The Half Rule

Here’s a quick rule of thumb when it comes to using sugar in recipes…..just cut the amount in half or more.  Our food today is completely overloaded with unnecessary amounts of sugar, so just start cutting it back and see how you do.

Big food companies have learned over the years that more sugar sells more product, so gradually over time, sugar consumption has been ramping up which has lead to serious health issues and an epidemic of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Food & Beverage companies will not willingly give up their profits in favour of consumer health so this situation will remain very political.  Soda taxes, health warnings on labels and public awareness campaigns are hotly contested but gradually the market is now shifting.  California has now been successful in introducing health warning labels on sugary drinks which begins next month. Mexico is seeing declining consumption with the introduction of their soda tax and  in the UK, Jamie Oliver has self imposed a soda tax on sugary drinks sold in his restaurants and he is using his TV documentary “Sugar Rush” to bring awareness to the health concerns associated with high sugar consumption.

It’s easier than you think to reduce sugar.  Use the half rule, substitute cream & marscapone for icing, drink almond milk (0 sugar) instead of milk (11 g sugar) and drink SIP (7g sugar) instead of soft drinks (38g sugar).

You will feel better, improve your health and reduce healthcare costs.

Good Luck,

Jennifer Martin

Food Scientist

The Happiness Project - business model

Gretchen Rubin who wrote the Happiness Project has some pretty practical advice about how small changes to our daily habits can greatly improve our level of happiness which is the number one thing we all want not only for ourselves but for our kids, family and friends.

Without realising it, I discovered that we apply the Happiness Project principles to our business.  After 4 years of slogging it out with Retailers in an often very negative, win-lose environment, we have decided to make SIP exclusive to only those customers who fit our Brand messaging and corporate spirit.

It’s a daring move for a young startup but it feels right and six months in, it looks promising.

Happy 2016  everyone,

Jennifer Martin

Chief Seltzer Officer

When big companies take good ingredients and garbage them up!

This is my pet peeve for 2014.  Why do big companies do this?

They take a healthy ingredient and combine it with junk – what’s the point?

I used to drink Matcha lattes from a popular coffee company but on closer examination, I discovered these drinks are not only loaded with sugar but they add artificial flavors and it is not even possible to order this drink unsweet because the matcha powder itself is mixed with sugar, then they add additional syrup for even more sweetness.

There is also a popular loose tea company that sells expensive loose leaf tea but then adds artificial flavors to it.  Further, the tea is imbalanced with the artificial flavor being the most prominent, almost completely masking the natural tea flavors.

Start looking and you will find many examples of this in the marketplace. Sadly, consumers are drawn to these deceptive products for their health benefits, so please be cautious.

We hope consumers come to rely on SIP for not doing this.  We use only clean ingredients and safe levels of added cane sugar. 

Watch for our new line of completely clean, barely sweet hot drinks coming soon.

Happy Holidays to all,

Jennifer Martin

Chief Soda Officer

SIP soda for the Soul

When I launched SIP soda 2 years ago, I really didn’t know what to expect.  I knew it would be a rocky  journey with lots of challenges and few rewards, but what really fills my soul are not just the fans, but the fanatics.  Never in a million years did I expect customers to rally around SIP like they do, so excited to share their first SIP experience with us and with the world.
As an entrepreneur you work for pennies and the rewards in the early years are slim, but it’s the fans and their stories that really fill your sails and soften the hard edges of building a business.  Here are just a few SIP surprises.
A  women emails to say all she wants for Mother’s Day is SIP, so she sends her husband and daughter out to the supermarket to get some and they can’t find it. When I emailed back to say the store had a large display of SIP in the front entrance ,they must have missed it,  she sends them back a second time to purchase it, but emails again, to say the display looked messy, so they cleaned it up for us, while they were there.  Amazing – this was my Mother’s day present.
Another customer who I met at a demo, took SIP to another city and sold it into two big supermarkets there just because she wanted to pick it up on the way to her summer cottage. The store contacted us and placed a large opening order for two of their locations.
A man arrived recently at another demo who wanted to share with me that he had tried all the beverages at Whole Foods Market and thought SIP was the very best.
We also have a lot of brides who like to serve SIP at their weddings, but one Bride actually gave away a bottle of SIP with a cocktail recipe attached, as her wedding favor.
I can’t thank our fans and SIP fanatics enough and seldom have the opportunity to communicate not only how hearfelt these stories are but more importantly, how they fill my sails  and provide the momentum to just keep going.
What can I say ……we love our fans!
Cheers,
Jennifer Martin
Chief Soda Officer
SIPsoda co ltd.

Transformative Change …create something you love and share it with the world.

Recently we were fortunate enough to be part of an “Instruments of Change” event where volunteers played “Teach the world to sing” on 200 bottles of SIP.  This organisation uses music to help people transform their lives and it was an honor to be recognised as a company which is driving transformative change in the Beverage Industry.

I didn’t create SIP as a vehicle for wealth, but more as a vehicle for health, to lead the industry towards healthier beverage options. We communicate to consumers and the industry that you don’t need almost a ¼ cup of sugar in a 12oz bottle to be satisfied.  In North America, many beverages are candy  bars, and their consumption is driving an epidemic of Diabetes and Obesity. It’s time for change and we’re proud to be driving it.

It’s not just about sugar. Our mineral based water and healthy, herbal flavors add to the innovative appeal and we don’t think you can offer a modern beverage today without recycled, non-leaching glass bottles and some very strong support for the community.

Equally rewarding is our work with Universities, Charities, Entrepreneurs, and Fitness groups who all share similar goals to “create something you love and share it with the world.” 


Inspiring others to pursue their dreams is truly what fuels our growth and determination.

We encourage you to read those “Nutrition Facts” labels and choose beverages that are low in natural sugar, preferably less than 10 grams sugar per 12 ounces of drink. (Center for Science in the Public Interest)
Good health and happiness,
Jennifer Martin, Chief Soda Officer

Healthier Beverage Options ……It’s time!

Government, media and health associations, concerned about rising obesity and type 2 diabetes reaching epidemic proportions, are working together to challenge consumers to reduce their consumption of sugar. High sugar drinks including soft drinks, fruit juices, iced teas, sports and energy drinks are a very big target.  Even diet drinks, that use artificial sweeteners and/or stevia are not excluded, because they still condition consumers to desire overly sweet foods. 
Dr Willett from Harvard School of Public Health states “ It’s time to step down from high sugar drinks and it’s an opportunity for beverage manufacturers to step in an assist consumers with this weaning process!”
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/healthy-drink-video/index.html
Research  shows that just one soft drink per day increases the chance of getting diabetes by 60%.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/sugary-drinks-type2-diabetes/index.html
I would like to add, that is also time for parents to set a good example for their children, by choosing healthier beverages such as water and drinks that contain no more than 1 gram sugar per ounce, a new target for the Food Industry set by Harvard School of Public Health.  I commend all initiatives that support this process, including New York City’s ban on 16 ounce drinks, that contain more than 25 calories per 8 ounces.
Look how far we have come with Tobacco.  So step down from high sugar and create a better life for yourself and more importantly, your children.
Jennifer Martin Fd Sc, MBA
Chief Soda Officer
SIPsoda co ltd.Harvard Public Health - High Sugar Drinks

“more than a drink”

When SIP was created, of course we wanted  it to be a delicious, healthy drink that people could feel good about  consuming, but it was the offer of a new beverage experience that we were really after.

Despite the enourmous size of the beverage industry and the zillions of beverage offerings, we found  it surprising that there are very few beverages that are truly healthy and interesting.

Early consumer feedback indicates we are succeeding with tweets like “ SIP helped me get through my day” and “ SIP makes me happy”  SIP is becoming what we visioned – unique, fun and memorable.

Perhaps we will lead the new, anti –energy movement where industry experts speculate that calming , relaxing beverages will be the next big thing.   A nice compliment to the hyperspeed society we all now live in and more economical  than a visit to the Spa.

Thank you SIP consumers for this special feedback – it’s a thrill to discover that SIP is succeeding at “being more than a drink”

Stick with us …… for more culinary adventure and happy SIP moments.

Sparkling regards,

Jennifer Martin

Chief Soda Officer

SIPsoda co. ltd.