Kiwi startup launches zero sugar, naturally flavoured sparkling water

Vista Drinks, a new local beverage startup, has launched an innovative sparkling water that’s set to make waves in the New Zealand drinks market.

Vista, the brainchild of three Auckland schoolmates turned business partners, was developed after the co-founders saw a gap in the market for a healthy, zero sugar beverage.

The sparkling water is available in three flavours - feijoa, berry and lemon - each produced with just carbonated water and natural flavour derived from fruit, which means it has no sugar and less than one calorie per can.

The 25-year-old business partners, Adam Sorensen, Scott Day and Russell Hopper, became friends while attending school together on Auckland’s North Shore.

Around two years ago, the three friends realised there were no beverages available that appealed to them when they felt like drinking something other than plain water, so they set to work developing an alternative to sugary beverages.

Co-founder Adam says Vista’s mission is to give Kiwis a healthy option they can trust - something that’s like water, just better.

“We often found ourselves at a bit of a loss in the drinks aisle, searching for something that didn’t contain sugar or any nasty surprises. We think being healthy should be simple. You shouldn’t need to be a nutritionist or an expert at decoding labels to know what’s good for your body,” says Adam.

Following a soft launch in August, Vista has been stocked at a selection of cafes in Auckland and is now available for purchase at a limited number of Countdown stores in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga and Blenheim during a trial period.

“We were blown away by the huge response we received on social media. Before the launch, we asked our Facebook followers where they’d like to see us stocked and we received nearly 500 comments from people all over New Zealand asking us to bring Vista to their local.

“The business has grown even faster than we imagined. We’re really excited to begin stocking Vista throughout the rest of New Zealand and we’ve got some new flavours in the pipeline that we’ll be introducing in the new year,” says Adam.

Vista is available for purchase at cafes in 355ml cans (RRP $3.50) and 8-packs of each flavour (RRP $11.49) are available at select Countdown stores, with the view of expanding the range to more stores across New Zealand following a successful trial.

Visit www.vistadrinks.co.nz for stockist details and further product information.