It looks like cola, tastes like water. And everyone from Kendall Jenner to Paris Hilton have been spotted taking a sip. blk has been popularising alkaline water with naturally occurring traces of black fulvic minerals, which gives the water its dark shade has been turning heads in India since it entered the market in December last year. If you haven’t come across it yet, it’s probably because, at the moment, the Los Angeles brand is only available at supermarkets like FoodHall, Modern Bazaar (Bengaluru and Delhi) and airports. But it has been raging up a storm around the world with a presence in 17 international markets, including UAE, Brazil and Ecuador, for close to a decade now. We catch up with Dikshit Jhanb, Director of blk India for a taste of this exotic new trend in premium hydration. Excerpts from the interview:
Founders Jacqueline and Louise Wilkie made their first concoction of blk water eight years ago — has it been made even healthier since?
The ingredients to prepare blk have since been the same. There has however been an addition of flavoured water to the blk water collection.
For folks who have never tried it before, how would you describe black water in a line?
Smooth, crisp and clean.
77 minerals in a drink of water sounds insane — give us a gist of some of the best and least known on the list...
blk contains 77 naturally-occurring trace minerals, trace elements, amino acids, and electrolytes. Powerful minerals found in blk include strontium, sulfur, vanadium, zinc, silica, prebiotics, probiotics, and humic substances. Humic substances are formed in soil and contain a variety of minerals including fulvic minerals that support several biological functions.
Would you give us a crash course on the core ingredient fulvic acid and where it comes from? (Where else can one enjoy its benefits, apart from blk?)
Fulvic compounds are found in plants and soil in the highly nutritious humus layer of the earth. An ancient, naturally-occurring part of the botanical cycle, they have been shown to help the human body effectively break down, absorb, and transport key bioavailable nutrients.
Nutrient-rich fulvic minerals are naturally dark in colour. When added to water they turn the water black, naturally! There are no additional dyes or colours added to blk. Other fulvic-rich foods include organic vegetables, blackstrap molasses and shilajit also known as the “destroyer of weakness”.
How often should one drink it?
Our hope is that you replace all your regular water with blk water because of the added bioavailable trace minerals. However, we would recommend two to three bottles of blk a day.
Clear infusions
• Aquatwist Herbal Water offers individual blends of natural herbal
extracts like pudina, saunf and cinnamon in your water bottle.
Rs 600 (500 ml) for a pack of 12 bottles. On Amazon.
• Ocean Beverages infuses fruit flavours like peach and passion fruit
and pink guava in your water. In stores. Rs 45 upwards for 500 ml.
• Alkalen premium enhanced water serves up a pH value of 8.5 to 9.5.
On Amazon. Rs 840 (500 ml) for a pack of 24 bottles.
Also, we have to wonder: is it hard to get people past the scepticism of sipping on black water?
Yes we’ve had and continue to have our share of skeptics. But honestly, it hasn’t been that hard. Once they sip on it their immediate reaction is that it tastes like water, only more crisp! With celebrities, it’s been easier, since most of them are into fitness and lead healthy lifestyles so they know the benefits of alkaline water and fulvic minerals, plus it’s a cool looking bottle!
Is blk branching out into other dietary wellness products as well?
(The company) blk International has launched blk-enhanced flavoured water in four different flavours. However, these flavours are yet to be launched in the Indian market.
Where is blk water for India made and how elaborate is the process?
It is bottled and packaged in Los Angeles. They export the final product to us. Purified alkaline water is the base of blk. It is carefully sourced from multiple locales, including springs and aquifers in the United States and Canada.
Will it be available on shelves in mainstream supermarkets soon?
Yes, we are in talks with multiple super-markets pan-India.Currently, we are at FoodHall pan-India and Modern Bazaar pan-India. We are also available at the domestic and international airport. We aim to be available at supermarkets across India in the next six months.
For precaution’s sake, are there any ingredients one might have allergic or adverse reactions to?
No none! All natural water so no scare of allergies.
Priced at Rs 260 per bottle.
sonali@newindianexpress.com| @brightasunshine