‘Keep a level head. No highs, no lows. Think Vivid.’ It’s this strapline which sums Vivid Drinks up and caught my attention when I spotted someone retweet the brand on Twitter. I’d not heard about matcha until going to the Be:Fit London health and fitness roadshow back in March and was impressed with its status being the world’s most powerful form of green tea. Containing green tea caffeine, which is released slowly for a sustained boost, matcha boasts more antioxidants than any other tea, making it perfect for a healthy morning or afternoon pick-me-up when you need a nutrient-packed boost.
Launched last year by 26 year-old entrepreneur James Shillcock, Vivid aims to lead the matcha movement across the UK and spread the word of its health benefits. Promoting natural vitality, all three drinks in the range are made from natural fruit juices (not from concentrate) and contain no refined sugars; honey is the choice of sweetener. I explored the website and I felt the sense of passion and care from this young company; I’m always a sucker for the smaller brands who start out with a fantastic product.
Vivid were kind enough to send me the range of their gorgeously packaged drinks in three flavours: Pear & Rhubarb; Grape & Elderflower and Lime, Ginger & Honey. The simple but vibrant branding really appealed to me, while I was even more intrigued from text on the bottles: ‘Matcha is nature’s most powerful green tea, a pure powder prized for centuries by Buddhist Monks for focus during meditation. We’ve captured their wisdom and locked it tight in this carton.’ So without further ado, here’s the verdict!
Pear & Rhubarb
‘Take a moment to look after your body and mind.’
Containing the benefits of matcha, rooibos tea extracts, pear and rhubarb, this was my favourite as it was deliciously sweet, refreshing and fruity. The combination of the pear and the rhubarb worked so well together, especially with the pungent but warming tones of rooibos. Rich but also subtle, I enjoyed this at my desk mid-morning and it certainly kept me hydrated and a boost of energy as I was writing away!
Grape & Elderflower
‘Clear your head and look after your body and mind.’
Admittedly I’m not the biggest fan of elderflower; I find it an acquired taste. Matched with white tea extracts and grape plus the matcha extracts, this was less sweet with a sharper aftertaste but still deliciously refreshing. As a big fan of elderflower, I let my boss at The Media Octopus, Rich, have a bottle and he loved it – the drink was gone in seconds!
Lime, Ginger & Honey
‘Stay focused and look after body and mind.’
The word ‘ginger’ usually puts me off food or drink, but it would have been rude not to give this variety a go…and I’m so glad I did! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, the zestiness of the lime worked amazingly with the punchy taste of the ginger, while the sweetness of the honey combined with matcha tea extracts made it a winner. Tangy but not tart and packed full of flavour, this came a very close second and has made me reconsider my ‘fear’ of ginger in the future!
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