Australian beverage start-up, Nexba has launched a new line of beverages that is all-natural and 100 per cent sugar-free, boasting zero sugar and only 17.2 calories in each 500ml bespoke glass bottle.
The new Super Infusions range, available in select 7-Eleven stores and all Chemist Warehouses, launches with three green tea, super-fruit/food infused flavours: Acai Berry, Pomegranate and Ginger.
Troy Douglas, co-founder and brand director at Nexba, said recent research from the Australian Beverages Council showed that ice tea and sugar-free beverages were two of the high-growth markets in Australia.
“There’s definitely a growing anti-sugar sentiment among Australians,” he said.
“With summer at our doorstep, we thought it was the perfect time to introduce something new to the Nexba stable that was refreshing, naturally delicious, and most importantly, minus the high sugar content that soft drinks, fruit juices and rival ice tea brands are laced with.”
“The World Health Organisation recommends adult Australians reduce their daily intake of refined sugars to 25g, and yet just a single 355ml can of Coca-Cola will put you well above that limit with a whopping 39g of sugar.”
Waging war on sugar
The guru behind Nexba’s delicious ice tea flavours, known only as “Mr. Smith”, said the Super Infusion range took over 12 months of planning and research to develop. “Nexba was one of the first brands in Australia to use stevia as a natural sweetener,” he said.
“What we’ve created with the Super Infusions range is an amazing and flavoursome trio of better-for-you blends that will leave customers feeling satisfied and refreshed without the gluggy after-taste of the typical sugary beverage.”
The Super Infusions join Nexba’s existing range of low-calorie real ice teas and natural colas, which are available in flavours including Wild Watermelon, Life’s a Peach, Sparkling Cherry Lime and Brewnette nation-wide.
“Our long-term commitment is to offer Australians better-for-you beverages that don’t sacrifice on taste. We’ve done really well with our low-calorie range of ice teas that provide customers with a wholesome alternative to soft drinks and fruit juices,” said Drew Bilbe, co-founder and operations director at Nexba.
“These new Nexba Super Infusions are an even healthier option for people who want to cut down on their sugar intake further.”
What is the story behind Nexba?
“We are both passionate about start-ups and business,” Troy told us.
He and Drew (together known as the Aussie Boys) are both small business experts and regular contributors to Yahoo!7 Kochie’s Business Builders.
“Personally we were also two guys conscious about what we drank and were dissatisfied with the high level of sugar options available.”
“The light bulb was literally Drew being in Rio Nexpa apparently drinking just local ice tea (mixed with nothing) and realizing that Australia has limited choice in ice tea.
“What began with ice tea, we quickly realised the big opportunity is to develop a naturally brave brand that people could engage with and lives the promise of being the better-for-you choice.”
Within a year of Drew visualising Nexba on that fateful beach in Mexico, the duo had over 100,000 cans of their beverage in Sydney cafes and the often neglected, high-sugar school market. Nexba recently won the 2015 Telstra Micro Business of the Year award.
“We are on a mission to be the global better-for-you beverage brand,” Troy said.
“If you think of Coca Cola and Schweppes, both big powerful brands who own traditional soft drinks, Red Bull – an exciting new age brand that owns the energy market, what drives we the Aussie Boys is there is no brand locally or globally that authentically own better-for-you and lifestyle.”
“We want to be the people’s choice by being real and providing better-for-you beverage choice.”
