ALEX PORTIN, CMO, Frava: ‘People that don’t drink ‘energy drinks’ are buying Frava’
“There are a lot of people out there that like juice, but want something with fewer calories, or they want an energy boost, but wouldn’t touch Monster or Red Bull,” says Frava chief marketing officer Alex Portin. “And not everyone wants to drink coffee all the time.”
The solution? Frava (fruit +java).
Developed by Colgate University students who were cramming for finals and looking for an energy boost, Frava has just secured listings at Target and struck a deal with Bernick's Beverage & Vending that will get it on shelf in 470 Holiday convenience stores in the Midwest to add to its 400+ locations in the New York area.
And before you ask, it’s not really competing with PepsiCo’s Kickstart, says Portin: “Kickstart is carbonated, it only has 5% juice, and it is filled with artificial flavors, coloring, and synthetic stimulants. Frava has 40% juice, 200mg of natural caffeine [per 16oz bottle] from green coffee beans and no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. They are completely different products.”
Frava also contains no additional ‘energizing’ ingredients such as guarana or taurine, chiefly because there’s no credible evidence that these ingredients deliver in the way that caffeine does, says Portin.
“The great thing for retailers is that it is generating incremental sales. People that don’t drink ‘energy drinks’ are buying it."
The company is owned by Evan Berman and its two other founders, Geoff Karas and Chloe Goldman, plus Alex Portin, and Howard Weinstein.
Click HERE to read our interview with Portin.
