Written by JR Simich co-founder of Vive Organic
“Wellness Shots”. How did these little 2 ounce shots become so popular and what’s really driving growth in this category?
Think Wheatgrass…
Yes, that vibrant green liquid your mom made you shoot like tequilla and chase with an orange slice. This was the original concept and the first highly concentrated, nutrient dense Health Shot. Wheatgrass farms popped up all over America just to support the demand. To this day, it remains popular and is recognized as the first health shot.
As the dust settled around the Wheatgrass craze in early 2013, two ingredients began to make a big splash in the juice game, Ginger and Turmeric. Traditionally known as spices, many experienced these potent flavors cold pressed into their favorite juice products for the first time at there local juice shop. When Wyatt Taubman, Co founder of Vive Organic, discovered his first cold pressed Ginger and Turmeric Shot in Florida in January 2014, every friend within his network heard about the tantalizing experience. Within a short period of time, most juice bars in North America were incrementally expanding their Wheatgrass sales with a pure cold pressed ginger shot. These shots were served in plastic dixie cups and the trend began accelerating.
April, 2015.
Highly Concentrated, Nutrient Dense, this could work! Come Vive Organic, Temple Tumeric, Kor Shots, Ginger Shots and a few other brands using advanced technology known as HPP to take Wellness Shots to retail. Consumers latched on to this concept and ran to the register, willing to pay $4-$6 for a 2 ounce shot. In the coming months Wellness Shots began to outsell many top beverages and as the trend continues to escalate were asked… Why? 
Why? Wellness Shots combine three major trends, Grab & Go, Nutraceutical Beverage and Health and Wellness. These factors, combined with major media attention have many experts bullish on the Wellness Shot category.
Fast Forward to September 2018 as we tour a few stores in Los Angeles to understand the general state of the category…
From Left to Right.
1. A strait E3 live shot, profile is powerful and algae based. 2. A Ginger, E3, Orange, Lemon and Chlorophyll and excellent combination that tastes zingy yet earthy. 3. A Coconut Kefir shot with Mango and Pineapple, falling on the mild side of the profile this shot is refreshing and the most unique of the six . 4. A pomegranate ginger shot, a spin on and old classic. 5. A functional Chaga mushroom shot from wild harvested Chaga. It tastes like it sounds… Wild. 6. Vive Organic Immunity boost, a well balanced wellness shot with cold pressed Ecenichea, Ginger and Turmeric.
Now that the assortment of shots has become more developed and the assortment in Whole Foods has expanded, it’s important to understand that the category experiences seasonality that begins in September and tapers down by April. As the category expands consumers will be seeking shots with increased efficacy and functional benefits. We look forward to what the future has in store for the category.
Written and Curated by JR Simich with Vive Organic. Photos by: Kim Isley. Please contact JR@vive-organic.com for further questions.
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