Alova is a brand of aloe-infused, sugar-sweetened sparkling beverages marketed by Mexican beverage company Novamex. Ultimately, we feel as though the products are in a slightly odd spot. They looks very much like something that’s going to be healthier and more exotic tasting than a standard soda, but the flavor is, well, just like a standard soda.
Unveiled at the 2012 NACS show, Rockstar Energy Water is the company’s first foray into enhanced waters. The products, which come in three varieties, are zero-calorie and formulated with 200mg…
LifeAID, a company that markets a variety of beverages designed for a specific use occasion, recently launched PartyAID, a hangover a recovery drink, and FitAID, which is advertised as "a functional fitness beverage." While we understand the company’s approach to innovation, the lack of anything that ties its products (which includes GolferAID, its first product) together is a big issue.
Looking to broaden its base of consumers, Suja has introduced Elements, a new line of 12 oz. cold-pressed, HPP and organic juice blends that bridge the gap between the company's flagship line and the bottled smoothie category. The new line comes in three flavors -- each with a more mainstream-focused price of $4.99 -- and from our perspective, Suja has done an excellent job with the formulation and branding of the products.
Marketed as “100% Natural Greek Mountain Tea,” Tuvunu is a product is made with sideritis tea, wild blossom honey and not-from-concentrate lemon juice. Despite the exotic-sounding tagline, the beverage tastes nearly identical to a standard sweetened black tea with lemon. Figuring out some way to make this drink’s flavor memorable -- while maintaining the enjoyment of the beverage -- is the obvious next step.
Sipp, which produces a line of organic sodas, recently revamped its packaging and is now marketed as “sparkling organics.” The new look, which moves the Sipp into a 12 oz. longneck bottle and features new label design, definitely makes a good brand even better.
Earlier this summer, Ayala’s Herbal Water debuted a new line of caffeine- and sugar-free herbal teas. Rolled out as an exclusive at Wegman’s and The Fresh Market, Ayala’s Herbal Tea…
Psyche is a new line of all-natural and zero-calorie soft drinks marketed by White Rock Beverages. The beverages come in several classic CSD flavors, including Orange and Lemon Lime, which are the two varieties that we sampled. While we enjoyed the formulation of the products, we have to ask: why isn't there a stronger visual connection to White Rock?
While we like the choice of a tall and narrow 16 oz. glass bottle versus the standard glass package many non-carbonated beverages use, and think the company is on the right track with its flavors, the label design for Lori's Lemonade really needs help.
In our sampling of ok.- Energy's new fruit-flavored varieties, we are -- despite the lack of actual juice in the products -- quite impressed with their accurate and enjoyable fruit flavors. However, we still wonder about the name “ok.-" and the branding of the products -- it's hard to see them standing out in an already oversaturated market.
Afterparty is a hydration and recovery beverage that comes in original and sugar-free formulations. While Afterparty is not positioned as an energy drink, the visual and flavor similarities to products in that category will be challenging for the brand, not to mention the lack of real success in the “recovery” or “hangover” categories.
Cocotein is a coconut water-based beverage that touts whey protein isolate as its key functional ingredient. While we've seen a few similarly positioned products on the market, it's certainly a niche category. Nevertheless, Cocotein is a well-executed beverage.
Arin is a brand of Thai-inspired drinks that made its U.S. debut at the recently held 2013 Summer Fancy Foods Show. The line-up includes a black tea, a hibiscus drink and lemongrass-infused beverage. While the company did a good job with the formulation of the drinks, branding and packaging is a significant issue.
A finalist in the recently held New Beverage Showdown 5 at BevNET Live Summer '13, Jin+Ja is a non-carbonated beverage made with fresh ginger, cayenne, water, sugar, lemon juice, green tea and mint tea. Positioned as a product with a variety of use occasions, Jin+Ja is nicely formulated and features some pretty solid packaging.
