Will hangovers be a thing of the past? Emerging beverage brand debuts “science-backed recovery drink”

17 Oct 2019 --- US-based emerging beverage brand, The Plug, has launched its science-backed anti-hangover drink. The brand differentiates itself from market competitors in its “all-natural” proprietary formula with zero added sugar and an “exceptional flavor profile,” all at only 40 calories per serving. In clinical research trials, The Plug was shown to significantly reduce specific hangover symptoms, including sleepiness, headaches, vomiting, dizziness and nausea.

According to Founders and brothers, Ray and Justin Kim, The Plug is a direct-to-consumer anti-hangover drink with liver-aiding ingredients designed to support the body’s metabolism after consuming alcohol. The Plug is made with a proprietary blend of 13 herbal plants and flowers that help replenish the body, helping drinkers to a smooth recovery after a night of consuming alcohol. 

“Nowadays, with the internet and social media being accessible everywhere to everyone, the flow of information is faster than it has ever been,” Ray and Justin Kim tell FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Maximizing one’s productivity is top of mind for everyone especially with Millennials and the upcoming Gen Z generation, they note. “For example, if a friend is in town visiting and wants to catch up over drinks, but you don’t want be unproductive the next day. Now, you have The Plug that will help you stay in touch with your friend, give you the confidence to have a drink, and ultimately not get a hangover, so you can hit the ground running and be productive the next day,” they explain. 

“The US market is in its early innings, where there are a couple of companies trying to do what we are doing, but where The Plug differentiates itself from all other anti-hangover drinks is in two ways: the effectiveness of our formula and our unbeatable taste,” they state.  

Right now, the health and wellness movement sees consumers being very health-conscious about what they are consuming. “Even in the beverage and alcohol categories, low-calorie beverages with no added sugar, no fat, and no cholesterol are top items, and The Plug checks all those boxes,” the Founders continue. “We saw this as an opportunity, which is why we focused on our 13 natural herbal plants and flowers as the foundation of our proprietary formula for The Plug,” they add. 

According to Ray and Justin Kim, the anti-hangover herbal remedy market has been around since 1992 in Korea. “So in Korea, it is a proven and saturated market that has been around for over 25 years. When looking at the US market, the market is fragmented with mixed messaging and effectiveness. We saw this imbalance as an opportunity to bring a proven alternative from Korea and share it with US consumers,” they highlight. 

By utilizing South Korea’s expansive ecological area, The Plug sources pure bedrock water from the foot of the Unak Mountain in Pocheon. Additionally, the ingredient list includes a blend of 13 herbal plants and flowers, including DHM (oriental raisin tree), dandelion, chrysanthemum and honeysuckle, which work together to support the breakdown of alcohol in the body and help the liver to flush out toxins rapidly. 

For the best results, it is recommended to drink The Plug before, during, or within two hours after consuming your last alcoholic beverage. 

The Plug’s proprietary formula took years of research and development using a state-of-the-art distillation process on machinery that was built specifically for the product. 

As the brand scales up in the coming months, the brothers will look to ship worldwide. “There is also further potential to expand this range,” they say. “We want to become a staple in our consumer’s everyday lives,” the Co-Founders conclude.  

The brand launched with an Indiegogo campaign last month, hitting its goal in less than 24 hours and trending as #1 within the Food and Beverage, Drink and Hangover categories. 

The Plug is now available on the brand’s website in packs of six for US$29, 12 for US$54 and 24 for US$98. 

By Elizabeth Green

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