Beverage Startups
We Launched Tenzing To Set The New Norm, Says Huib van Bockel
Jamling Tenzing and Huib van Bockel
Source: Tenzing
Back in 2017, we have reviewed a natural energy drink – Tenzing. The brand had only one flavor which was not only energizing but also refreshing. However, after two years Tenzing is launching another bland for natural energy seekers. Today, I have the pleasure of talking with Huib van Bockel, Founder of Tenzing.
I was wondering about the origins of your brand name when Tenzing Norgay came up to my mind. Why him and The Everest? What is the story behind Tenzing brand?
I’d wanted to bring a natural drink to the market for a long time, so TENZING came from a deep-rooted place in me. I wanted to transform the way people energize themselves and offer a low calorie, natural and environmentally conscious option.
Before TENZING, people didn’t think it was possible to create a plant-based alternative to synthetic energy drinks. Traditionally, energy drinks contain a synthetic mix of taurine, caffeine, vitamin B’s, high levels of sugar and / or artificial sweeteners. My inspiration for creating natural energy came when traveling through Asia and discovering the energizing brews of the Himalayan Sherpas, who drink these to help them scale the world’s highest mountains. These plant-based teas contain a triple hit of natural caffeine, electrolytes, and vitamin C and have now become the foundation of TENZING.
Each day, we bring new people to the energy market. TENZING actually caters for the people that have always stayed away from artificial energy drinks but are in just as much need of the occasional uplift. We offer an energy drink to the growing number of shoppers who are both health and environmentally conscious. In one of our national retailers, here in the UK, we added 20% to their energy category.
Since the release of Raspberry & Yuzu flavor, Tenzing offers two tempting options. Can you tell us more about the ingredients and the concept of each flavor?
When we launched TENZING, we wanted to set the new norm; an energizing drink that is both natural and lower in sugar. We’ve created a new flavor profile for people – one that is not synthetically sweet, but light and refreshing. Three years on, TENZING is the fastest growing brand in the energy market, so we felt now was the right time to launch a new blend. We knew raspberry was a loved flavor but we wanted to bring something new to consumers that also had a functional quality. This is where yuzu came in, rich in vitamin C and a unique flavor.
Tenzing has many different initiatives towards active lifestyle such as Clean Air Run Club and Trek To Nepal. Can you tell us more about each? What are the requirements to join these activities?
We’ve have teamed up with experts at King’s College London to create the free TENZING Clean Air Tracker, which syncs with GPS tracking app STRAVA to show the live Air Quality Score of the runner’s route and make polluted air visible for the first time! Once synced with STRAVA, the Air Quality Score will automatically appear after every run, allowing people to tweak their routes; potentially cutting exposure by around 50%. TENZING Clean Air Tracker users can also search for ‘clean’ runs, plot and share their own running routes with the community and offer challenges to find the cleanest routes in London.
We also hold a free weekly TENZING Clean Air Run Club from basecamp in Central London that takes our running community through the cleanest air running routes around the city.
TENZING Treks is something we’ve wanted to launch for a while. We’ve been working with the Tenzing family since the conception and next year, we’re offering the opportunity for 16 people to join us on this ‘money can’t buy’ experience! A unique trip that not only takes you to where our brand was born, but an experience that will follow in the footsteps of Tenzing Norgay and his life in the Himalayas. This 16-day trek will be led by Jamling Tenzing, Tenzing Norgay’s son, a well-respected Sherpa in his own right. He will guide us to Everest Basecamp and beyond, on a climb to the summit of Lobuche East (6,119m). We will also be able to show people the environmental projects we’ve been working!
Tenzing does not only encourage an active lifestyle but also takes initiative in environmental problems. How does the brand contribute? Can consumers join the efforts?
A healthy offering wasn’t enough for the TENZING Team. Our can is infinitely recyclable, BPA free and we donate 5% of profits to environmental projects. These projects have included “Clear up Basecamp” – an initiative to help with the increasing amount of litter from tourists climbing Mount Everest. TENZING have constructed bins and built a team of locals who keep this cleanup project going – protecting the fragile environment where TENZING all began.
‘The TENZING Clean Air Tracker’ and ‘TENZING Clean Air Run Club’ are initiatives launched a little closer to home in London. All Londoners are welcome to download the tracker and join us on an energizing run.
What experience did you have in the beverage industry before starting your own company?
Prior to founding TENZING, I worked at Red Bull for 9 years, firstly as Marketing Director in The Netherlands and then I transferred to London. During which time I became the Head of Marketing for Europe and the UK.
What advice would you have given yourself before you started out in the beverage business?
Research, research, research. Speak to your consumers. The people that are going to drink your drink. Those that will become invested in natural energy and TENZING. I did this with three people, but wish I had done so with many more!
For more information visit Tenzing’s website.
