Meet for a drink at the gym?

Lovo www.lovodrinks.com is at first glance a health drink. A coconut water that could be on the shelf of any Planet Organic or Whole Foods. The faded green logo looks like it was screen printed on a Caribbean yoga retreat. Images of the sea and ripe coconuts on the beach complete the brand identity. Click through to their Instagram account and you will see lots of extremely healthy looking people drinking Lovo, pictures of them at the gym, motivational quotes and lots of very bright fruit. So far, so predictable. But what makes Lovo exceptional is that Lovo is not just a coconut water. It contains vodka, it’s actually a premixed vodka cocktail. It’s a brand sitting front and centre of the wellness trend, but drunk at the bar not the gym. 

Each bottle contains only 128 calories, premium natural ingredients and no refined sugar preservatives.  So although it’s not good for you, it is better for you than the average alcoholic drink. But what is fascinating is not the contents of the drink but how it is tapping into the cultural explosion around wellness in a credible way. 2016 is the year it has become cooler to be seen in

a running outfit at the school gates than a Celine one. Where clean eating books are outselling Jamie Oliver books. Where the queues at our local Whole Foods snake around the aisles making it practically impossible to shop. So in 2016 it’s completely logical that as you squeeze down the aisles picking up your almond milk, kale and quinoa that you also pick up a tipple that fits your lifestyle and aspirations. An alcoholic drink fit for you to sip in your running tights.

Healthy Alcohol is a sector that brands have been experimenting with over the past ten years. In 2007 a brand called Lotus Vodka launched in the US with added vitamin B to ward off hangovers. Born of heavy drinking rather than healthy it has subsequently been withdrawn.

There are a number of new brands like Vitamin Vodka (added vitamins) Loca (low calorie laboratory concocted spirits) and Saint (99 Calorie beer) on the market. Skinny Champagne & Presecco have also made an entry in the wine category. But these live in the world of diets and science. While Lovo lives in the world of clean eating, which is about lifestyle and points to health.

This area of the drinks market is going to experience huge growth over the coming years. Growth that will come, not only through product innovation, but also through retail innovation. For example high-end gyms will be toying with the idea of their own healthy bar chain. In short, Lovo kick starts the clean drinking trend that could well equal the clean eating one.