In

In
the last year, you’ll probably have noticed a new calibre of
soft drink twinkling from the fridges of your favourite cafés in
England. The current health food fashion that can be seen
saturating the culinary climate has paved the way for a new breed
of nutritional refreshments that promise to gift consumers with not
only a healthy body, but a healthy mind. At the helm of this
infatuation with all things healthy is Vivid, the brainchild of
Jason Shillcock, a food and beverage entrepreneur from London.

With a background at London’s We Are Tea, James soon saw the potential to
meld together the nation’s favourite beverage with Japan’s most
cherished superfood. First introduced by Zen monks, matcha tea
(high grade green tea leaves ground down very finely) soon became
ceremoniously consumed by the Japanese public, cherished for its
high levels of antioxidants (one glass of matcha levels almost ten
glasses of normal green tea). It is celebrated for its ability to
promote concentration, slow the ageing process, lift the mood and
aid weight-loss.

Matcha is primarily grown in Kyoto, and though the Western World
may have caught on to its heaven-sent properties, its high cost
still makes it fairly hard to come by. Detecting this hole in the
market, James Shillcock formed Vivid, which offers a range of
matcha ice tea drinks on the commercial drinks market. And it is
spreading like wildfire. It tastes delicious, is available on the
go and it promises cognitive discipline as well as a host of other
nutritional properties. There is little wonder that Vivid is
spreading like wildfire. Here, The Curious Pear chat to James about
his blossoming company, the wonders of matcha and his London
loves.

THE CURIOUS PEAR: What is it about matcha that people are
getting so excited about?

JASON SHILLCOCK: Matcha is a very concentrated
form of green tea. Caffeine within matcha green tea is released
slowly thanks to extremely high levels of antioxidants so you don’t
get the caffeine high and crash associated with coffee or energy
drinks – it provides a sustained boost.

CP: Why is Vivid different to other health products?

JS: Vivid is the first matcha green tea drink
on the market and it is unique because it offers a great-tasting
way to get the benefits of green tea and also contains
slow-releasing caffeine making it essential drinking whether you’re
on the way to the gym or sat at a desk at work and need a healthy,
natural pick-me-up.

CP: Where do you hope to take Vivid in 2015?

JS: We launched in London in August 2014 so our
focus for 2015 is to build our brand awareness in London and then
make sure the product is available nationally. We have just
launched in Boots, which is a great start.

CP: Do you have any health tips for this year?

JS: Switch coffee and energy drinks for slow
releasing energy matcha!

CP: What is your favourite part of London?

JS: I couldn’t choose but I think London is the
best city in the world for food, music, culture and innovation.

CP: Any favourite health food restaurants in the city?

JS: I wouldn’t choose a restaurant purely on
its health credentials but Cookhouse Joe (a rotisserie chicken joint) on
Berwick St. in Soho is a favourite of mine.

CP: And a favourite bars or hangouts?

JS: Find me sat at the counter at
Cookhouse!

Vivid Drinks are currently available at £1.89 for 330ml.
Available to buy at Waitrose, Whole Foods, Harvey Nichols,
Selfridges and Planet Organic, as well as many independent shops
and cafes.

Photos by Issy Croker, Words by Meg Abbott, see more at
curiouspear.com

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