Direct juice meets carbon dioxide - why PENG doesn't want to be a soft drink

Soda is sweet. Soda is refreshing. That's how simply the PENG team sums up its philosophy. In a beverage world full of sugar, sweeteners and gimmicks, the young company focuses on the opposite: direct juice, water, carbon dioxide - nothing more. We spoke to the PENG team about why the world needs a straight juice soda, what makes good caffeine and why energy drinks are still so popular despite everything.

Honest & Rare: You explicitly say that PENG is not a soda, but soda with direct juice. What exactly is the difference?

Soda is sweet. Soda is refreshing. PENG is soda because we leave out everything that makes soda sticky: sugar and sweeteners. With us, you only taste what's really in it - direct juice with a sparkling twist. Real taste, best refreshment. That's direct juice soda. That is PENG.

How did PENG come to be founded and when it became clear that the market needed a no-sugar-added direct juice soda?

We founded PENG because we wanted a drink that really refreshes - without added sugar, without sweeteners, without gimmicks. There are almost only drinks on the shelves that are artificially sweet or promise a quick dopamine kick. We wanted the opposite: something honest, pure and light. Straight juice, water, carbon dioxide - nothing more.

The moment when it became clear that the market needed something like this came when we tried our first samples. People immediately said: 'Finally, a drink that doesn't stick, but really refreshes'. That's exactly what PENG is. A direct juice soda.

What varieties do you currently offer and what is particularly popular with your customers at the moment?

We currently have three varieties - each also as a caffeine variant: lemon, orange and cassis. The caffeine-free direct juice sodas are the most popular because they are light, refreshing and completely free from sweetness. Our experience in everyday life: we do extremely well in offices, and young parents appreciate PENG for themselves and their children. The taste trend is exciting: many start with orange, but in the long term lemon usually becomes the favorite.

"We wanted to create an alternative: Drinks that really refresh"

You also offer some of your varieties with a lot of caffeine, but of course they are a far cry from energy drinks. How is it that energy drinks still seem to be so popular - even though so much is known about their health aspects?

Energy drinks work for two reasons: Habit and marketing. Many people automatically reach for sweets when they need energy - and energy drinks have been promising a quick kick and performance for years. At the same time, their taste is designed to reward you immediately, even if you know that they are not necessarily good for you.

We wanted to create an alternative: Drinks that are really refreshing, without sweetness - and still give you energy when you need it. That's why each of our varieties is also available with lots of caffeine from organic coffee beans, but without everything that makes energy drinks heavy.

How does the "good caffeine" from organic coffee in PENG differ from conventional energy drinks and what is the production process like?

Our caffeine comes from organic coffee beans and is extracted using a gentle CO₂ process. Natural, pressurized CO₂ is used to release the caffeine from the beans - without any chemical solvents or residues. The end result is two things: decaffeinated organic coffee and pure, naturally extracted caffeine.

The big difference to many energy drinks: These often work with synthetic or cheaper, chemically-derived caffeine. With PENG, the caffeine comes from an organic source, is cleanly extracted and therefore meets our demand for natural refreshment - with or without energy.

"Direct juice is the real deal"

You rely exclusively on direct juice instead of flavoring or concentrate. What makes this process so special in terms of taste and quality? And why do so many of the major soda suppliers rely on concentrates, flavorings and other additives?

Direct juice is the real deal in terms of taste and quality: it comes straight from the fruit, with no intermediate steps, no heating and no reconstitution. That's why it tastes fresher, livelier and more natural - just like lemon, orange or blackcurrant really taste. Direct juice has character and can vary slightly, just like in nature. This is what gives our varieties their genuine, unadulterated taste.

Large soft drink suppliers, on the other hand, rely on concentrates, flavors and additives, because this gives them absolute predictability and always the same taste profiles - regardless of how the harvest turns out. This is cheaper, more standardized and easier to produce, but at the expense of the natural taste.

We wanted to go the other way: real juice, real refreshment, no tricks.

New brands for sodas, mate or classic energy drinks are often created precisely because people are already familiar with them. How do customers react to your refreshing and natural approach?

The reactions are surprisingly clear: many people are surprised at first - and then delighted. They expect a soda and suddenly get real refreshment without the sweetness. For many, this is exactly the drink they have been looking for for a long time.

We often hear: "Finally, something that doesn't stick." And that's exactly what makes PENG so exciting - it feels light, pure and natural. That's why offices, young parents and people who want to drink consciously react particularly positively to our approach.

"PENG works extremely well in offices"

You also supply offices with PENG. Are employers open to providing their employees with healthier beverage alternatives besides water and coffee?

Yes, definitely. Many employers want to offer their teams more than just water and coffee - something that is refreshing, light and feels good. PENG works extremely well in offices because it is a natural alternative to sweet drinks and at the same time a little highlight in everyday life.

The team often even develops its own 'PENG topic': which variety tastes best to whom, when to drink it and which caffeine variant helps for long days. It's variety, a conversation starter and a product that feels like a little goodie.

Will there be more flavors or are you consciously pursuing a "short, clear" range?

Both. We are staying true to our clear range - few flavors, but really good ones. But yes, there will be new flavors. We are already working on other direct juice sodas that are just as light and natural as our existing varieties. We're not revealing any more yet, but: the direction remains clearly PENG.