Agua Fruit Essence seeks an in-demand, not-so-sweet spot between plain water and sugary beverages

20-Aug-2015 - Last updated on 24-Aug-2015 at 16:33 GMT

With the launch of Fruit Essence and the rebranding of Agua Enerviva as Energy Water, the beverage company Agua is going after consumers who increasingly are rejecting sugar-sweetened sodas and beverages, but who also are bored with plain water.

“The infused water trend has exploded because consumers are more conscious than ever of what they’re putting in their bodies. Every day a new story breaks on how consumers are avoiding added sugar in beverages,” Agua founder Carol Dollard told FoodNavigator-USA.

“This is a huge reason why we’ve come out with Fruit Essence to offer a sugar-free, sweetener-free beverage that’s also convenient and inexpensive,” she added.

She explained that the line of six all-natural fruit and vegetable flavored, electrolyte-enhanced waters, which sell for a suggested retail price of $1.39 and launched at the Summer Fancy Food Show at the end of June, is “also great for those who are just plain water-bored,” but who still understand the importance of staying hydrated.

“We believe this will actually help people look forward to their eight glasses a day,” she said.

In addition, the zero-calorie beverages will appeal to health-conscious consumers who don’t want to drink all of their calories, she added.

Cutting through the competition

Dollard, who cut her teeth at Vitaminwater, understands the infused water category is becoming increasingly crowded and competitive. But she is confident that the new line will succeed with help from an intense sampling program with a branded van that will deliver product directly to consumers.

The campaign will target influencers in the fitness, health and wellness industries in key East coast markets, who Dollard says, “are the people who we think will find the products especially useful.”

However, she added, the flavored waters are “equally compelling to those stuck at their desks all day, who are sick of plain bottled water.”

Agua Enerviva rebranded

Agua also rebranded is older line, Agua Enerviva, as Energy Water to better communicate the benefits of the drink to consumers who are choosing waters from shelves crammed with choices.

The colorful new label, which debuted in May, “now more accurately represents the product by prominently featuring fruit imagery and highlighting key product descriptors such as natural energy, electrolytes and low-calorie,” Dollar said.

She emphasized the beverage formula has remained exactly the same, despite the new image.