Introducing ZÜPA NOMA

Today is an incredibly exciting day for Sonoma Brands, as we announced the launch of our first incubated brand: ZÜPA NOMA.

Like KRAVE, ZÜPA NOMA was created to fill a void. It was created to solve a problem for us – to be better than the options we currently have. Why? Because we’re consumers with our own families to shop for, our own health to prioritize, and our own community to elevate. ZÜPA NOMA is a chilled, Ready-to-Sip soup that’s made using Certified Organic vegetables harvested at the peak of ripeness then seasoned with fresh herbs and superfoods like olive oil, turmeric, ginger, and apple cider vinegar. We then use High Pressure Processing (HPP) to extend shelf-life of this fresh product without adding preservatives or using heat. Health benefits aside, all six flavors provide an adventurous culinary journey. Think veggies done the ‘right’ way – the way they’re pulled from the ground in Italy, or France, or the Sonoma Valley – and then, bursting with flavor and vitality, simply seasoned to bring out all of the inherent nuances. This is what veggies are supposed to taste like in a convenient soup you can take on-the-go or enjoy at home. 

But what about this ‘problem’ I mentioned a few lines ago? Before I extoll the reasons I’ll be drinking ZÜPA NOMA below (and the reasons you’ll only be Drinking Your Veggies from now on), here’s what I simply cannot and will not do any longer: drink processed, sugary juices under the guise of ‘better health’ or enjoy another ‘hearty’ spoonful of sodium-laden, canned soup. Did you know a cold pressed juice can contain up to 50 g of sugar? Or that a simple can of your average soup has over 2,000 mg of sodium and is packaged in aluminum that contains BPA, a known carcinogen? This is the problem. WE simply cannot accept ideas as truth without taking a critical look – and when you take a critical look, the obvious irony of a juice ‘cleanse’ in which the sugar content is off-the-charts becomes very apparent. Out with the old, in with the ZÜPA – this is no ordinary gazpacho, this isn’t just juice, this is Soup Reimagined.

This is why ZÜPA is the BEST and really the only option when we truly consider our health:

1. We’re all grown up but we’re still not eating our veggies.

Whether it’s due to the flavor, the lack of time or skill to prepare them, or a combination of the two factors, most adults and children in the United States are still not eating enough veggies. On average, ZÜPA has four servings of whole vegetables in each bottle. Our Organic Beet Orange Basil has SIX. Whether you’re comparing your intake to the food pyramid’s recommendation or aiming for a higher number suggested by your nutritionist or doctor, one thing is for sure: with ZÜPA, you’re [more than] halfway there.

2. You’re sweet enough already.

Okay, maybe a half-truth for some of you but this point remains: Americans consume over 100 lbs of sugar every year. Naturally occurring sugar from fruits isn’t terrible for you in moderation but if you drink a pressed juice made from 2-6 lbs of fruit [which most of them are] – reduced to simple sugars after the fiber is completely removed – you are overwhelming your body with an unnaturally high and unhealthy amount of sugar. This is the stuff that turns to fat. This is the stuff that rewires your neuropathways because it’s so addicting. This is the stuff that leads to a buildup of belly fat, diabetes, and it’s even now being linked to dementia. Whether I’m carefully choosing what to compose my lunch of, what to feed my kids in order that they’re eating a healthier diet, or what to have on hand for friends when they come over and want a snack I refuse to let this cognitive dissonance steer me toward actually unhealthy choices from here on out. ZÜPA has as little as 4 grams of sugar per 12 ounce bottle – this is 90% less than most GREEN juices on the market. Drink up.

3. Fiber is one of my best friends – have you two met?

So this one is pretty easy. Cold-pressed juice has NO fiber – none whatsoever. Again, I feel frankly, perplexed at the suggestion that removing one of the most beneficial components of a fruit or vegetable is ‘healthy’. The Fiber Story is an easy one to tell. Are you trying to lose weight or maintain your waistline? Eat more fiber – it makes you feel full longer and keeps you ‘regular’ [we’re living in the Age of Gut Health, so I feel totally comfortable saying that]. Are you concerned about certain cancers? Eat more fiber. Do you suffer from inflammation? Eat more fiber. Since we use the WHOLE vegetable, Seed to Skin, each bottle of ZÜPA has as much fiber as an apple, a cup of carrots, or a cup of broccoli. Fiber keeps you feeling good. Again, Drink up. 

4. So long, Sodium.

Do you know what’s better than a salty bite of soup? What sounds more appealing than mushy vegetables that are so camouflaged with upwards of 2,000 mg of sodium that you can’t distinguish one from another? A fresh, vibrant blend of vegetables and herbs that complement each other & are enhanced with just the perfect amount of sea salt & apple cider vinegar. Sonoma affords us so much – and among the laundry list of reasons why it’s very easy to live a high quality of life here, the interplay of agrarian and culinary cultures is unlike any other. The most talented chefs know that in moderation, salt actually increases sensory perception of flavor. Salt also releases food molecules into the air, increasing the aromatics, which is such a huge component of taste. Before something tastes ‘salty,’ when it’s sprinkled with just this perfect amount of sea salt, it actualizes the potential of the vegetable – emphasizing the inherent profile & creating a balanced taste experience. Forgive the tangent. In addition to making good food simply taste ‘salty’ when used in excess, sodium is directly linked to hypertension – which can lead to heart attack or stroke. ZÜPA has 80% less sodium than most canned soups – and it’s from evaporated sea water, not soy or iodized salt.

5. Ain’t got time for that.

I love to cook. Like many of you have probably heard me say, my mother is a chef and I grew up in the hospitality industry. The reality of my schedule, however, doesn’t allow for a ton of time with an apron tied around my waist. Further, there’s some science involved in not steaming the broccoli too long, perfectly caramelizing the carrot, or mixing in the perfect amount of ginger, turmeric, and coconut milk that my dish is actually palatable. If like me, you find yourself between work, the gym, your daughter’s soccer game, and the occasional nanosecond that you can put your feet up, there’s not a whole lotta time for shopping & preparing. This is not a revolutionary concept but ZÜPA is a revolutionary product because it’s Ready-to-Sip. Whole without the bowl. A Liquid Feast. The only way to truly Drink Up That Veggie Goodness without compromising on the points I’ve made, above.

6. Oui, Chef.

But what about the joy in cooking? What about the joy in entertaining – or making it seem, for your guests, that you chopped & pureed & foraged some herbs, tasting all along to make sure your sauce was bright and vibrant? Okay, sometimes this makes sense and when it does, don’t think that ZÜPA leaves you hanging. Throw it in a saucepan, top with more freshly-chopped herbs and a dollop of crème fraîche. Use it to marinate your chicken or fish before throwing it on the grill, then set a little aside in a bowl for extra sauce. Have you thought of steaming mussels in Organic Coconut Carrot Lime? Shortly, you should…I hope you will. ZÜPA isn’t just one thing – it’s many things. It’s not your ordinary gazpacho, it’s not just juice, it’s NOT your mama’s can of soup. It’s Soup Reimagined. I can’t wait for you to take your first sip and never look back.

So please join me as we start this journey to reintroduce soup, or ZÜPA NOMA, as the catchall: The Liquid Feast, a quick snack, an entire meal replacement, the proverbial cherry on the sundae when preparing a recipe for guests. Whatever your need is, ZÜPA NOMA solves it…in a ridiculously delicious way.

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Website: www.drinkzupa.com, Facebook: www.facebook.com/zupanoma, Twitter: www.twitter.com/zupanoma, Instagram: www.instagram.com/zupanoma