The making-of story behind the LuV “Fresh Up” drink.
Infused by LUVOFOOD Minerals.

From idea to sketch: LEHVOSS Nutrition designs a demonstrator drink for its to-be product line LUVOFOOD®

LEHVOSS Nutrition is renowned for its expertise in high-quality mineral raw materials. But our ambition extends further: we aim to conquer the food sector! In this first part of our blog series 'fresh up! - Making of,' we take you on the exciting journey of how the idea for our demonstrator beverage originated and why it marks the beginning of our commitment to the food market.

At LEHVOSS Nutrition, we have set ourselves the goal of enriching the food sector with our range of LUVOFOOD® high-quality ingredients. We not only want to supply raw materials but also support our customers in developing innovative products. This means that, in addition to our ingredients, we also offer application support and know-how in product development. To underscore our commitment and demonstrate the versatility of our mineral raw materials, we have launched an ambitious project: the development of our own refreshing beverage to showcase the application of our LUVOFOOD® mineral raw materials.

In our food project team we came up with the idea to create a prototype that demonstrates how our mineral raw materials can be optimally showcased in an appealing and contemporary food application. In collaboration with innovative accelerator Food Harbour in Hamburg, we took on the challenge of developing a soft drink that is not only refreshing but also highlights the potential of our mineral raw materials within an appealing and contemporary food application.

However, the development of 'fresh up!' was not an easy feat. We had to overcome a number of challenges: Which of our LUVOFOOD® mineral raw materials are best suited for a refreshing beverage? How can we create a flavor that is both refreshing and appealing? How do we ensure that our beverage meets all legal requirements? Thanks to the close collaboration with Food Harbour, we were able to successfully overcome these hurdles: right choice of raw materials, perfect recipe, regulatory compliance.

But 'fresh up!' is designed to be more than just a delicious thirst quencher. It is a strategic tool to demonstrate our expertise in the food sector:

Trade fair drink and giveaway: 'fresh up' serves as a welcome refreshment for visitors at LEHVOSS trade fair stands and as an innovative giveaway.
Refreshing and enjoyable: Our beverage combines a modern recipe with carefully selected ingredients to create a refreshing experience.
Eye-catcher: The striking color (Pink Grapefruit) makes 'fresh up' a head-turner and a potential conversation starter.

With 'fresh up!,' we have created a platform to present our LUVOFOOD® mineral raw materials in a real food application and, at the same time, quench the thirst of trade fair visitors.

From vision to refreshment kick: How we developed our first demonstrator drink

In the first part of our blog series, we shared the origin story of 'fresh up!' Now, it’s time to dive deeper into the development process and show how we turned an idea into a tangible product that not only refreshes but also underscores our expertise in mineral raw materials.

Our mission: offer exhausted trade fair visitors a moment to refresh and pause.

So, we wanted to combine

An eye-catcher with a striking color (Pink Grapefruit) to become a topic of conversation.
A modern, delicious recipe that incorporates current flavor trends in a beverage
The formulation includes ingredients from our LUVOFOOD® mineral range, showcasing their integration into a beverage matrix.
An appealing packaging using a resealable clear glass bottle and a label in the LEHVOSS corporate design to emphasize the high-quality character of the beverage.
A digital bridge with a QR code to connect to the LEHVOSS website for in-depth information

The selection of ingredients was a crucial step. We wanted to pursue a 'Clean Label' approach while showcasing the properties of our LUVOFOOD® products. In collaboration with Food Harbour, we put together a portfolio of cool raw materials that perfectly complement our mineral raw materials

Soluble high-quality minerals: Potassium citrate, calcium citrate, and magnesium citrate are selected with the aim of demonstrating the use of LUVOFOOD® Minerals in beverages. One of the challenges in the formulation was the solubility of the minerals. We therefore opted for citrates instead of, for example, carbonates, to ensure a crystal clear appearance.
Natural flavor: The grapefruit flavor was chosen to achieve a refreshing citrus note that lingers in the mouth and nose.
Vegetable extracts from sweet potato and carrot as natural colorants which harmonize with the grapefruit flavor and provide the striking color of the beverage.
Carbonation: To enhance the refreshing effect, we have opted for a carbonated version, which should preferably be consumed chilled

Our Food Project Team, consisting of Sebastian, Nermin, Stefanie, and Melanie, together with Christoph from Food Harbour, conceived the beverage for tasting and approval.

Demonstrating the use of LUVOFOOD® Minerals

After concept and design in parts 1 and 2 of our blog series, it’s time to focus on the finished product: fresh up! Grape made by LEHVOSS Nutrition – showcases the integration of LUVOFOOD® Minerals in a beverage application.

fresh up! Grape is a carbonated soft drink that delights with its striking pink grapefruit color and the refreshing taste of pink grapefruit. The light sweetness and acidity make it a special taste experience.

Now we were to design a label which highlights the refreshing and cool character of the drink, formulated with LUVOFOOD® minerals.

With our pink label showing slices of grapefruit it incorporates the LEHVOSS corporate design and emphasizes the refreshing and cool character of the beverage.

In addition to the mandatory information on ingredients and nutritional values, the label points out the infusion with our LUVOFOOD® minerals and provides a QR code to link into the digital sphere to retrieve further information.

Production of our small-scale series has been realized by our partner Food Harbour.

'fresh up! Grape’ is our first demonstrator to illustrate a use-case of our LUVOFOOD® minerals in a real-life food product. The three LUVOFOOD® minerals – potassium citrate, calcium citrate, and magnesium citrate – dissolve excellently in the beverage, showcasing the successful integration of our LUVOFOOD® minerals into a beverage application.

We proudly present our project work for the first time at the VITAFOODS fair in Barcelona in May 2025.

Visit us at the next trade fair and try 'fresh up Grape’ for yourself!