Rio Berry
Rio Berry is another recent addition to Just Chill’s line of “natural stress relief” products. With it being partially named after a Brazilian city and the color tone being half purple, the “berry” that they are referring to is presumably acai. And from a flavor perspective, it’s really not that far off from acai-flavored energy drinks, which, like this product, don’t actually use any acai in their formula.
To that end, we like their approach of being a little more generic, while the use of “Rio” fits with the theme of being “chill.” Otherwise, the crystalline fructose and stevia sweetened formula, which allows the drink to have a modest 70 calories and 17g of sugars per can, is very clean and crisp. Functionally, the product has L-theanine, lemongrass, Siberian ginseng, ginkgo biloba, B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc. They’ve skipped out on using ingredients such as melatonin and valerian root, which, in turn, they are using to their advantage with the placement of “non-drowsy” on the back of the can. As far as the visuals are concerned, we like the approach that they’ve taken. It’s very simple, but catches the eye, with a two tone color scheme and a very clean front panel that relies exclusively on text. All in all, we feel as though they’ve created something that can definitely appeal to a broad audience. Overall, this is a very enjoyable entry from Just Chill.
Caribbean
The Caribbean flavor of Just Chill is, like the rest of the Just Chill line, a product that is labelled as being for “natural stress relief.” It features a “non-drowsy” formulation, which, unlike some of the other products in the relaxation space, means that it doesn’t include things like melatonin or valerian root. Instead, the formulation features Siberian ginseng, L-theanine, lemongrass extract, and ginkgo biloba (it also has added vitamins and minerals).
From a flavor perspective, “Caribbean” isn’t overly descriptive (we’d suggest another word in there that actually describes the flavor), but the citrus berry style flavor is pretty pleasant tasting. Plus, it’s one of the few products in the space that doesn’t taste medicinal -- we’d actually drink this product just for its flavor. The product uses a blend of crystalline fructose and stevia to sweeten the product, which gives it a very clean flavor and keeps the sugar and calorie content to modest levels (70 calories and 17g of sugar per can). While it’s nearly impossible to verify the functional claims of this product (it’s not something as immediate as caffeine in an energy drink), it’s definitely a pleasant tasting carbonated beverage that comes in a reasonably sized container. Visually, we like the simplistic design of the package, which relies on a two toned color scheme and simple but clean lettering. Even the name, Just Chill, is very innocuous and understandable, which could help this brand have broad appeal. Overall, this is one of the better product in the relaxation / stress relief category and it has a big advantage since it’s one of the few products in the space that’s actually enjoyable to consume.
Tropical Chill
Just Chill is a product that, as the name suggests, is designed to help reduce stress and improve focus. The formulation is 100 percent natural and lightly carbonated, using a lightly sweetened tropical fruit flavor to create something that’s pleasant and enjoyable to consume. The product has only 50 calories per serving, thanks to the restrained use of crystalline fructose amounting to 12g of sugar per can. Functionally, the product uses L-theanine, lemongrass, ginseng, B-vitamins and ginkgo biloba. While it doesn’t exactly live up to the “instant enlightenment” that’s promised in the marketing copy on the back of the can, the formulation is – if for no other reason than the drink’s flavor -- definitely soothing in nature. Packaging is a standard 8.4 ounce can, which they’ve given a two tone paint job of white and aqua blue. There’s nothing else to the design aside from the two colors and text, which leaves a rather plain feeling to the design. While this is certainly not the most eye popping of approaches, the execution of it is good and the text is easy to read. Overall, we like the flavor and function, but the design of the product could definitely be improved upon.
