As far as bottled water is concerned, high pH (aka alkalinized) water is certainly all the rage right now, at least in terms of new product introductions. And for many of the high pH brands that have been around for a while, rebranding efforts are underway. That’s exactly the case for Essentia, which has gone from being a brand that could blend in with the spring water masses to something that is attempting to establish itself as modern and sporty.
Much like the bevy of other sports/hydration drinks on the market, enterade is marketed as a dietary supplement for "hydration during stressful exercise and endurance sports." However, unlike competing brands, enterade contains a bare bones formulation of water, natural flavor, and sodium bicarbonate that makes the product rather unpleasant to consume.
Tibi Tonic is a new hangover recovery supplement aimed at reaching consumers within the nightclub circuit. The brand, which took part in New Beverage Showdown 4 at BevNET Live Winter 12, has done well to differentiate itself from competing recovery drinks with its sophisticated packaging, but we can’t help but feel as though its branding would be better applied to some other form of functional beverage.
Billed as a hybrid sports nutrition/energy drink, RIZE is formulated with trehalose, a naturally occurring sugar that the marketer claims provides twice the energy of glucose. For each of its two flavors, the brand features a pleasant flavor profile, but needs some work to improve its packaging, particularly in detailing the benefits of its formulation and differentiating itself from other products in the energy space.
Inject is a newcomer to the energy category, and from our perspective, the product needs a lot of work, particularly in revising its branding and high-calorie formulation, before it can have any real impact on the market.
2012 saw the launch of a number of new oat-based drinks, including Oatworks, a line of oat and fruit smoothies. The beverages are made with 100 percent fruit juice and puree and a proprietary water-soluble oat fiber called PromOat. Overall, the line is a solid debut and well-positioned to be a leader in the emerging oat category.
Vibrant Earth Juices is a new line of freshly pressed, organic, raw fruit and vegetable juices. Packaged in 3 -5 day juice cleanse regimens, the brand comes in eight varieties, with most named for a specific functional benefit, i.e. Energy, Detox, Calm. Although we are pleased to see more fresh pressed juices coming on the market, Vibrant has some work to do in terms of formulation and packaging.
Marketed as "Hawaiian Volcanic Water," Waiakea has branded itself as a sustainably sourced, high electrolyte, and high alkaline water. While the positioning and sleek packaging of the brand will undoubtedly attract some premium water consumers, we wonder if the market can support yet another brand of water from across the Pacific.
Next 10 Energy Shot is a new energy drink created by a neurosurgeon with the aim of offering a healthier and better performing product than what is currently on the market. While the product has a visually appealing design and a relatively enjoyable flavor, we're not sure as to what the point of differentiation is for this product.
The concept behind Live Soda seems like a good one -- at least in theory: take classic soda flavors, cut the calories, and add in some live kombucha culture. While the resulting formulation does taste pretty good, it's hard to comprehend just how many people out there will want to combine something that is a health drink (kombucha) with something that is an indulgence product (soda).
Solixir has unveiled new branding and a new citrus flavor to its line of sparkling botanical beverages. We like what Solixir has done with the redesign and simplification of its packaging which now connects nicely with the botanical ingredients in the drinks.
Zevia has come a long way since its inception, with no meaningful difference in flavor between its products and those of mainstream competitors, most of which are, by comparison, not all-natural. The brand's new Lime Cola - a stevia- and erythritol-sweetened zero calorie soda - is a great example of that.
Celestial Seasonings recently launched “Enerji,” a line of green tea-based energy shots. Despite a solid base of energy ingredients and a rather enjoyable trio of flavors, we do have to wonder how consumers will react to the rather classic and reserved brand that is Celestial Seasonings being mixed with something that’s trying to be modern and edgy in the “Enerji” brand.
Nawgan has added two new flavors to its line of brain-boosting drinks: Lemonade and Strawberry Kiwi. Both new products are a big step forward for the brand, both in terms of flavor and packaging, which now sports the a tagline: “Alertness Beverage”.
