ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co. said it will roll out Envigaa drink the company claims has been proven to burn caloriesin the U.S. market in the Northeast in November and nationally in January 2007. A sparkling green tea containing green tea extracts, calcium and caffeine, Enviga was conceived by Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW), a joint venture of Nestl a SA and Coca-Cola.
Enviga contains the optimum blend of green tea extracts (EGCG), caffeine and naturally active plant micronutrients designed to work with your body to increase calorie burning, thus [image-nocss] creating a negative calorie effect, said Dr. Rhona Applebaum, the beverage maker's chief scientist.
The Nestl a Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, has studied the properties and benefits of green tea for decades as part of its extensive global tea business. A recent study conducted by the Center in collaboration with the University of Lausanne revealed that consuming the equivalent of three Enviga beverages over the course of the day resulted in a noticeable increase in calorie burning.
The accumulated body of scientific research shows the ability of green tea's powerful antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) to speed up metabolism and increase energy use, especially when combined with caffeine, said Nestl a researcher Dr. Hilary Green.
Studies have shown that when EGCG and caffeine are present at the levels comparable to that in three cans of Enviga, healthy subjects in the lean to normal weight range can experience an average increase in calorie burning by 60 to 100 calories. EGCG is a naturally occurring antioxidant in tea, including green tea. Enviga provides 90 mg of EGCG in each serving, along with 20% of the daily value for calcium.
Enviga will be available in three flavorsgreen tea, berry and peachin the ready-to-drink tea section at supermarkets, mass merchandisers, convenience and drug stores and club stores. It will be sold in individual 12-oz. cans as well as six-can and 12-can multi-packs. Suggested retail price for Enviga will be $1.29 to $1.49 per single can.
BPW, a joint venture between Nestl a and Coca-Cola, operates autonomously while drawing on the capabilities of both companies. It is a global business unit with cross-functional teams located in Atlanta, Zurich, Switzerland, and Bangkok, Thailand. The Americas business unit markets Gold Peak and Nestea ready-to-drink iced teas.
But Elite FX Inc., Delray Beach, Fla., said that its own calorie-burning Celsius soft drink was "first to market" in this new functional beverage category.
"This category is evolving from the early adopter phase (gyms, nutrition and convenience stores, etc.) to the mainstream marketplace (grocery stores and drug stores). The anticipated addition of major competitors further validates the potential of this calorie-burning category," said Steve Haley, president of Elite FX.
"We're excited about Coke coming into the category," Janice Haley, a spokesperson for Elite FX, told CSP Daily News. "We think it will be good for us and bring more attention to calorie-burning beverages."
All Celsius flavors feature the same mix of natural ingredients that the company said have been clinically proven to raise metabolism by an average of 12% over a three-hour period. Based on the clinical study, this extended rise in metabolism can result in burning up to an additional 77 calories, depending on an individual's metabolism, resulting in a calorie loss, according to the company.
Elite FX took a unique approach when bringing Celsius to consumers by clinically proving Celsius' calorie burning claims before coming to the market, it said. The clinical study was conducted on Celsius as a whole, instead of just one or several of its ingredients.
Celsius gets its thermogenic (heat-producing) power from a proprietary combination of ingredients that include green tea with EGCG, ginger, caffeine, B vitamins, Vitamin C, chromium and calcium. Celsius has no chemical preservatives, no carbs, no sugar and no high-fructose corn syrup. Celsius typically retails for about $1.99 per bottle. It comes in five flavors: Orange, Wild Berry, Lemon- Lime, Cola and Ginger Ale.
Celsius was selected as a 2006 Best New Product Retailers Choice Finalist by CSP magazine.
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