Adult soft drink brand Zeo is being relaunched to highlight its natural ingredients and lower calorie content.

Brand owner Free­drinks - a subsidiary of a Russian business owned by billionaire Igor Sosin - is this week rolling out the new-look drinks, which have been reformulated to contain fewer than 30 calories in a 275ml bottle (rsp: £1.29).

When launched in 2011, Zeo was focused primarily on the on-trade, but the war on sugar has prompted Freedrinks to switch its focus to retail.

“With all the media noise around sugar, consumers were telling us a big interest was Zeo’s low sugar and calorific intake,” said CEO Mark Young. Freedrinks decided to focus on these attributes, and reformulated the products to further cut calories. With the old logo designed to appeal to on-trade customers, it has been revamped for the retail market and to reflect the idea of “natural, bright refreshment” that will carry through to a £3m marketing push.

Zeo retains its previous 275ml bottle design, which will be echoed in a new 750ml format (rsp: £2.49) that rolls out to Co-op Group stores from next week. Zeo is also stocked by retailers including Tesco, WH Smith and Ocado. Young said buyers had been supportive of the changes.

The revamped Zeo will initially be available in four flavours - Peach & Grapefruit, Zesty Lime, Blood Orange & Citrus, and Mixed Berry, but Freedrinks plans to expand the range with a lemonade and a cola later this year.

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