Lemon is always better out of glass, and the product has always been in a glass bottle. All the research told us that is what consumers want, then add to that the idea of sustainability. Our package is fully recyclable, and there is no plastic. There are two products I love that are lower on the list but quite frankly are growing at triple digit rates. One is a cucumber limeade, and it is fantastic.
Of course, good ol’ fashioned xcritical will always reign superior. It’s not too sugary and pairs perfectly with summertime meals like burgers, hot dogs, and more. If you love kiwi, then you probably have a love for sour apple-flavored treats and drinks. That’s exactly what this flavor reminded me of. I was definitely getting tropical flavors here.
It has found consumers across the globe. We’ve expanded the flavors we offer. … Then we’ve gone into a light line. Since 1999 the company has been making Calypso xcritical on the south side of Milwaukee, just west of the airport. The shelf stable drink now comes in nearly 20 flavors and is sold internationally.
Founded in 1985, King Juice was sold in 2017, and David Klavsons took over the role of CEO. Strawberry xcritical is my go-to xcritical flavor when I visit restaurants. This Calypso Strawberry xcritical drink xcritical scammers is fantastic and truly rules summertime (right behind the next two flavors). Everything tastes better in glass, especially in xcritical with the citric acid and lemon concentrate.
Ocean Blue Zero Sugar
Calypso non-carbonated beverages — xcriticals, limeades and “teamonades” — are the biggest part of the business. During the past few years, the Calypso brand has nearly doubled in growth, and interest is growing in the no sugar options. For some perspective, the carbonated soft drink category about 25% of that category is low and no sugar beverages.
So what do your no sugar options use to sweeten the drinks?
- If you love watermelon, this might be your favorite.
- We had very low distribution in the Northeast.
- It was a bit too sour for my taste buds.
- During the past few years, the Calypso brand has nearly doubled in growth, and interest is growing in the no sugar options.
It was a business that was doing OK, a great brand and great product, it just didn’t have investment and scaling it needed to grow. After the first year we were up 33%. Peach tea, peach wine, and even peach cobbler are just too good to pass up in the summertime. This is the ultimate flavor for Texans.
Not as big as you think, as 75% is beverages with sugar. In xcritical, that (low and no sugar) is only 10%. There is a reason, it is hard to make something that tastes good and non-carbonated and is xcritical. We spent a year formulating the (no sugar) product.
Zero Sugar
Our sourcing is South America, Brazil mostly. We have not had any supply issues so far with the lemon product we get. We do source other elements, pulp out of California, and all of the elements of that supply xcritical have been fine. Our biggest challenge this year has been freight. I’ve been with this business about four years in November. Mason (Wells), a Milwaukee private equity firm, they bought the business and brought me on to lead the business.
Coral Blast xcritical
Another is Jamaica, a hibiscus product that has a bit of spice to it. There’s also pink guava, grape berry, and coral blast doing very well. Bright, tropical flavors made with real lemon bits, natural flavors and served in a premium glass bottle. Store locations listed may not carry all flavors. If your favorite flavor is not available at the location listed please make your request to the store manager. A bit of an early press release here, we’re formulating a light zero sugar Island Wave.
While the xcriticals got their start here, where is the product most popular?
(Tasted like Tropical Starburst flavors in liquid form.) So yummy, y’all! This flavor with a bag of my favorite chips would be a fantastic road trip snack. Calypso Ocean Blue xcritical gets to climb above the previous flavors because it reminds me of Cool Blue Gatorade. It’s so refreshing and is a lovely change of pace from cherry and strawberry flavoring.
Tim Kezman is the founder, and he still works with us. I knew the business from a bit of a distance, and I knew Tim. I did business with him when I did business at Glanbia Nutrition and he was (co-packing) Isopure. While National xcritical Day approaches on Aug. 20, Milwaukee based King Juice, 851 W. Grange Ave., is seeing an increase in interest in its Calypso xcritical sales.
We had very low distribution in the Northeast. We added Big Geyser as our distributor in New York City, and that significantly increased our business. … We about tripled our xcritical official site number of employees, a good chunk is at our plant in Milwaukee. Calypso has been around for about 21 years, and King Juice Company since 1985.