In a bid to cut down on sugary favourites like Fanta, Sprite, and Dr Pepper, one writer embarked on a quest to find satisfying fizzy alternatives. Lucy Addicott, alongside Jessica Brunt, documented her experience after sampling the entire range from the brand Hip Pop, ultimately kicking her old habits.
A Fizzy Alternative for Gut Health and Flavour
The journey began with a simple goal: reduce sugar intake without sacrificing the pleasure of a cold, fizzy drink. Hip Pop, a brand offering naturally refreshing and gut-friendly alternatives, caught her attention. The story behind the kombucha is particularly compelling; it was originally created by co-founder Emma to help her partner and fellow co-founder, Kenny, manage his IBS symptoms.
Since those early days, the range has grown to include a selection of low-calorie sodas that promise to 'taste as good as it makes you feel'. The drinks are crafted from real fruit, contain no sweeteners, and are packed with live cultures beneficial for gut health.
Tasting the Vibrant Range: From Kombucha to Fruity Sodas
Lucy put eight different flavours to the test during social gatherings, meals, and as an afternoon pick-me-up. The variety is striking, moving far beyond standard supermarket offerings.
The soda blends include tropical peach, pink grapefruit, berries and cherries, and ginger and turmeric. For kombucha enthusiasts, the options are strawberry and pineapple, ginger and yuzu, blueberry and ginger, and apple and elderflower.
While she enjoyed every flavour, Lucy's top picks were the blueberry and ginger kombucha and the berries and cherries soda. She noted the authentic taste of real fruit was immediately apparent and the flavours matched their descriptions accurately. At a party, the drinks proved a popular non-alcoholic option, though the distinctive tang of kombucha, a fermented tea, wasn't for everyone.
Packaging, Price, and Where to Buy
Beyond taste, the vibrant, illustratively packaged cans were a hit, making them a stylish addition to any drinks fridge. Lucy highlighted that unlike some low-calorie alternatives, the Hip Pop drinks did not taste watered down or lack flavour.
For those interested in trying them, Hip Pop has a winter promotion: new customers can get 12 cans for £12, slashing the price per can to just £1. This is a 50% discount and is limited to one offer per customer. After the trial, a subscription starts at 24 cans for £22.50 per month, which can be cancelled at any time.
Shoppers can purchase directly from the Hip Pop website or find the products in major UK supermarkets including Sainsbury's, Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons, and Ocado.
Ultimately, the combination of delicious taste, low calories, added fibre, and gut health benefits convinced Lucy that Hip Pop had earned a permanent spot in her second-hand drinks fridge, successfully replacing her former sugary staples.
