Client
Quenzy – a new-age functional beverage brand, built to reimagine the classic soda for a label-aware, wellness-conscious generation without compromising on joy, flavour, or credibility.
Challenge
The functional beverage category is booming – energy drinks, protein shakes, vitamin waters – yet most offerings leaned heavily to one side. They were either functional but not fun , or fun but nutritionally empty .
In India, this gap is even more pronounced. Soda is nostalgic, social, and emotionally charged, but almost always comes with sugar guilt. On the other hand, many “healthy” beverages felt medicinal, overly serious, or disconnected from everyday joy.
“There was no beverage that made you feel good and also did something good for your body. The gap wasn’t just about product – it was emotional.”
– Founder, Quenzy
Adding to this was a deeply personal pain point: long-standing gut health issues that made the search for genuinely functional, enjoyable beverages a constant struggle. The challenge was clear – create a soda that could deliver on Fizz. Fun. Fibre. while remaining technically sound, compliant, and scalable.
Approach
Thinking Forks partnered with Quenzy to translate a strong founder vision into a commercially viable, science-backed beverage system.
1. Reframing the Category
Rather than positioning Quenzy as just another “better-for-you” drink, it was defined as a functional symbiosis – where gut-health science, indulgence and clean-label transparency coexist.
“We wanted to take a universally loved format – fizzy soda – and reimagine it for a generation that reads labels, counts steps, and still wants joy.”
2. Science-Backed Formulation & Scalability
From early formulation to scale-up readiness, our teams worked closely to bridge creativity with food science:
- Experimentation with prebiotic fibres, sweetener systems, and acid balances
- Shelf-life testing and stability validation
- Sensory trials to ensure taste never felt compromised
- Ingredient validation aligned with global functional benchmarks
All formulations were developed to be FSSAI-compliant , delivering real gut-health benefits while staying light, clean, and enjoyable.
3. Consumer-Led Flavour Innovation
Quenzy was built with consumers, not assumptions. Instead of internal flavour decisions, the brand activated its early community.
- Over 3,000 consumers participated via a simple survey
- Clear favourites emerged: lychee, blueberry, orange, cream, mint, cucumber
- Resulting duo-flavours: Blueberry–Lychee, Orange–Cream, and Cucumber–Mint
4. Speed with Structure
By integrating R&D, regulatory clarity, and product engineering, we built a repeatable system that allowed Quenzy to move rapidly from concept to shelf.
Results Delivered
- 12,000 cans sold out within 2 months of launch
- Three-SKU portfolio successfully commercialised
- Strong early repeat purchase behaviour , driven by taste and lifestyle fit
- Positive consumer response to clean labels, low calories (<15 kcal), and no added sugar
Consumers were surprised that something so clean could taste this good – validating the belief that healthier choices become habits only when they are enjoyable.
Thinking Forks bridged creativity with food science to help raise a new kind of bubble – one that proves wellness never has to be boring.
