If you find yourself constantly forgetting to drink or feel the need for some flavor in your water, there’s now a $180 solution: LifeFuels’ Bottle.
The Keurig Dr Pepper-backed startup, which has raised $5 million to date, on Monday introduced the Bottle, which comes with what the company calls FuelPods. Up to three pods can be inserted into the bottle to add customizable flavors to the liquid inside with the touch of a button or through LifeFuels’ app. The app, of course, allows users to set and track hydration goals and check the levels remaining in each FuelPod.
FuelPods are available in flavors such as peach, blackberry acai and lemon-lime, and the company said in a press release that they’re packed with electrolytes and antioxidants “to provide nutrients on-the-go.” Each FuelPod apparently dispenses up to 30 beverages and can be sent back to the company to be recycled.
Carbonated and flavored water has seen a resurgence in the past few years as health-conscious consumers look for alternatives to sugary juices and sodas. Last year, sales of flavored water reached more than $3 billion, an increase from the previous year, according to Euromonitor data.
LifeFuels seems to be hitting all the checkboxes for a tech-powered wellness company: a high priced item, water flavoring that’s said to be functional, and even a subscription service: new pods can be sent to subscribers for $9.99 each, instead of the usual $11.99.
Other companies have also attempted to entice would-be water drinkers with bells and whistles. Mark One’s smart bottle Pryme Vessyl measured how much water it was holding and tracked users’ sips. The company is now closed. Meanwhile, PepsiCo’s Drinkfinity uses a special bottle and recyclable flavor pods to juice up your water, but doesn’t feature any of tech bells and whistles found in the LifeFuels Bottle.
The question for LifeFuels now is whether there are enough people thirsty for a nearly $200 water bottle.
I want this bottle