© Vitaminwater South Africa
Blazing the Vitaminwater trail
Having enjoyed storming success in the early 2000s Vitaminwater lead something of a revolution with a product marketed as healthy but at the same time good tasting and easy for consumers to understand and drink on the go. Following its eventual $4.1 billion acquisition by Coca-Cola in 2007, many independent beverage brands saw an opportunity to follow the trail that Vitaminwater had blazed, armed with the knowledge of Vitaminwater’s achievements but also its mistakes. With new ingredients from antioxidants to functional compounds, improved formulations, new formats and marketing ramped up to the max, this is how the enhanced water category has continued to innovate:
Vitamin Dispensing Water
Vitamins and functional ingredients can lose their potency sitting in water. Distribution caps solve this problem by keeping water and enhancing ingredients separate until the moment of consumption when with a push, twist or tap, they are released into the water. Activate Water pioneered this format in the market using a twist cap to release nutrients into the drink which is sweetened with stevia for 0 calories. Karma Wellness Water followed with 5 varieties of press caps drinks containing premixes of superfruits and vitamins. Tap The Cap took an alternative approach of engineering a distribution cap that fits most sizes of water bottle, can be pre-filled and purchased directly.
Water Enhancers
For those who have a preference for flavoured water but without the fridge capacity for RTD beverages, water enhancers provide a portable water enhancing solution. Vitamin Squeeze is an all-natural powdered water enhancer in a squeezable bottle. It provides vitamin C, B3, B5, B6 and B12, D, electrolytes, zinc and chromium. MiO Fit is an electrolyte-enhanced extension of MiO liquid water enhancer. Including electrolytes, B vitamins and zero calories, MiO Fit changes water into a sports drink made-up to personal taste preference.
Alkaline Water
With the health benefits of ‘alkalisation’ trickling into mainstream consciousness, innovation from the water market has taken pole position. AQUAhydrate water adds electrolytes and alkaline. Designed to help the body run cleaner and more efficiently, its high alkalinity in particular helps restore balance and stands apart at PH9 (relatively alkaline). Peridot Aqua is bottled from a protected aquifer layer in the environment of Sas-hegy National Park at the south-eastern edge of the Etyek Hills, Budapest where the water has a natural PH8.
RTD Enhanced and functional water
Following the success of Vitaminwater the ready to drink enhanced and functional waters has greatly expanded and diversified offering a wide array hydration solutions for specific purposes.
Bio-Synergy Skinny Water is the first in the world to be fortified with l-carnitne and chromium. Skinny Water supports weight management using selected essential nutrients, which combine the benefits of hydration with vitamins, minerals, and clinically tested natural ingredients that suppress appetite, block carbohydrates from converting into fat, and increase fat burning, without stimulating the nervous system.
Spartos is the first all-natural protein water in the marketplace sold in about 25%of the Whole Foods and premier retailers in the states. It contains 10 grams of Whey Protein in order to maximize both the functionality of the protein and the reach into the mainstream consumer audience. Adopting an approach of ‘less-is-more’ Spartos does not push against the threshold for what the body can absorb and use. Rather, the enhanced water offers an amount of protein of which the majority would be absorbed by the body, whilst also maintaining its mainstream appeal.
Pink Pong Collagen Water as the name would suggest is a collagen enhanced water from Etude House, a Korean cosmetic brand. The peach flavoured and scented drink appeals to its target audience through it’s pink and girly cosmetic style package. Pink Pong claims to contain a higher level of collagen than any other functional drink in Korea.
SoBe 0cal Lifewater is just one line from the vast range acquired then developed by Pepsi in 2000, later to be rivaled by Coca-Cola owned Vitaminwater. Made up from 7 different varieties containing superfruit antioxidants, vitamins and minerals as well as natural colours and flavours, sweetened with stevia for zero calories.
Omega Infusion is a clear zero calorie beverage incorporating omega-3s EPA/DHA in a tasty and nutritious form. One bottle of Omega Infusion water delivers 80mg of essential omega-3s (EPA/DHA), 200% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and 80% of four B vitamins. Omega Infusion’s is available in four flavors – Berry, Citrus, Fruit Punch and Orange.
GNC NutriWater was developed for the supplement retail giant with Shadow Beverages, Sterling Technology and WILD Flavors. It the range contains a nutritional proprietary blend of ingredients uniquely designed to support energy, metabolism, advanced hydration, and immune function
