“Take a Chill Pill” a once popular idiom used to tell people they needed to calm down. Most of us know nothing about this; all we know is how to live life at full speed ahead with an endless variety of energy drinks we don’t have a reason to ever stop or slow down. 3 guys from Hawaii are out to change that. Using natural ingredients and methods native to Hawaiian Islanders they have created Rzo a relaxation drink to help us stop living our lives in fast forward.
So let me get this straight you guys went ahead, created the product and ordered tons of it first before even creating a business plan?
We always knew the direction we wanted to take RZO, but never laid out a set path to follow because we knew it would change. As problems came up, we dealt with them. As we learned what we needed to do, we did it. Our stance has been very dynamic from day 1 because we were lacking in experience.
How many cans of Rzo do you guys drink daily?
We spend more time selling them than drinking them. But after a long day, it really helps to drink a RZO or two to chill out in the evening. So I’d say one every day or every other day.
Nowadays everyone is worried about what’s going into their bodies and with good reason. How safe is Rzo to drink? Do I have to worry about becoming addicted?
RZO is very safe. Kava is not addictive, there is no tolerance build up, and the FDA could find no link between drinking kava and any medical conditions. In addition to the kava, the ingredients are all-natural.
Is this the anti-energy drink or will people who are die-hard Redbull drinkers also enjoy your product?
Both! This is an anti-energy drink that people who are die-hard Red Bull drinkers will enjoy. The go-go-go people need to relax too!
How is Rzo different from plain Ol’ Green Tea and or better?
RZO is different because it has kava and kava is awesome. The effects of kava are quick working, distinct, noticeable, and fun. It reduces stress, induces muscle relaxation and sedation, and promotes mental clarity and patience.
What kind of intellectual property did you guys have to work with in order to protect your recipe?
Our recipe is confidential and our name and logo are registered.
What’s the competition like in this market? Are you worried about Coca Cola or one of the other powerhouses creating a similar product?
This is the exciting part. The relaxation drink industry is going to blow up – but it hasn’t yet. Right now, very few people outside of the Pacific Islands know about kava. There are a handful of other kava drinks, but none of them are us. Is there always a chance that a corporate giant will rise up and overtake us? Always. But here is where our show comes in to play. We aren’t the corporate giants with millions of dollars to invest. We are the 20-something guys who said “there has to be more to life than working a 9-5 until retirement.” That’s something nobody can take away from us, Pepsi and Coke included. I think people will really respond to that.
How did you discover KAVA? Is it something people native to Hawaii know about and can get locally?
It all started when Brian and I were in the Navy. Brian had a port visit to Vanuatu, a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific where he first had kava. Most people native to Hawaii know about kava. They call it ‘awa and it’s a part of Polynesian culture.
What has been your biggest challenge to date? What do you feel will be the biggest challenge down the line?
The biggest challenge to date for us has been the full immersion of ourselves into RZO. We realized that if we want to be successful, RZO needs to be the first thing on our minds as we wake up and the last thing we think about before going to bed. RZO has to become interlaced in every facet of our lives. As soon as we accepted that, everything else started falling into place and our path became much clearer.
Using only the first word that comes to mind describe Rzo.
Revolution. Revolution in the sense that the soft drink industry will be revolutionized and in the sense that our own personal lives will never be the same.
