Close×

Australia’s energy market has a new “evidence-based” entrant called Kanguru, which has been created by a Queensland ophthalmologist.

The locally owned and manufactured brand is based on clean, effective ingredients, according to its maker Dr David Kitchen, who says he spent four years on the formula.

“I’ve created an evidence-based drink that offers tangible benefits, using natural botanicals with an anti-crash result,” Dr Kitchen says.

Kanguru’s ingredients include five natural botanicals – Korean red ginseng, yerba mate, guarana, schisandra and green tea, as well as vitamins, taurine, caffeine and natural flavours.

More than 90 per cent of the caffeine is derived naturally through the botanical ingredients, and the beverage contains no sugar.

“I drank coffee and energy drinks but I felt there had to be something better,” Dr Kitchen says.

“Many of the ingredients in existing energy drinks had no real benefit or purpose whatsoever, so what was needed was a more scientific approach.”

Dr Kitchen says consumer group testing has been extremely positive, with people enjoying the taste and the premium slim-line 250ml can.

The product has a RRP of $4.95 and has a growing number of stockists.

Packaging News

In an initiative led by Viva Energy in partnership with Nestlé, a limited run of KitKat chocolate bars wrapped in locally manufactured recycled PP is rolling out to stores nationwide, demonstrating the potential for locally collected soft plastics to be returned to food-grade packaging in Australia.

Three Gold awards and a Silver saw RePlay top the medal tally in this year's PIDA awards. But behind the accolades lies an equally important story: the practical challenges of making reusable packaging systems commercially viable.

Australia's peak paper industry association has rebranded as the APPIA, reflecting what it says is the growing importance of fibre-based packaging across Australia and New Zealand.