Vitamin Water vs Nutrient Water
So, I was at the South Melbourne Market this morning stocking up on stuff to cook and there was a van parked with a girl giving away Glaceau Vitamin Water. It bore a striking resemblance to another product, Nutrient Water, so I bought a Nutrient water too, for comparison:
WTF? The names, ingredients (acai berry, pomegranate), label design, concept, even the quasi-whimsical marketing text on the labels are bemusingly similar… even right down to the references to “a certain” famous person…
So anyway, digging around a bit in Wikipedia, it seems Vitamin Water may have been around in the States since as early as 1996. The parent company was recently bought by Coca-Cola for a huge sum and the local product is indeed made by the local subsid, Coca-Cola Amatil. So who’s copying who? I’m guessing that although Nutrient Water was first to market here, it’s a clever appropriation of some of Vitamin Water’s concepts.
More importantly, the taste test: Vitamin Water tastes icky, like artifical raspberry cordial. Nutrient Water tastes sort of subtle and nice. So I’ll keep buying Nutrient Water, thanks. But I can’t help thinking that VW will make life very hard for NW with their dominant distribution channels and double-take packaging.
u know i was thinking exactly the same thing
Nutrient water is also cheaper! They’re both the same price (around $3.50 I think)… but as you can see from the pictures, you get more nutrient water than vitamin water for your money. I agree with your ‘taste test’ also… Vitamin water reminds me of all those other sickly sweet sports drinks. Urgh. Moreover, nutrient water is an australian owned and made company by the looks of it, whereas vitamin water is owned by one of the biggest multi-national companies in the world…
Well this has been something of an ongoing debate here at the apartment I share and also at work! We had first thought that NW was the first product locally made to hit the market and that Coca Cola had duly acquired them, slowly phasing out the old (larger) bottles and hence gleaning for themselves fatter profits from the smaller VW bottles.
Now it all makes sense. I too am an avid supporter of the smaller seemingly Australian company producing NW – it is indeed more subtle in taste and provides more value for your buck.
It’s interesting the debate that is going around with both of these products. I personally do like the VW better than NW and after looking into both products believe that the vitamin content of VW is better. But hey each to their own. VW might of originated in the big USA but I know for a fact that what we are getting in Australia is manufactured here (in Vic) so if it means more jobs here well I can support that. The other thing is I’m not one who can tolerate copy cats to much and NW is another copy cat along with Shweppes who is now bringing out a copy cat product. It goes to show that the original maker must have done something right if so many others want to get in on the act.
All I know is I smell the vague waft of people with a vested interest populating this debate.
SORRY!!!
I have had the opportunity to work with the founders of nutrient water here in Australia and here is the low down.
The concept was originally launched in America by Glaceau who used 50 cent to spearhead the concept to the american market. They had great success with the product.
At some stage the duo from Australia purchased the concept and the rights to manufacture the product in Australia from Glaceau based in NY. In 1997 Coke Cola bought Glaceau for an obscene amount 4 billlion or somewhere around there.
Coke Cola has now gone into fierce competition with their own product here in Australia. So yes they are from the same original concept but the global giants are trying to crush a local manufacturer. Moral of the story, fuck Coke buy aussie products – they are one in the same.
Lets face it, iether way both brands are just empty calories. Buy a bottle of water for $2 and an orange for 30 cents and you will be further ahead in terms of honest, natural and pure nutritional value than both these awfull products.
PS Have a read of the ingredients that go into the drink……pathetic.
vitamin water was here first, and when it started getting popular nutrient water suddenly appeared.
the vitamin water’s also taste better for the most part, except for the pink.
matt, check your facts NW started Nov 05 and VW only started last year.
So anyway, digging around a bit in Wikipedia, it seems Vitamin Water may have been around in the States since as early as 1996. Read the paragraph above retard
Still going on about this crappy drink.
Fact – Glaceau Vitamin Water (now owned by Coke) started in ht emid 90’s USA
Fact – Pureau Nutrient Water started in Oz 2005. The three dick heads who started NW couldnt even help themselves from copying Glaceau (Pureau).
Ive met the owners of NW at a food show and they could not of been more up themselves and full of there own importance…simply put, just farkin wankers pulling the wool over every ones eyes…..I for one dont buy the drink.
I’m a big fan of the green tea flavoured Nutrient Water and it pisses me off that Coca Cola felt the need to bounce these products when they realised that Australians were getting into them. I know from experience that a lot of stores have no choice but to stock Vitamin Water because they are locked into a contract with Coke. I don’t know about who copied who internationally, but in Australia it was NW first. And VW doesn’t make the green tea flavour which is the only one I like.
“vitamin water was here first, and when it started getting popular nutrient water suddenly appeared.”
“here” meaning the states?? or the country in which we reside, Australia??? NW started in AUS first. Coke Amatil released VW 08. Its been said a thousand times…who’s the retard?
and James, about these guys copying Glaceau, dickheads or not, are not on their own in their ‘copying’ ways, in fact CCA are probably the worst at it! Gatorade – Powerade, Red Bull – Mother to name a couple. they need to have their hand in everyone’s peice of the pie.
Can anyone tell me who stocks nutrient water rehab – I live in Victoria – near Sale. I would appreiciate your help.
nutrient water is by far more popular on my university campus in melbourne. i only ever see uni students drinking the stuff. haha
i’ve tried both, and i do have to say that NW is far superior to VW: tastes better, more value for money (even if it is only 75mLs more), and gives you a slow release energy boost.
yum yum yum
your blog if great and i like it because vitamin water contains vitamins that nutrient water don’t have.
ohhh cant be bothered…. Ive been drinking NV and thinking that Coke ripped em off been sticking up for them.
Ive now discovered that while loving NV and drinking it cause its so yummy and ya think your getting ‘nutrients’ ive managed to get a pot/tyre around my middle.
Im sticking to water
Ha
you all do realize they are both junk right? sugar water …. just sugar water …. if you drank one a day for one year, the average person would gain 10 pounds …. why are you all arguing which one
came first? you all should be outraged by the false marketing to make consumers think they are getting something healthy when in fact they are getting a product more akin to soda …. are you all employees of VW and NW or something?