Welcome back to Weekly Pickups!
We’re so excited to share that our next episode of The Curious Consumer is live!! In this episode, we dive into the wild world of energy drinks.
But first, some news: The first-ever booze-free bottle shop in the US, Spirited Away, is officially on the market.
This gorgeous store in the heart of Lower Manhattan first introduced premium non-alcs in a wonderful in-store experience. If you’re interested in learning more about purchasing this gem of a spot, learn more below!
Now, let’s get into what we’ve been loving this week →
Nate's Pickup:
Bloom Sparkling Energy
I try a lot of energy drinks. Like, A LOT. I think I've tried them all (except Rockstar and NOS - never got around to those). I originally tried Bloom when it first came out, but bought a case again recently when my wife mentioned she tried it at work. She's a surgeon, and I trust surgeons' choice in energy drinks. She asked if I'd ever had one, which of course I had (I was slightly offended), but then she said it's her new favorite, even over Celsius. So I got a case and kind of rediscovered it.
Also, Bloom has been CRUSHING it. Since launching last July, they've sold over 35 million cans...and just the other day, Nutrabolt increased their investment in Bloom Nutrition to about $210 million. In 2024, Nutrabolt spent $50M on a 20% minority stake - so this latest investment is huge.
Quick Facts: Zero sugar sparkling energy drink with 180mg of natural caffeine, collagen, and biotin. Available in bright, fruity flavors that somehow taste like real fruit despite containing no juice.
Reasons to love:
The taste is great. Despite not containing any juice, the flavors are spot on. It doesn't feel like I'm just drinking flavored artificial sweeteners. The fruit flavors are bright and refreshing and not that fake, cloying sweetness you get with most energy drinks.
Perfect caffeine levels. 180mg is the sweet spot. While I love to have a ton of caffeine throughout the day, I don't want it all at once. This gets you to that perfect state of euphoria without feeling like you can freeze time. It's enough to get you going without the jitters or crash.
Where to buy: Online or in most retailers (including Ulta!!!)
Jenna’s Pickup:
Hormbles Chormbles - Salted Fudge
When this brand first came out, it got a lot of crap for… perhaps some obvious reasons. It has the “pick-me girl” equivalent of a brand name, and—despite coming from the former founder of RXBAR*—has an ingredient list that certainly strays from “3 Egg Whites and 4 Almonds.” But I finally got my hands on it during my mandatory Foxtrot visit (when in Chicago…) and I have to say, it’s easily a new favorite.
Quick Facts: A new-age chocolate bar: 10g protein, 0g sugar, 100 calories.
Reasons to love:
The most nostalgic taste. To me, this is a perfect-tasting bar. It tastes almost exactly like an OG Crunch bar, but a little richer and slightly more bitter (kind of a hybrid between milk + dark chocolate). It melts in your mouth with the most satisfying crunch. And yes, it is made with allulose, monk fruit, and stevia—but IMO, there’s not a glaring artificial sweetener aftertaste.
Macros, baby. Say what you will about this ingredient label (it’s pretty far from a “natural” chocolate bar), but it’s killing it in the macro department. At 10g of protein, 0g of sugar, and only 100 calories, this is closer a small protein bar than a chocolate bar.
Dare I say… the name. Yes, it is a mouthful. I’m near positive that I’m not saying it correctly. But it’s silly, it’s fun, and to me, a little jab at people who fall into the “I won’t eat it if I can’t pronounce the ingredients” camp. I love brands that don’t take themselves too seriously, and this gets a fat check in that box.
Where to buy: A few convenience + specialty stores (like Foxtrot!) nationwide, or online.
*: This shouldn’t be a surprise given the other former RXBAR founder’s fate—AKA, Peter Rahal, founder of David Bars. Both brands include (the now highly controversial) EPG as their fat source and are leaning way into macros over ingredients.
✨ Special Guest ✨ Chloe Cordover
We're thrilled to have a friend of the newsletter, Chloe Cordover, on today’s Weekly Pickups! Chloe is a freelance writer (contributing to publications like DIELINE and Business Insider) and creative strategist. She’s the brilliant mind behind some of our favorite-ever articles on CPG branding and some of our favorite brands, like Algae Cooking Club!
Let's dive into her weekly pickup →
What is it? Molly Baz's Ayoh! Mayo. I've only tried the Tangy Dijonayo flavor so far, but I'm now ready to try them all it was so good.
Where'd you purchase it, and why that channel? I actually purchased this one at a little shoppy shop in Savannah called Provisions. I live close by and love to poke in to see what they're carrying because I see all the brands online so often, it's nice actually to interact with them. I had seen Ayoh! literally everywhere online, and instantly felt the need to try it myself.
What about this product intrigued you? Everything about the product intrigued me. It's a celeb/influencer brand and I love Molly Baz, its packaging is designed by Center, it's everywhere on Instagram, the flavors are intriguing, and I love a mayo in a squeeze bottle. You'd think I was getting paid to say this, but I'm just a fan girl.
Why do you love it? Like I said, I've only tried the Tangy Dijonayo flavor, but I loved that it was as thick as a dip. There's also a crunch to it, and I weirdly love the texture. 10/10 for taste and 10/10 for branding. I approve.
Thanks for reading! Anything you think we should try for an upcoming edition of Express Checkout? Email us at nate@expresscheckout.co and jenna@expresscheckout.co