Hey guys –

A milestone. 100 Journal posts.

We couldn’t have done it without you.

We’ve gotten the question enough times that we decided to go ahead and create an expansive, exhaustive research piece on the starfruit. Even though it is still only a summary, there are several pages of detailed content as well as access to more research.

Whether you have been curious about the different varieties of starfruit or about the different starfruit legends around the world, look no further.

What is Starfruit?

Image via Wikipedia

Star Power was a prominent feature and an active supporter of BevNet Live - an incredible, day-long seminar and conference celebrating the art of the beverage start.

Held at the luxurious Jumeriah Essex in NYC, dozens of beverage companies from around the world came to be sampled, critiqued, enjoyed, and to meet one another in networking and educational sessions.

BevNet’s President:

“The level of interaction between the attendees and the speakers extended past the stage and into a real feeling of community,” said BevNET.com’s president, John Craven. “And attendees didn’t show up to see and be seen – they stayed until the end, which seemed to us to be a real sign that our program and the networking opportunities were very valuable to attendees.”

(Check out this guy)

Star Power went through several samples at the sampling bar and then presented to a room full of fascinated entrepreneurs and a panel of ‘experts’: representatives from distributors and consultancies with tenure in the industry. While some of our tasters loved the product, and others had a less favorable reaction (after all, our innovative superfruit is not for everyone) everyone agreed that Star Power was off to a favorable run and that only the future and our customers truly could decide our fate.

(Photo courtesy of BevNet)

Still drinking OJ for breakfast? Why not switch to Star Power? Get all the Vitamin C and a healthy dose of polyphenolic antioxidants to really get your day going. Read more at the Benefits page.

Image via Wikipedia

A lot of us nurse a secret sweet tooth. We know that the sweet stuff is bad for us, but will eat it anyway.

Would it help to see a physical depiction of how much sugar we’re eating? It certainly helps me stay healthy. The guys at Sugar Stacks display the amount of sugar in an item in stacks of sugar cubes, instantly making it real.

When you’re done reading about that, remember that Star Power is naturally low in calories and sugar. What better way to start your day?

Sugar Stacks

Star Power founder Vik Venkatraman brought inspiration and ideation to a room full of aspiring minority entrepreneurs at Columbia University.

New York, NY (SP Press) April 30, 2009 — Vik Venkatraman, Founder and CEO of Star Power, spoke to a room full of students at Columbia University on his life story and the pathway to proper ideation.

He spoke about how his family and mentors inspired him to take risks, break rules and find self-improvement in defeat. About knowing when not to give up and on innovating in a recession.

He spoke of Star Power, and how he hoped to bring a message of wellness and natural sexiness without the over-the-top glamour of typical marketing madness.

Students filled the room mostly from the minority groups on campus - the societies of black and hispanic engineers, as well as minority students interested in business (NBSE, SHPE and Kleos). They asked questions ranging from how to structure and flesh out a great idea to what the best legal structures are for staring a company. Vik is not an attorney or a tax professional, but took the questions in stride.

“I am inspired by inspiring others.” He said. And you could tell he meant it. At the end of his talk, he turned the room into a focus group and let everyone try a sample of Star Power’s 100% star fruit juice. Of course it was a hit.

“How will you market this?” A student asked. “Don’t you need a face to make it sexy?”

“My product speaks for itself.” Vik responded. “And I’m sexy enough.”

‘Nuff said.

Image by IceNineJon via Flickr

This isn’t exactly brand new, but it is always reassuring to me when gov’t organizations step up and say something meaningful. Along with a ton of great references, they also published this list of antioxidant rich foods. Really great stuff.

”

Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including nuts, grains and some meats, poultry and fish. The list below describes food sources of common antioxidants.

• Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green leafy vegetables including collard greens, spinach, and kale are also rich in beta-carotene.

• Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

• Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.

• Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.

• Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.

• Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish.

• Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils, and also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli and other foods.

”

While you’re busy stuffing your mouth with all the nutrition above, don’t forget your daily Star Power – with as much vitamin C as OJ and a ton more antioxidants, its simply a better breakfast beverage.

Article Link - NCI / Cancer.gov

I

Image via Wikipedia

was having dinner with a friend when he asked — “So what exactly is a superfruit?”. It is of course, a fruit that naturally has much more of the ‘good stuff’ than ‘normal’ fruits. They usually have antioxidants, and they usually seem to be a bit different from what’s already out in the market.

However, discontent with my own explanation, I set out to explain here what exactly a superfruit is.

Wikipedia says:
”

Although used increasingly in new food and beverage products, superfruits have not been defined by scientific criteria that would allow consumers to objectively assess nutrient value and potential for furnishing health benefits. Consequently, the term superfruit is used liberally to include a growing list of common and rare fruits, some having sparse scientific evidence for being “super”.

”

Image by CzechR via Flickr

Now I didn’t like that very much. I wholeheartedly believe that some fruits are loaded with vitamins, nutrients, trace minerals and antioxidants, whereas some are just loaded with sugar. How is a consumer to tell the difference without some objective criteria? Even worse, if I call starfruit a superfruit with the intention of educating my consumer, am I committing the same sin as other bland marketers?

Later in the article, and from a separate source, a slightly more delineated definition arises:

”

Although a superfruit category has not been defined scientifically, its foundation presumably would involve characteristics of 1) high nutrient density, 2) superior antioxidant quality, 3) potential health benefits and/or 4) ease with which the fruit can be further designed through breeding to contain characteristics demanded by consumers, such as flavor, appearance, fragrance and health benefits.

Evidence for these third and fourth criteria would include intensity of the current research effort and/or preliminary evidence for lowered disease risk in human subjects (“disease impact”).

”

I hope to think that this definition better embodies what consumers come to associate with Star Power.

Rich in vitamin C and dense with primary and secondary polyphenolic antioxidants, the free radical scavenging abilities of starfruit juice are almost immediately felt.

What do you think about superfruits? Let us know in the comments.

Link - Wikipedia

Turns out that more than just our staff are excited about our exclusive management rotation training program. The great folks at AM New York are all over it.

”

New York City’s universities — which account for more students than the entire population of Boston — are being called upon to help rescue the city from its economic woes.

…

After launching his all-natural fruit beverage business, Star Power, last year, Vik Venkatraman, a Columbia alum, approached the Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE), a student group, to help develop his internship program.

”

I couldn’t do it with out my team. You guys are great.

Still drinking OJ for breakfast? Switch to Star Power. With all the Vitamin C and a bunch more antioxidants, its the better breakfast beverage.

Article Link - AMNY

Star Power got a great mention in this issue of Beverage Spectrum — right on the list next to great companies like Sambazon and Fuze.

”

Star Power

Star Power is the first ever pure, premium starfruit juice. In a new initiative from the founders, Star Power has started giving complimentary cases and sponsoring events to good charities. For a recent benefit, all proceeds from cocktails went to supporting the Orphans’ Fund of 9/11. Star Power is now available at many of the more expensive retailers in and around NYC.

”

And by the way, it tastes great. Are you still drinking OJ? With all the vitamin C and a bigger boost of polyphenolic antioxidants, try Star Power – its the better breakfast beverage.

Bev Spectrum Link

Image by elycefeliz via Flickr

Stress free is the way to be, IMHO.

Too many of us are weighed down by the issues that surround us: The economy, our jobs, taxes, our families, our health. It can seem sometimes that the weight of the world is on us to perform and deliver. Its tough enough to just not be depressed all the time.

Rest assured that you are not the only one. Check out the attached slides for some interesting research on the biology and psychology of stress, what that means for you, and how you can start feeling better today.

Put down those meds! You can feel better NOW.

Do better at work, handle the stress of your life, and make progress toward control staring right now. With the help of Star Power, you will be healthier for it as well.

Did you find that helpful? Informative? Tell us in the comments!