The time is POW: Can a low calorie, low sugar sparkling water establish itself as a healthier energy drink?
Flavoured water and energy drinks aren’t always as nutritious as people think, a concern a new low sugar, low calorie energy water hopes to distance itself from with a brand push to establish itself as a natural alternative to existing energy drinks.
Powerful Water Company claims its POW drink’s recipe for low sugar, low calorie energy is the first of its kind in the UK. Arriving at a time when soft drinks are adapting to consumer demand for healthier and more premium brands, POW is positioning itself as the best of both water and energy drink categories.
Three flavours – coconut & lime, citrus & zest and cranberry and apple – use ingredients that purport to give drinkers the rehydrating qualities of water and the functionality qualities of energy drinks. Each 440ml bottle contains 60 calories, roughly the equivalent of those found in a single, small green apple.
Armed with these health claims, POW is going after young adults aged 20 to 35 years old. It’s a group not short of suitors from the drinks industry but the brand’s owners believe there’s an untapped niche when it comes to offering an energy drink that doesn’t contain high amounts of sugar.
A marketing campaign later this year will look to build the brand as this healthier alternative, promoting empowerment, freedom and positive energy via a the #POWtothepeople initiative to turn inspirational projects into a reality. Each month POW will award £1000 to an independent project that makes a positive difference to people or the community. The project must fit into one or more of the following criteria; water sports, outside adventure, creative art and design or community projects.
Ed Woolner, POW founder and former commercial executive at Monster Energy, Capri Sun and Ocean Spray, said: Existing energy drinks are still high in sugar and artificial ingredients so I wanted to create a product to fill the gap for a healthier energy drink that is cool, credible and made from natural ingredients. We talked to a lot of young adults whilst researching the POW concept and there is a clear gap in the market for a natural alternative to existing energy drinks, young adults are looking for positive energy. Our vision is POW will become the number one choice of functional drinks for health-conscious young adults.”
Part of the brand’s development will hinge on a sampling drive this summer to get the drink in the hands of 18,000 consumers. Fans can also request a free sample of the product via the website to trial
The drink is available in Waitrose from this month, while it could come to Blackmore Spar stores later this month. Distribution is handled by Refresco Garber in the UK and C&C Gleesons in Ireland.
POW’s launch, if successful, could thrive at a time when health experts and parts of the media are calling the sugar content of flavoured water into question. Some flavoured waters are loaded with more sugar than fizzy drinks, while others are filled with artificial sweeteners. While critics have challenged the sincerity of flavoured drinks that label themselves as healthier alternatives, it appears that most customers are not perturbed (yet) by these concerns. Supermarket sales of flavoured water jumped 17 per cent in the year to January compared to 11 per cent jump in fizzy water sales over the same period, according to Kantar.