logo
#

Latest news with #Zoa

Ranking flavors of Zoa, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's mostly mid energy drink
Ranking flavors of Zoa, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's mostly mid energy drink

USA Today

time05-08-2025

  • Entertainment
  • USA Today

Ranking flavors of Zoa, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's mostly mid energy drink

The Rock is pretty much everywhere nowadays. Well, not the latest WrestleMania, but other than that... Dwayne Johnson's transition from football prospect to pro wrestler to one of the box office's biggest movie draws has been a showcase of his remarkable work ethic and inherent charisma. So too has been his foray into branding. The Rock is a figure behind several products, from spring football to tequila. This creates a conundrum. Johnson's entire persona is that of a crowd pleasing superhero. He plays to the widest possible audience. He is McDonald's. He is Pepsi. He is a conglomerate of inoffensive ideas and safe plays in order to sell to the largest cohort. When he does takes risks and deviates from broad appeal, like his WrestleMania 40 WWE heel turn, it happens only when the market dictates. And, thus, he's a little tough to trust. How good can something be from the human equivalent of the Pop Rocks SiriusXM channel? He entered the energy drink orbit at large a few years back with Zoa, jumping into another crowded field where everything tastes sorta the same to begin with. It entered my energy drink orbit the way most competitors do. It was marked down to about $1 per can at Costco, which is the sweet spot for a man with a terminal case of poor brain like your intrepid writer. Each can brings the same vibe upon pouring. Lots of bubbles, sweet artificial fruit flavors (it is a 10 calorie drink after all) and the acidic tang that's a hallmark for the majority of energy drinks. With that out of the way, let's talk about the flavors. Zoa isn't reinventing the wheel, which is fine. No one is clamoring for bespoke cans of Monster or Rockstar. But there's room for originality inside the somewhat narrow confines of the genre. Celsius addresses this by putting out new flavors seemingly every month and figuring out what sticks. Zoa moves a little more slowly, like Travis Scott at WrestleMania 41, lounging his way to the ring to disappoint fans. New extensions have arrived. I haven't tried all of them, but I've gotten through most of them. Here's how they rank. 8. Green Apple: C This isn't technically sour apple... but c'mon, it's sour apple. There's a certain Blow Pop familiarity that rolls up your nostrils and into your brain as soon as you open the can. It's nostalgic and pleasant and, given the acidic nature of an energy drink, should be a solid match. Despite my initial reaction, the Granny Smith sourness is minor. Instead you get a lot of sugar substitute and not enough of a tart, dry finish. The apple flavor is big, but boring. It's as artificial as you'd expect, but doesn't lean hard enough toward the familiar Blow Pop flavor that gave the can so much promise at first. So it's just sorta... there. It's totally fine to drink, just not a flavor you'd seek out. 7. Cherry Limeade: C This should be an easy home run. Cherry is an easy target for artificial sweetener. Lime works well with the inherent acid of an energy drink. And limeades in general are great. Zoa, however, doesn't deliver on that last part. The cherry washes over everything, coating it with a dull Splenda-like sheen. The lime is muted, and instead of giving the end of each sip a dry, sour kick to keep you coming back for more you just get... more cherry. The limeade is minimal when it should take a larger role, leaving you with a sloppy finish. The acidity you want in the finish only really shows up stuck to your teeth at the end, which is annoying. Even so, it's a perfectly cromulent caffeine delivery service. The issue is it turns out generic when it could be a flagship flavor. You don't see many cherry limeades along the energy drink spectrum. Instead of making something that stands out, Zoa managed to blend in. 6. Pineapple Coconut: C+ Pina colada has slowly been rising up the energy drink ranks in recent years -- Rockstar's recovery version is pretty solid. That sets the bar high for this one. A hollow coconut smell upon cracking the can makes me feel like we're not gonna get there. The coconut is a bit sharper when you take a sip, but undeniably artificial and slightly acrid. The pineapple is stuck with a supporting role, which is probably to cut back on the overall acidity but in this case leaves you feeling like you're chowing through a bag of shredded confectioner's coconut. That lingers through the aftertaste, which is a little unpleasant. It still works, but it's unbalanced and disappointing. There's a little more depth here than in the Green Apple, but Pineapple Coconut is a low-tier Zoa flavor. 5. Frosted Grape: C+ It pours a rich purple but smells vaguely stale. There's an almost toast-like essence trapped in the bubbles, which is a bit unusual. I don't know what the "frosted" is in context to here, but I'm not picking up any of its possible definitions once this is in a glass. The taste falls in line with that. The grape is straight out of generic knock-off soda. Toward the end it takes a weird, almost malty turn. The snap of the Wild Orange isn't there, so that lingers a while after each sip. So you're left with a boring flavor and a sloppy finish. But it's sweet and ultimately unoffensive. 4. Lemon Lime: B Lemon Lime is a tricky target to hit. The flavor of Sprite is etched into our minds at this point. Anything else feels like a pale imitation, even when it's good. Zoa's approach is to ratchet up the lime and sugar. The result far outpaces the actual (cherry) limeade in the brand's portfolio. There's a full-bodied balance of sweet and tart that make this stand out from other lemon-lime blends that fall short. It feels almost like a soda before that citrus sour clocks in to snap off each sip. That acidity does build over time, which dents the replay value here. Then again, it's an energy drink that clocks in at 13.3 milligrams of caffeine per ounce, so you probably aren't drinking too many to begin with. Ultimately, it's solid. 3. Wild Orange: B+ Despite the mild twist of the descriptor, this is a pretty basic orange flavor. That's fine! The citrus is bright and crisp. The flavor is full bodied and almost creamy. Like the best versions of Zoa, it finishes cleanly, upping the replay value and giving off some Orange Crush vibes in the process. It works better over ice, but is solid out of the can as well. There's nothing unique going on with this flavor, but Zoa gets it right. 2. Tropical Punch: B+ This pours a deep lavender and smells like orange and cherry and a little bit of lime. That blend holds through when you taste it. The fruit flavor runs deep, and though there's a dedicated sweetness here it's not overpowering. That's because that minor lime and inherent acidity bring things back from being a Hawaiian Punch type clone. It works really well over ice, with the fruit punch thickness thinned out a bit. That also gives you the illusion of hydration while you're putting down 160 milligrams of caffeine, which is nice. 1. White Peach: A The smell coming out of the can is straight gummy ring candy. There's sharp peach with an acidic zing to mimic the granulated sugar you'd find on top. Yep, that's pretty much what you get. Sweet and tangy and with a certain crispness that leans into those flavors. This makes it tremendously crushable, which is great if you need a fast caffeine boost but less so if it's your second or third can of the day. That makes it the flagship flavor I thought cherry limeade could be. White peach isn't entirely original, but it's not a common extension across the energy drink world. Zoa's version is proof it should be.

Zo&Friends pop-up by G-Dragon
Zo&Friends pop-up by G-Dragon

Time Out

time01-08-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Time Out

Zo&Friends pop-up by G-Dragon

The pet cat of K-pop star G-Dragon takes over our city with the Zo&Friends pop-up in Times Square. Inspired by his Scottish fold named Princess Zoa, GD has spent two years creating and designing this original IP, and the results can't be any cuter. A large Zoa sits in the middle of Times Square's second-floor atrium, surrounded by flowers and the daisy A&ne. According to the brand, Zoa looks cynical and even somewhat gloomy (it has a literal cloud hanging over its eyes) but hides a soft, gentle nature. Walk through and snap pictures at photo spots, explore Zoa's room, and see plenty of artworks, decals, BTS captures, and more.

G-Dragon launches Zo&Friends pop-up in Hong Kong, inspired by his own cat
G-Dragon launches Zo&Friends pop-up in Hong Kong, inspired by his own cat

Time Out

time31-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Time Out

G-Dragon launches Zo&Friends pop-up in Hong Kong, inspired by his own cat

Ahead of G-Dragon's concerts in Hong Kong, the K-pop star's pet cat takes over our city with the Zo&Friends pop-up in Times Square. Inspired by his Scottish fold named Princess Zoa, GD has spent two years creating and designing this original IP, and the results can't be any cuter. A large Zoa sits in the middle of Times Square's second-floor atrium, surrounded by flowers and the daisy A&ne. According to the brand, Zoa looks cynical and even somewhat gloomy (it has a literal cloud hanging over its eyes) but hides a soft, gentle nature. Walk through and snap pictures at photo spots, explore Zoa's room, and see plenty of artworks, decals, BTS captures, and more. Of course, what's a good pop-up without some merch to bring home? There'll be a range of Zo&Friends products on sale, such as soft toys, plush keychains, kitchenware, rugs, stickers, and wearable accessories. Visitors will need to register online before being allowed access to the pop-up store – make sure you get there early to queue up. Visit GD's cute cat and his daisy friend from now until August 31.

Titan sees 20 pc revenue growth in April-June despite softening of purchase in jewellery division
Titan sees 20 pc revenue growth in April-June despite softening of purchase in jewellery division

Mint

time08-07-2025

  • Business
  • Mint

Titan sees 20 pc revenue growth in April-June despite softening of purchase in jewellery division

New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) Tata group's jewellery and watchmaking brand Titan has reported a 20 per cent growth in its standalone revenue in the June quarter of FY26, according to the latest quarterly updates by the company. Its jewellery division, which contributes over 80 per cent of its revenue, reported an 18 per cent growth on a year-on-year basis. However, "gold price volatility" has affected the consumer sentiments and "buyer growth was flat" for its flagship brands Tanishq, Mia and Zoa (TMZ) brand and CaratLane, the company said. "In the high gold rate scenario, customers preferred light-weight and lower karatage jewellery. The studded ratio came in lower YoY, driven by the differential growths across segments (in TMZ), with coins continuing to lead strongly, plain gold growing in mid-teens and studded segment growth coming in early double digits," it said on Monday. Nevertheless, the Akshaya Tritiya period, which was during the April-June quarter, saw good traction, said Titan. "The like-to-like (L2L) domestic sales growth in TMZ was in early double digits, driven entirely by ticket size growth across formats," it said. During the quarter, Titan added 19 new stores in India, in which three were in Tanishq, seven in Mia and nine in CaratLane, respectively. For Titan, the jewellery division is the main contributor to its topline. In FY25, revenue from the operations of Titan, a joint venture between Tata group and the Tamil Nadu government, was at ₹ 57,339 crore, in which its jewellery division contributed ₹ 46,571 crore, which is over 81 per cent. Its domestic watch business clocked a strong growth of 23 per cent YoY. This was led by analogue watches, driven by both volume and value growth. The division added nine new stores -- four in Titan World and five in Helios. In the eye care segment, though Titan grew by 12 per cent YoY in the first quarter of FY26, it closed 32 stores during the period. "Titan Eye retail opened 12 new doors and closed 32 stores resulting in 20 domestic store closures (net) for the quarter," it said. In the emerging businesses, Titan's fragrances vertical grew 56 per cent YoY led by volume growths in SKINN and Fastrack, women's bags grew 61 per cent. Its Indian dresswear business Taneira grew by 15 per cent YoY driven by value growth in sarees. Over its international business, Titan said it grew by 49 per cent YoY led by near doubling of Tanishq's business in the US market. Shares of Titan Company on Tuesday tumbled over 6 per cent, eroding its market valuation by ₹ 20,086.15 crore to ₹ 3,05,451.71 crore. The stock dropped 6.17 per cent to ₹ 3,440.60 apiece on the BSE. On the NSE, it tanked 6.16 per cent to ₹ 3,440.

Anheuser-Busch taps UFC's Dana White for a new energy drink
Anheuser-Busch taps UFC's Dana White for a new energy drink

CNN

time28-05-2025

  • Business
  • CNN

Anheuser-Busch taps UFC's Dana White for a new energy drink

With beer sales flatlining, Anheuser-Busch is looking beyond hops and toward Ultimate Fighting Championship's controversial boss Dana White to help them crack the growing energy drink category. Launching nationwide Wednesday is Phorm Energy, the company's newest energy drink. The non-alcoholic caffeinated beverage marks the first product stemming from Anheuser-Busch's previously announced partnership with White aimed at expanding into the $24 billion energy drinks category. Like similar products, Phorm Energy has zero sugar or artificial flavors, contains electrolytes and is naturally caffeinated from green tea extract. The drink comes in four varieties: grape, orange, blue, and 'Screamin' Freedom,' which is a mixture of blueberry, cherry and citrus flavors. A 16-ounce can costs $2.99. Beer sales have been declining for the past several years, falling again more than 1% in 2024 according to Brewers Association, as drinkers shift their preferences to spirits or increasingly ditch drinking. That has forced Big Beer to search for alternatives, including expanding into spirit-based cocktails, non-alcoholic varieties and even energy drinks, with the latter forecasted to balloon into a $33 billion category in the next five years, according to research firm Mintel. Energy drinks have been a successful gambit for rival Molson Coors, which recently purchased a majority ownership stake in Zoa, a brand co-founded by actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Zoa has repeat purchase rates of 50%, and Coors said its 'ability to attract new consumers to the energy category' made it an appealing acquisition. However, Anheuser-Busch has been less successful. In 2017, the company bought energy seltzer water brand Hiball, but sold it six years later to Tilray Brands. The cult-favorite drink was recently relaunched by its new owners. Then in 2020, Anheuser-Busch bought a 40% stake in energy drink Ghost, which used the beer conglomerate's distribution network. However, that came to an end last year when Keurig Dr Pepper bought Ghost in a $1 billion deal and took over its operations. Following that, Anheuser-Busch's wholesalers and partners 'had been looking toward 'what's next' in the energy drinks space,' according to Jenn Litz-Kirk, director of content for Beer Business Daily, a trade publication. 'In some ways, this new move is a no-brainer: With the imminent launch of Phorm, it seems like Anheuser-Busch is trying to recreate the Ghost formula,' she told CNN. 'The energy segment is hot, and it's a high-margin proposition for both retailers and distributors.' The launch of Phorm Energy further entrenches Anheuser-Busch's relationship with the controversial White. The pair partnered in 2023 when Bud Light became the official sponsor of his mixed martial arts league following the Dylan Mulvaney debacle. A social media post from Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, promoting Bud Light sparked a massive backlash, costing the company as much as $1.4 billion in sales that year. As for White's involvement, Litz-Kirk said it's ''red meat' for a certain cohort of energy drink consumers,' pointing out that UFC is growing in popularity and that White has a massive following of 10 million on Instagram. Anheuser-Busch's other partner for the energy drink, 1st Phorm, is also linked to controversy. Last year, police departments in St. Louis, where the company is based, cut ties with 1st Phorm after its cofounder Andy Frisella made offensive comments about female police officers on his podcast. Sal Frisella, 1st Phorm's CEO and Andy's brother, said the comments were spoken on a personal podcast that wasn't affiliated with the company. 'We do not agree with his statements, and we do not condone the words or the context in which they were presented,' Sal said at the time. Andy no longer leads the company. Litz-Kirk said Anheuser-Busch likely doesn't think Andy's comments were a 'big deal' since the partnership was announced in January and there hasn't been any blowback from wholesalers.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store