This new Dutch soda has a vibrant turquoise colour and is loaded with vitamin C, calcium and B nutritional vitamins. Whereas vivid colours in drinks usually come from artificial meals dyes, Ful incorporates spirulina, a blue-green coloured algae. This highly effective meals is filled with vitamins, but spirulina can also have a optimistic affect on the setting when in comparison with components in typical drinks in the marketplace. Ful’s researchers say they’ve discovered a strategy to extract the vitamins with out the robust style.
Ful Revive was developed by a team of women, Julia Streuli, Sara Guagilo and Cristina Prat, every of whom is in search of to do their half to assist the globe speed up its transition towards decarbonization. “We wish to feed a brand new era of customers with wholesome, scrumptious, and low-carbon-footprint merchandise by harnessing the unimaginable properties of algae,” famous Streuli, the CEO of Ful, who together with the opposite co-founders have been profiled in a latest Blue Ocean Technique case study.
The co-founders have a distinct tackle the time period “superfoods,” a time period usually used for meals wealthy in vitamins. The workforce at Ful additionally encourages customers to look at the affect of meals on the planet, in addition to our our bodies.
“We discovered that algae is a perfect meals supply for the longer term,” stated Guagilo. “Not solely is it extremely nutritious with excessive protein content material and wealthy in nutritional vitamins and minerals, however farming algae can also be fairly sustainable because it requires neither arable land nor appreciable quantities of water to develop. Algae seize CO2 and convert it into O2 – they usually develop very quick – taking about ten days in complete. When it comes to protein yield, algae produce protein 200 instances quicker than beef.”
The Aztecs first used spirulina to boost endurance, and newer analysis has confirmed that declare. Varied research have concluded that it’s an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory, and supplies a superb supply of vegan protein. Additional, it has been used to fight malnutrition in impoverished areas. However, it has remained a distinct segment product in well being meals shops and hasn’t discovered widespread market attraction.
However, Ful is getting down to make spirulina a extra mainstream product and sees great potential on this superfood. The model seeks to succeed in Millennials and Gen Zers by interesting to its merchandise’ well being and environmental advantages.
“Primarily based on the carbon adverse nature of spirulina, we purpose to blur the boundaries of practical drinks by providing a tasty and nutritious pure beverage,” added Guagilo.
Nonetheless, the beverage market is crowded and has fierce competitors. “There are too many several types of drinks. If you wish to be wholesome, you select Vitamin Water or natural juice. In case you want an vitality increase, there’s Purple Bull. If you wish to hydrate, go for coconut water or Gatorade. Every drink has a selected perform for a given occasion,” defined Julia. Nonetheless, based on the trio, there are not any drinks that basically current an environmental profit, they usually consider there’s unmet market demand for such merchandise.
The everyday environmental issues for drinks revolve round making packaging much less wasteful, light-weight or extra readily recyclable. Nonetheless, Ful’s staff look at the product’s lifecycle, beginning with analyzing the manufacturing of its components, to make a carbon-negative drink.
This glowing beverage, Ful Revive, is now accessible in three flavors: lime & mint, lemon & ginger and white peach. The drinks include no added sugar and have 7.5 grams of spirulina extract per glass bottle. Though they presently supply solely drinks, Ful is exploring different meals merchandise.
Co-written with Leon Kaye
Picture credit: Selina Bubendorfer by way of Unsplash; Fulsuperfood.com
