By Ruth Rehbock
PURA Beverages claims its products offers great taste, no preservatives or artificial flavouring, and most importantly, two-thirds less sugar than soft drinks and other 200ml fruit juice. Its twenty-five percent recycled aluminium cans and ecologically friendly tetra packs are intrinsic to PURA’s philosophy, ‘Live a little PURA” and growing their range in July to include a one-litre fruit juice offering is not just a leap of faith.
“We noticed a decline in sales in the kids’ range during December, so we knew there was a gap in the market, notwithstanding the fact that research has shown around 82 percent of consumers want to change their habits by eating and drinking healthier,” explains Greig Jansen, CEO and Founder of PURA Beverage Company. “All our drinks are made from cold-pressed fruit juice, have less sugar and no artificial additives.”
And consumers agree. Jansen’s novel range has won more accolades than its years on retailers’ shelves. In 2020, PURA’s sodas won Product of the Year. Since its inception, PURA has taken the Gold and Double Gold for Taste 2019, Product of the Year for Innovation in 2021 and the Best Non-alcoholic beverage globally.
Jansen owes his range’s success in part to the kids’ range. “We found that once children enjoyed the 200ml packs at school and extra murals, parents were looking for a price-lined larger pack for mealtimes and school holidays. “We have a 92 percent satisfaction rating from our Product of the Year award,” states Jansen.
“When Amelia Apple, Pippa Peach, Bobby Berry or John Lemon, has made it into your kids’ lunchboxes it amplifies sales of our soda range, and a one-litre pack was the missing link in our chain.”
Jansen attributes his products’ success to a low sugar content, authentic taste, value for money, and an original, attractive marketing strategy. “PURA’s range use only cold-pressed fruit juice for its fresh flavours. Hence the natural progression to the appealing one-litre pack, retailing at an affordable R24.99. “This is because we don’t fall prey to the costly sugar tax, our prices don’t put further strain on consumers who are feeling the pinch at the end of the month,” he says.
PURA’s motto, ‘Live a little PURA’, means “doing small things that make a difference every day, even if it’s only going outside to take your dog for a walk,” says, however, PURA has a broad vision. Their social outreach projects include beach clean-ups, community initiatives, creating employment and to giving hope where it is needed.
Their motto includes sustainability, a social ethic and trying to be more than just a brand on the shelf. “We want to inspire commitment, innovation, and that even a small step in the right direction can yield amazing results.”
Although Jansen sees PURA as a proudly South African innovation, PURA’s ranges are available from major retailers, Amazon, Yuppiechef and Takealot.
PURA Beverages is also happy to announce a new addition to the PURA Kids range, Walter Melon, a watermelon flavour. It will be hitting the shelves just in time for summer.
