When we set out to develop a zero sugar soda, we didn't want to create just another diet soda that sacrificed taste or used harmful artificial sweeteners. Why substitute one unhealthy ingredient such as high fructose corn syrup with another such as aspartame?
We didn't want to create another me-too product but wanted to create the best soda on the market. Something that could be enjoyed without guilt or strange aftertaste.
Our research journey took us to allulose as a primary ingredient. Numerous studies have indicated the positive health benefits of allulose including prebiotic benefits for your gut microbiome, improvement with insulin sensitivity to better control blood sugar levels as well as anti-inflammatory benefits. Then coupled with the antioxidant properties of monk fruit and you have a truly zero sugar soda that is better for you than sugary soft drinks. You also dramatically reduce the bitter aftertaste of traditional zero sugar alternatives.
As a small independent, family owned business, we set out to develop the best soda possible. We are not constrained by cost or margin requirements and large scale availability of ingredients. However, as we grow and increase volume, we will be able to drive our costs lower.
Creating a great tasting zero sugar soda meant finding better alternatives to high fructose corn syrup and cane sugar. Beyond the sweetener, we didn't stop there. With the sweetener perfected we moved to obsessing over flavoring. Of course ruling out artificial flavors and colors. For our classic cola formula, we are avoiding caramel for coloring and only using fruit and vegetable extracts for color. Our Craft Cola formula is also our only flavor with caffeine an we use 35mg of natural green tea extract for caffeine.
Another consideration in development has to do with pasteurization. Of course using a certified manufacturer that is FDA registered, Certified Organic processing facility and SQF (Safe Quality Food) certified ensures they follow proper food and beverage safety guidelines. There are two main ways to pasteurize beverages including hot fill and tunnel pasteurization. Hot fill involves heating the beverage to destroy potential bacteria and then the liquid is put into the container and sealed. The container itself is not pasteurized. Tunnel fill on the other hand involves heating the container as well as the content to destroy bacteria. This method is a better solution to destroying bacteria but is not well suited to plastic bottles. Also, the CO2 pressurization levels are lower for tunnel pasteurization. But if the purpose is for pasteurization, then tunnel pasteurization is more robust.
This journey to create the best zero sugar soda has been a long and educational journey into researching every potential ingredient and manufacturing process. We are proud that we are able to do this without compromise to the taste and quality.
