Interview with Vuka 03/24/10
Question 1. Who are you and what is the name of your company?
We are Alexia and Darian Bregman and our company is Vuka, LLC.
Question 2. How many people work for your company?
10 people work for our company and we have a fleet of samplers called The Vuka V-Team.
Question 3. How did you come up with the idea for Vuka drinks?
We knew that we didn’t want to be just another energy drink. We suspected that there was a unique positioning in the market, so we commissioned a study to explore exactly what this was.
Through the study, which lasted several months, we recognized several opportunities in the energy drink market and were able to define an exact focus for the direction of our brand. We identified that our target market (men and women in their thirties and up) has specific energy needs and that a blanket energy drink is no longer sufficient. Our target market is also more health conscious and although they drink energy drinks, coffee and other caffeinated beverages, they also want something that is better for them. They want the caffeine, but also seek other functional ingredients.
Unlike most other beverage businesses that start off with a product and then decide what to do with it, we started at the other end. Our goal was to create a robust brand and then market products true to the brand.
What is the story behind the drink and the name?
We decided to create a range of energy drinks that cater to different occasions, filled with nutrients and vitamins to help consumers get the right kind of energy for the activities that fill their lives. We made Vuka with natural ingredients, no preservatives, and flavors that taste like the real drinks they are, not some kind of unnatural chemical concoction. And we called it Vuka because it means “wake up” in Zulu and we’re both from South Africa. You’ll also see a little bit of African patterning on the bottle.
Question 4. You have a lot of ingredients in your drinks. How did you decide which ingredients to put in Vuka drinks?
We defined 4 different activities: Awaken, Workout, Think and Renew and then looked at the different vitamins and nutrients that would provide for those needs. We did a lot of research and then of course worked with the chemists at our flavor lab for direction too.
Question 5. Do you plan on releasing other flavors or a sugar free version?
How about a Vuka shot? We have a “light” version of all 4 drinks completed and will most probably look at launching those this year. I’m not sure that we’ll ever do a shot.
Question 6. Some companies target extreme athletes, Students, Party crowd,
etc... Who is your target market?
We’re a sophisticated energy drink and we cater to the 30 year old upward market who are a little more health conscious.
Question 7. Who is your products main competition? Energy drinks, Energy
shots, energy pills. The big boys like RB or Monster?*
Always the big boys because they dominate the field. Specifically for us, Red Bull is the energy drink that the more grown-up audience trusts and is used to, and we like to be considered mainstream (as opposed to wacky and edgy), so they are the main competition.
Question 8.
What is your stance on the current controversy concerning mixing energy drinks and alcohol.
We believe in everything in moderation and that most of the issues that are arising are from people who are abusing their drinks. Vuka happens to be a great mixer, although that’s not really part of our positioning, and we would hope that our audience would use it responsibly.
Question 9. Who designed your can/bottle and why did you chose it?
Our bottle was designed in conjunction with Exal Corporation and our designers at MAD Studios with a lot of input from the Vuka team. We wanted an aluminum bottle because we bridge the gap between traditional energy drink and vitamin water drinks, plus we wanted something striking and quite distinctive from the rest of the field. We get a lot of compliments on our bottles and they really do billboard on shelf as we had hoped. Our products contain natural ingredients and no preservatives, therefore, pasteurization was necessary to ensure product quality and increase shelf life. Exal's aluminum bottle easily withstands the tunnel pasteurization process and prevents bottle breakage that can occur with other package types in a tunnel pasteurize
Question 10. Seeing as how the energy drink market is growing and so many new drinks seemed to be released every month what do you see happening to the market? Will it continue to grow or do you see it slowing down?
I think that the strong brands will continue to grow and new brands that really cater well to a specific audience will flourish. There is not a lot of room for brands that are unsupported in store and are not marketed well and both retailers and distributors are watching for that. I believe that there is still room for growth in the market.
Question 11. Tell us some things that Vuka does concerning the either the environment or charities?
From day one we have been involved with The Kempe Foundation for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. We donate just over 2 cents per bottle to them. We also have a program called Round-It-Up, Pay-It-Forward where people purchase on our website can round up to the nearest dollar or add a donation. Kempe is the sole beneficiary of this program. In addition, we are involved with marketing activities and promotional events with Kempe. Our relationship with Kempe is very deeply ingrained in our company.
Question 12. Where is Vuka available and do you plan on expanding to other areas or countries?
Vuka is currently available in Colorado and on our website. We plan to expand nationwide and hold trademarks in countries across the world.
Question 13. Tell all Energy junkies out there why they should use and
support Vuka. Give us your best sales pitch.
We know that people drink energy drinks, and we think that caffeine is a great source of energy. But if you’re going to drink and energy drink, have one that is a little better for your body (we’re all natural, no high fructose, no preservatives) and that provides energy for the activities that you participate in (our vitamins and nutrients provide everything from B vitamins to DMAE and L-Carnitine), instead of a one-size-fits-all drink. Plus, we have a great range of flavors that don’t have that expected energy drink taste!
Read the review of Vuka Awaken