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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hello, hello, and welcome to another episode
00:04of Shock Essence Live.
00:05I am your host, Noni.
00:07We do this in partnership with the New Voices family
00:09to bring you Black-owned businesses to shock
00:12with us every single week.
00:15Now, it has been a new year right now.
00:18You know, we're always on our new year, new you situation.
00:21Last year, late last year, I gave up energy drinks.
00:25I did, because I felt like they were not really good for me.
00:28When I go away, I'm sorry, I perform on the weekend.
00:33As you guys know, I'm a wedding singer.
00:35And when you go to bed at 8.30 at night, usually,
00:37but you gotta sing till 1 a.m.,
00:39I felt like I needed these energy drinks.
00:41And now, we're about to highlight someone
00:46that has created a great alternative solution
00:49to energy drinks.
00:50I'm so excited.
00:52Everybody, please welcome Anacaba Vriju.
00:56Did I say that right, Vriju?
00:58Yes, hello, how are you?
01:01I was just saying before, I was like,
01:03somebody up there knew that I needed this product.
01:07So I would love for you, and y'all, I'm not kidding.
01:09I'm in the office today, Black Girl Magic headquarters.
01:12I put my name all over this,
01:13so nobody would drink my drinks in the refrigerator,
01:16but I can't wait to try.
01:18Before we get into trying the flavors,
01:20please let us know how you came up
01:23with this incredible brand.
01:25Yes, well, as you know, my name's Anna.
01:27I'm the CEO and founder of Rejuvenation.
01:29And we started in 2020 after I had faced
01:33a severe allergic reaction
01:34to a synthetic energy supplement.
01:36I was on life support and in a coma because of it,
01:38but I was blessed with a second chance at life.
01:41So I wanted to use my degree in plant science
01:43and my love for juicing to create
01:45a better-for-you healthy alternative
01:47to all those other energy drink products on the market.
01:52Oh my goodness.
01:54First of all, you are a walking miracle
01:57that we're witnessing on the show.
01:59So shout out to that.
02:01But then also, it's just like really taking those moments
02:06where it's just like,
02:07other people would be down for the count.
02:09And you literally sent it into a triumph.
02:12So hats off to you for that.
02:15Shout out for that.
02:17Really great.
02:18So how did you come up with developing this,
02:22like the formula?
02:23How did you even start that?
02:25Yeah, so as I mentioned,
02:27I went to Tuskegee University
02:29where I got my degree in plant science.
02:31And my grandmother, who was like my best friend,
02:34she's 93 years old.
02:36She was always a huge juicer in my life.
02:39I grew up on a vegan vegetarian diet.
02:42And so I wanted to use all the things
02:45that I was basically raised on
02:46to create something with all the different flavors
02:49that I love the most.
02:50So I am a huge apple juice girl.
02:52I love pineapple juice.
02:54I love hibiscus.
02:55And we just wanted to see what we could do
02:59to add better energy into people's lives
03:02without the jitters or crashes,
03:03especially someone who, I used to play volleyball.
03:06I was always super active
03:07and I thrived off of like the energy drinks
03:11that you were just talking about.
03:12So, you know, we need energy.
03:16And I feel like, you know,
03:17obviously some people don't like coffee.
03:19I'm not a huge coffee drinker.
03:21So I wanted something fruity, something fresh,
03:23something that was gonna give you good high energy
03:26throughout the day.
03:27And so we went through the formula process,
03:30started in my mom's townhouse.
03:32I always say we started from one tiny teapot
03:35and now we're at a huge scale.
03:37We have our own manufacturing facility in Denver, Colorado.
03:40And then we warehouse out of Oklahoma.
03:43And yeah.
03:45I even just, I just love the shape of the bottle.
03:48It's like intentionality.
03:50Like we're on the go.
03:51Okay.
03:52We're gonna get into the flavor.
03:54So what flavor are we going to taste first?
03:58So right now we actually are doing a huge,
04:03a Black History Month rollout.
04:05So I sent you those two shot bottles.
04:07Those are our Blacker the Berry flavor.
04:09That is Blackberry and Black Current.
04:11So I would love for you to start there.
04:13They are, right now you can get five for $10
04:16and free shipping all month.
04:18So five for $10, seven for $12.50 or 14 for $25.
04:23Yes.
04:24So the two ounce shots are gonna give you
04:26the highest energy.
04:27It's gonna give you the same amount of energy
04:28of a 16 ounce bottle.
04:30But obviously like if you're on the go,
04:32if you're traveling and you just need something
04:34to put in your suitcase really quick,
04:36the two ounce shot is definitely the way to go.
04:38Just cause the 16 ounce can be a lot taller.
04:40So.
04:41Listen Anna, I am about to be on a world tour.
04:44We got NAACP awards.
04:47Essence is being honored.
04:48Next day we're traveling to Mardi Gras
04:52cause we're going to be on a float.
04:54Next day traveling to Black Women in Hollywood.
04:58So when I tell you this came right on time,
05:02and I got three kids, this came right on time.
05:05So.
05:05You're beyond busy.
05:08Also, the taste is so good.
05:10There's not like a, you know,
05:12you taste other energy drinks.
05:14There's like that chemical aftertaste
05:16where you're just like, this is probably not good for me.
05:18But this is just, it has like a,
05:21you can taste the fruit,
05:22but it's also like a tea almost as well, which is nice.
05:26Yes.
05:26Blackcurrant is what?
05:29Blackberry and blackcurrant.
05:31So all of our ingredients only have five or less,
05:33all of our flavors only have five or less ingredients.
05:36And we use the like rawest pressed juice.
05:38So when you get to the other flavors,
05:40I will say like peach, it definitely tastes like,
05:43it tastes like peach nectar,
05:45as opposed to like the peach rings
05:47that most people associate peach with.
05:48You know, like we go to peach candy first
05:51before we go to actual peaches.
05:53So, yes.
05:55But then with our hibiscus flavor and our pineapple,
06:00those are like our top sellers.
06:02They're more in like the sweeter side
06:04just because of the ingredients that we source.
06:08Okay, so hold on, hold on, hold on, walk me through it.
06:10So the next one I'm gonna try is the peach.
06:14Okay.
06:15Can you talk about the peach and some of the flavors
06:17that people will be tasting within that
06:20and what the ingredients are?
06:21I love this too.
06:22You are absolutely right.
06:24Is like, look at these ingredients, y'all.
06:26I can pronounce every single thing.
06:29I can pronounce it, y'all.
06:31So good.
06:32Yeah, so with our peach flavor,
06:35you're gonna get more on,
06:36it's definitely great for people who are low glycemic,
06:39are diabetics, my sister is diabetic.
06:41So definitely wanted to have a product line
06:44for them as well.
06:46It's not as sweet.
06:47It's more on like the citrusy kind of like tea side.
06:52Think of like unsweetened tea.
06:54Yes.
06:55I love it.
07:00Yes.
07:00Yes.
07:02And the best, the only thing I will say about peach
07:06is it was seasonal.
07:07We had released peach last June.
07:10So it technically was supposed to be off the market,
07:14but we do have some of our retailers in Florida
07:17that were really interested in keeping it on.
07:19So we went ahead and kept peach on the site.
07:22So you can still get peach right now.
07:27Yes, you can still get peach,
07:28but blackberry is our flavor of the season right now
07:33for Black History Month.
07:36We're gonna take these apples.
07:38Yes.
07:39Apple is definitely one of my favorites.
07:41I mean, they're all my babies,
07:43but apple is definitely one of my favorites
07:46just because it helps with digestion.
07:49And I'm a person that's all about gut health.
07:51So the apple is great for digestion,
07:55great for cleaning out that gut
07:57and giving you the energy and replace, so.
08:01Look, and I don't know how you mastered the flavor profile,
08:05but I'm somebody that,
08:07I don't like things are too, too sweet.
08:09You know, when you taste a fruit drink
08:11and it's just like overwhelming sweetness,
08:14but then I don't want to taste nothing
08:15that it tastes like, you know, soil.
08:17I'm like, I don't want that amount of bitterness.
08:22If you have managed to find the perfect, perfect balance,
08:27you guys have to try these Riju flavors.
08:32So good.
08:32And it's, and I'm not even getting to the benefit
08:35of it being like naturally energy, like boosting.
08:38Like that's a whole other,
08:39like I'm just talking about taste.
08:41I could be drinking on this all day,
08:43but it's also providing me with energy.
08:46Nothing, I think I need more energy, but there are times,
08:49you know, when we have that crash
08:50and I'm so glad that you talked about that
08:52because I remember the moment I stopped.
08:56I was like, I have to stop.
08:58I'm not going to say the brands,
08:59but I have to stop with the energy drinks
09:01because I remember I was on stage.
09:04I had had a double espresso or something.
09:08And then I also had that drink.
09:09And my best friend's like, you sure you need that?
09:12And it's just such a habit.
09:13Like we're just down and just like, yeah, I do.
09:15We got to see you at one o'clock in the morning.
09:17When I tell you my heart,
09:19like that's why it's like hearing your story
09:21when you ended up in the hospital.
09:23Um, we got to watch that.
09:26You know, you got to watch the intake
09:27and watch everything that we're putting in our bodies.
09:30Even though there's like short-term benefits,
09:32what's the long-term like harm that we could be doing.
09:35So I really, really appreciate you developing this line.
09:39Y'all, it is delicious.
09:41But that is all.
09:42And I tell people, yeah, I tell people all the time.
09:46I do a lot of like consumer research
09:48since my background is science.
09:50And over.
09:52Over a hundred million people,
09:55like actually pass every year from energy supplements
10:00or from like overindulging in energy drinks
10:03in the pre-workouts, those types of things.
10:07And a lot of that data is not ever sent back
10:09to the brands that are promoting these products.
10:13A lot of these products are promoted to young people
10:15because, you know, they know they're going to buy them.
10:18They know they want to look as cool as the next person.
10:20So, you know, we see these celebrities
10:22and some of these brands promoting some of these products
10:25but we don't actually realize how many people
10:27are suffering like long-term health problems
10:31because of them.
10:31So that was really, I mean, of course what happened to me
10:34was a miracle that I'm still here.
10:37But to hear other people's stories
10:40that have had heart attacks when they're like 17, 18 years
10:43old or, you know, long-term health problems.
10:45So yes, we're definitely doing this for more than just,
10:50more than just the taste, more than just the energy.
10:52We're doing this for a whole movement
10:53of people who get overlooked.
10:55So.
10:56Number one, Hannah is taking care of us.
10:59So what I have is Hibiscus.
11:02Yes, Hibiscus, another fan favorite.
11:04Hibiscus was our bestseller last year.
11:06We saw a 40% sales increase with Hibiscus.
11:11We actually just started sourcing our Hibiscus from Ghana.
11:15We used to source it from like a local company
11:20but now we actually are sourcing it directly from Ghana
11:22and it is fantastic.
11:24We love, love Hibiscus.
11:26Look at these ingredients.
11:28If I'm looking at these ingredients,
11:30these look like everyday things.
11:32So what would we say is the thing that's giving the energy?
11:35Like what is the secret sauce that's gonna boost my energy?
11:40Yeah, so we use Wayasa.
11:42It is a plant that we get from Ecuador.
11:46It's more on like the tea side of things.
11:49It's not gonna give you those jitters, those crashes.
11:51And then we infuse it in our raw press juice.
11:54So there are definitely other companies that use Wayasa
11:57but not really, they're mostly, most of them are carbonated
12:01and then most of them are either adding other
12:05like coffee, green tea, basically more caffeine than needed.
12:09So.
12:11Yeah, it's just like, even in my mind,
12:13I'm looking at this and I'm so trained.
12:15I'm like, what's the long scientific word
12:17that we're putting in here to put the,
12:19you forget that natural things and food
12:22and like just clean ingredients
12:25can also give you so much energy
12:27without some of the bad side effects that you experience
12:30with like over caffeinated things.
12:32So right now I have pineapple.
12:35Oh.
12:37Pineapple was our very first flavor
12:39that we came out with in 2020.
12:42This was like the, this is the mom's kitchen flavor, yes.
12:50This is great, this is so great.
12:52So just tell me the rules with this, right?
12:55Cause in my household, my kids, they don't have no juice.
12:58We don't have any juice in our house.
12:59Oh wow.
13:01I know, it's not, it's not, listen,
13:03it's not as bad as it sounds.
13:05I don't know what they're missing, it's fine.
13:08But would you, is this an energy drink
13:10that you would recommend people can give
13:12to like teenagers, children, what would you say?
13:15Yes, so our products are safe for everyone.
13:19We say age, between ages 10 and a million,
13:24but we do just say that obviously everything in moderation,
13:29these are energy drinks are not gonna give you that jolt
13:32in the beginning.
13:33You're gonna definitely see a more gradual energy.
13:35And then of course, the more that you drink them
13:37on a consistent basis, the more you'll say,
13:39oh, I can go maybe one every other day
13:42or not one every single hour, every day.
13:45So you, we're basically trying to train your body
13:48to end up having like sustained energy.
13:51Yes, they look so pretty.
13:53And then also safe for pregnant women
13:58and safe for diabetics.
14:01Okay, so that is very, very important.
14:04Safe for pregnant women, safe for diabetics, so good.
14:08You have a special discount code for those.
14:13Your website, you guys go to drink,
14:16would you order these from shopessence.com, shopessencelive.
14:22You're shopping directly with the Black-owned brands
14:24that we feature.
14:26You have a discount code for the Essence.
14:28Yes, it is.
14:30Yes, if you use code Essence,
14:32you can get 20% off by February 28th.
14:35We are doing free shipping all February long.
14:38So go ahead, order now, get your shots,
14:41get your full 16 ounce.
14:45We do variety packs.
14:47We have all types of things on the website.
14:49And yes, and if you are in, if you're in Maryland,
14:54if you're in Oklahoma, if you're in Florida,
14:56you can find us in store as well.
14:59So good, and I'm glad you brought up the pack
15:02because if someone would have gotten this gift for me,
15:06knowing the struggle of like me giving up these drinks,
15:09this would be such a thoughtful gift.
15:11So think about that,
15:13that person that loves energy drinks in your life,
15:15but you were like, ooh, that's a little worrisome,
15:18how much to drink it.
15:19This might be a really, really great alternative.
15:21I love that.
15:23So, Anna, this show is in partnership
15:26with the New Voices family.
15:27Can you talk a little bit about what it's been like
15:30being a part of that amazing community?
15:33Yes, I have.
15:35So I just joined New Voices later,
15:38like later in the year, last year,
15:40and I have absolutely loved it.
15:43My first introduction to New Voices
15:45was at Essence Fest last year.
15:47I volunteered with a friend of mine
15:48who had a booth at Essence.
15:51And just the environment and being in that space
15:55with so many entrepreneurs,
15:56so many like-minded people
15:57was just such a beautiful experience
15:59to kind of feed off of it.
16:02Like it gave me a jolt of energy
16:04that I definitely needed at that time
16:06as an entrepreneur, as we all need really.
16:09And like I said, yeah, New Voices has just been great.
16:13I love how we have our monthly calls together.
16:16We get to really dive deep on food and beverage
16:22or just CPG all in all,
16:24and like really get to share
16:26some of our experiences with each other.
16:28It's just been fantastic to have this community
16:30of like-minded people.
16:32And yeah, I can't wait to see what else comes from it.
16:36My goodness, my goodness.
16:37So I'm so glad that you said that
16:39because I say it every episode,
16:42take a chance on yourself.
16:44Look into New Voices family.
16:45It is free to join newvoicesfamily.com.
16:49And I just saw them at Essence Festival.
16:51That was just a skip away a couple of months ago
16:54and she joined and now I'm talking to her
16:57on Shop Essence Live.
16:58So you never, never know.
17:00You might be watching this as an entrepreneur
17:03like I'm not there yet, or let me do this first.
17:05Join New Voices family.
17:07Just bet on yourself and join.
17:09They have a ton of resources for you guys
17:12and an amazing community.
17:15So Anna, thank you so much for introducing Refuse.
17:22I'm a part of the rejuvenation now.
17:24Yes, you're a rejuvie.
17:26You're a rejuvie.
17:29I cannot, listen, this is gonna be incorporated
17:32into my everyday life, share with my teenage son.
17:35And I'm just really, really excited.
17:36And thank you, thank you for being such an inspiring,
17:39having such an inspiring story of taking a moment
17:43that could have taken you out
17:44and you turned it into something that will affect change
17:47for a lot of people.
17:47And I really, really wanna acknowledge you for that.
17:50And thank you.
17:51I can't even pick my favorite one.
17:53I cannot, they're all so good.
17:58But thank you.
17:59And thank you at home for watching.
18:01Is there anything else you wanna say, reply?
18:04I was just gonna say, we do offer,
18:06we do have cocktail and mocktail mixers
18:08on the site as well.
18:09So if you are interested in integrating any of our products
18:13with alcohol or non-alcohol,
18:15and then you can warm all of our products up like tea, so.
18:19Oh my gosh, wait, I'm surprised you mentioned that
18:22because even like these little shots,
18:24I was like, ooh, this would be a nice little tea,
18:26a coffee, so you can warm these up.
18:29Yes, just warming your cup.
18:31Cocktail and cocktail.
18:33Okay, okay, okay, okay, all right.
18:36So Anna- Right, we'll talk, we'll talk.
18:38We gotta talk because this is a lot we could do here.
18:40But thank you, thank you, Anna,
18:42so much for joining us this week.
18:43And thank you guys at home for watching.
18:45Tune in every single week for a new Black-Owned Brand
18:48to shop with us at Shop Essence Live
18:50in partnership with the New Voices family.
18:52Bye.