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It? wild what they say drinks can do these days: make you run faster, think quicker, lose weight or even be a better lover.

Who makes all these crazy concoctions? Power Brands is one company that can mix together a set of ingredients to meet its clients?specs ?along with colorful labels, advertising campaigns and distribution.

? client will come up with an idea for a product, and then they will look for a way to make it into a company,?said Darin Ezra, founder and chief executive of the Van Nuys beverage consulting firm. ?nd that? when they find us.?p>After nearly 10 years in the business, the company has made a name for itself among its clientele: large corporations, small companies, budding beverage entrepreneurs, celebrities and wealthy business people looking to brew up their own drinks. The celebs include TV talk show host Montel Williams; Rock & Republic founder Michael Ball; poker champion Phil Hellmuth; and socialite Diana Jenkins, wife of prominent London banker Roger.

Power Brands helped Jenkins, who has a home in Malibu, develop, manufacturer and launch NeuroBrands, a line of seven drinks designed to improve mental and fitness performance, and mood.

With so many people wanting to launch their own beverage line ?Power Brands makes more than 150 new drinks a year. Ezra, 36, and his team know whatever they create better be good ?they have a lot of competitors and the downturn isn? helping.

Danny Rubenstein, co-founder of Northern California-based beverage development consultancy Dash Advisors LLC, said one of his company? biggest challenges is the weak economy. That? because the recessionary climate is forcing beverage consultants quickly to rethink product development strategies, financial models and distribution channels whenever problems arise.

?ou can? take a broad brush to these things, it doesn? work that way anymore,?said Rubenstein, who? best known in the industry for helping develop Roll International Corp.? Pom Wonderful drink. ?f you don? have a monthly or even daily pulse of that, you are going to be speaking in a vacuum.?p>To stand out from the competition, Power Brands hires veteran employees from companies such as Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo. and Proctor & Gamble.

?? lucky that I?e surrounded myself with a lot of experienced people,?Ezra said. ?veryone who has worked with the company has a lot of experience in the beverage industry.?p>Power Brands makes its money from consulting fees. It also gets a percentage of its clients?sales. Ezra expects his revenue from consulting fees to be $5 million in 2009, plus a cut of an estimated $50 million in beverage sales.


Caffeinated beginnings

Ezra? career in the beverage business began when he tasted Celestial Seasonings tea for the first time. He was traveling in Europe in the mid-1990s when he discovered the herbal tea. Even though he was only 22, he started a company to import it to his native South Africa.

Eventually, Ezra sold the company to Henkel AG & Co., the manufacturer of Dial soap. He then turned his sights to the United States.

? thought I might as well start my career in the biggest market,?Ezra said.

After settling in Los Angeles, Ezra launched Power Brands. The company first started making energy drinks, such as Wild Bull, Wild Buzz and Go Girl, which became widely popular among teenagers and 20-somethings. He slowly moved into other drink areas, including nutritional supplements, sports beverages and even spirits.

Most clients already know what kind of drink they want when they find Power Brands. After that? been established, the next step is a meeting where the client discusses ingredients, flavor, packaging and sales with Power Brands?food scientist, production designer and marketing consultants. The company has a room filled with hundreds of sample bottles ?clients can choose from different shapes, sizes and materials.

Clients typically receive beverage samples for tasting within two to four weeks. Most clients then spend a day or two in the testing lab ?which is filled with vitamins, minerals, and fruit and vegetable concentrates and extracts ?to perfect the end product.

?ur clients get the option of changing their product until they are satisfied with it,?Ezra said. ?t? very rare we get it right the first time.?p>When talk show host Williams was working with Power Brands to develop his line of health drinks, Ezra said the company couldn? quite match Williams?initial demand: He wanted his drinks to be exactly like the fresh-squeezed beverage he makes each morning at home.

?e had to explain the alternatives,?Ezra said. ?t? not exactly what he has when he squeezes it fresh every day, but it? very close.?p>A drink is usually perfected within 60 to 90 days. Some projects can take four to five months, while other clients request that their beverage be made in a week or less.

?epsi Puerto Rico wanted a completed formulation for an energy drink in 24 hours,?Ezra said

Power Brands is helping Virginia entrepreneurs Scott Tucker and Cheyne Kilbourne get their concept for a packaged smoothie ready for market. Tucker flew to Power Brands?headquarters and worked side by side with its food scientist to develop the product.

?t was cool to be part of the process, and not just have them send samples out to us,?Tucker said. ? got to be in there and say, ?et? try this.?From the creator? standpoint, it? your baby and you want to take and nurture it.?p>


POWER BRANDS

HEADQUARTERS: Van Nuys

CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Darin Ezra

FOUNDED: 1999

CORE BUSINESS: Helps companies and entrepreneurs develop and market beverages

EMPLOYEES: 15 (the same as in 2008)

GOAL: Expand company to add food, candy and cosmetic divisions

DRIVING FORCE: Consumer demand for energy, sports, nutritional and alcoholic beverages

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