to the point, which is fine, although we’d like to see them further lean in on the fresh soda copy that they are promoting on social media. And either way, we’d like to see some sort of copy on the front panel, even if it’s small.

Beyond that, we really do like the idea of positioning this as a better-for-you soda.  This is a category that didn’t really exist when the brand originally started but is certainly ripe with opportunity now thanks to the host of mid calorie brands that have made headway.  This feels like a place with more opportunity than the tea category, which is likely where a sparkling matcha would sit otherwise. However, we wish the calories were just a tad lower (45 or 50 would be great) and they’ll certainly need to move quickly with additional SKUs to be competitive.

In the end, we really like Motto’s relaunched product. It’s well-executed in both flavor and packaging and we think it could have some legs to play in the better-for-you soda set – especially if they can add another SKU or two to complement it.