Food & Beverage News: F&B Specials

Not long ago, drinking water came in two standard flavours - clean and dirty. It was only in 1996, that a young entrepreneur named J Darius Bikoff changed that fore ever. His search for an alternative to tap and spring water led him to form Energy Brands Inc. (later to be known as Claceau), his own health beverage company. He innovated a concept called "enhanced water." Best known for three nutrient-enhanced products - Vitaminwater, Fruitwater and Smartwater, the company started to sell several million bottles annually, and Bikoff was rated one of New York's top entrepreneurs. So what is vitamin water and why has it become so popular in the West?

Let's face it. Plain water is so dull. But vitamin water was launched in kaleidoscopic colours of pinks, peaches and violets. Aside from using celebrity advertising advertising and flashy colours, vitamin water is positioned and marketed as a product by emphasizing its nutritional value. Water and vitamins are two of the most essential substances available to us. They keep us alive and maintain our health by performing important functions within our body. Without them, deficiencies arise and our body reacts negatively. Vitamin water promotes itself as an attempt to have these two substances join forces to give us a singularly awesome elixir of pure life.

The timing too is perfect. As scientists have begun to understand the biological and chemical complexities of our bodies better, the general public too has started becoming increasingly health-conscious. Along with exercise habits and a bit of genetic determination, what we eat and drink largely defines the quality of our health. People are willing to try anything that advertises healthy living, and a huge amount of money is now being spent on energy drinks alone, every year.

Vitamin waters consist of vapour distilled deionised, and / or reverse osmosis water, crystalline fructose as a sweetener, citric acid, electrolytes, natural flavours and vitamins, including Vitamin C, B3, B5, B6, B12, and E.. Other ingredients are added according to the flavour and the intended purpose of the drink.

Some of the unique, exciting flavours in which it is currently available include dragonfruit, fruit punch, kiwi-strawberry, green tea, raspberry-apple, jackfruit, guava, acai, blueberry, pomegranate etc.

However, the studies regarding its claimed benefits are still not very conclusive. Some research on these products has shown that vitamin waters are very effective. With this drink, the body absorbs vitamins at a faster rate than it does even with traditional food products. However, these drinks are still up for debate as a substitute for vitamin supplements. As mentioned on their labels, these drinks do contain anywhere between 100 and 125 calories per bottle, as well as 25-30 gm of sugar. If one has an active lifestyle, these calories would be burnt very quickly, however, these drinks may not be the vitamin of choice for those who do not exercise regularly. Further, these drinks are probably best consumed in conjunction with regular vitamin supplementation, as opposed to being consumed as sole vitamin supplements.

But it should be noted that several public schools across America have already opened their doors to vitamin waters for the benefit of their students. Bikoff, the inventor of vitamin water, himself is more than confident about the benefits of his product. In his own words, he says, "I couldn't have made this company if I wasn't one of my own consumers."

As lifestyles have become stressed and complex, resorting to artificial supplements seems to be a trend, and in some cases also the motivation in the development of newer products.

Reproduced from PFNDAI Bulletin