Fizzy drinks, or soda are not commonly known as a healthy beverage. But New Zealand's own Good Sh*t Soda, have done just that, creating a drink that not only offers four wide-ranging flavours but also contains one-third of your daily fibre and 1 billion probiotics per can!
The soda was conceived during lockdown, with the aim to disrupt the beverage industry by delivering a tasty and healthy product. REX host Dom George and co-founder Nick Brown delved into the scientific and logistical challenges the team faced in creating a shelf-stable product that maintains probiotics, while also incorporating prebiotic dietary fibers that feed the probiotics.
Brown described the development of Good Sh*t as a blend of art and science.
"Well, can we host a healthy dose of probiotics in whatever it is that we come up with? But then dietary fibres are the other piece to that," he explained.
"So prebiotics or dietary fibres is stuff that the probiotics feed on. We (humans) need around about 33-34 grams of probiotics a day on average, and most of us don't get enough of this dietary fibre."
In addition to the beverage's creation, he also discussed the challenges faced in establishing a foothold in the health beverage industry. Sourcing quality ingredients, finding a suitable manufacturer, and aspirations to enter the global market were among the topics discussed.
"Finding extracts and natural fruits that were going to deliver the flavour profile we want was a real challenge and in the end, a lot of what we used and what we found to deliver the best came out of the south of France and Germany," Brown shared.
The pair concluded the conversation touching on the playful branding of Good Sh*t, and how it encourages an open and light-hearted conversation about gut health.
Listen to the full chat between Nick Brown and Dominic George above.
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