Sanzo is the first sparkling water brand I've seen that features the flavors I grew up with, like calamansi, lychee and Alphonso mango

• Sanzo is making waves in a hard-to-crack industry: sparkling water.
• Founded by a Filipino-American entrepreneur, the brand focuses on natural, authentic ingredients and Asian flavors like calamansi and lychee.

When you go into a supermarket like H-Mart or 99 Ranch, the product selection is usually heavily comprised of Asian brands, with a smattering of American standbys sprinkled in here and there. Rarely will you find products that bridge those cultures and represent the unique identity that is being Asian-American.

Sandro Roco, the Filipino-American founder of Sanzo, came to a similar realization.

Sanzo is a new, premium sparkling water brand with flavors like calamansi, lychee, and Alphonso mango. They're fruits that you never see on cans of Bubly or La Croix, but are nonetheless familiar, important, and delicious to the millions of Asian-Americans in the US.

Since shelter-in-place orders began in March, Roco says monthly sales have more than tripled, and it's not just because people are missing their office seltzer supply; Sanzo's spotlight on Asian flavors gives it a fresh edge in an already-crowded space.

Developing Sanzo's flavors and formulations

Like many startup success stories, Sanzo's is one of humble beginnings. Armed with a Google sheet, Roco developed flavors out of his Queens, New York apartment using purees and juices he found online, cans of unflavored seltzer water, a kitchen scale, and a set of measuring cups. Eventually, he settled on three key fruits.

Calamansi, a tart citrus hybrid native to the Philippines, was first on the list. Roco traveled to the Philippines often as a child and was "infatuated with the idea that this fruit was essentially what would happen if lime and orange had a baby. I always thought it was a better version of lime," he said in a Medium interview.

The other two flavors, lychee and Alphonso mango, are also delicious. Lychee, the sweet, fleshy fruit with a thin rough skin, is native to southeastern China, while Alphonso mango, famously dubbed "the king of mangoes" for its smooth texture and rich taste, originates in India and is very difficult to find in the US.

Roco now works with a flavor house that helps with formulations, pricing, and supply chain reliability. The calamansi puree comes from a Filipino company based in California, the lychee puree from Thailand, and the Alphonso mango puree from India.

These flavor partners also ensure better quality. "Since the purees haven't gone through too much additional processing, the authenticity of the flavor remains intact and that's one of the main reasons why I think we've done well in our early days," Roco told Insider Reviews. "Most of our sales (both initial and repeat) over the last few months have been for our sampler pack, so it seems all three are in pretty high demand."

The use of real and authentic fruit is essential for creating the high-quality sparkling waters. Sanzo prides itself on not using any added sugars, artificial flavors, or preservatives. Each flavor variety only contains its respective fruit puree, carbonated water, and citric acid (for the lychee and Alphonso mango flavors), and one can will run you 0-20 calories.

Sanzo taste review

The company sent me 12 samples to try for myself, and I loved them. The waters have a pleasant fizz that isn't overwhelming and didn't leave my stomach feeling bloated. Instead, they're light and refreshing — perfect to drink on their own or to top off a fruity cocktail.

The mango flavor was sweet and tasted just like a perfectly ripe mango, while the calamansi was exactly as Roco described — a crisp tangerine-lime fusion. The lychee flavor reminded me of canned lychee juice or the lychee ice drinks you can get at Thai restaurants. I love lychee fruit and could eat an endless amount during the summer, so this was a great way to get my fix in beverage form.

I don't know if I could choose just one as a favorite, but I'd definitely drink any of the flavors with a strong and spicy dish like pad kee mao or Korean fried chicken.

I often find myself bored by the usual sparkling water options — lime, raspberry, grapefruit, etc. — so I appreciate any and all divergences from the pack. Sanzo's flavors were the first to excite me in a long time, and I'm looking forward to seeing what other flavors they come up with.

Where to find Sanzo

For now, Sanzo is only available online through its website (where you can buy individual packs and subscriptions) and at select retail locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. You'll be able to spot these sparkling waters at cool establishments like Win Son Bakery, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, and Bibble & Sip thanks to Roco's smart targeting of Asian-inspired storefronts and premium shops where customers love discovering new products.

He told Insider Reviews, "even with that level of targeting, I was still surprised by how quickly folks were taking to the brand. Momofuku was among the first five partners we worked with, and as you might imagine, that created a bit of a flywheel for me to sell into other Asian-inspired establishments." Beginning mid-July 2020, Sanzo will be available in 50 Whole Foods markets in the Northeast US.

Online, you can get 12-packs of each flavor, or a 12-pack sampler that includes all three. I'd recommend getting the sampler first so you can try all the flavors and decide which is your favorite. There are also subscription options, which will save you $6 and get you free shipping.

The bottom line

It can be difficult to stand out in the ever-growing market for sparkling water, but Roco, who remains the only full-time member of Sanzo, has clearly filled a gap that people have been craving.

Sanzo invites sparkling water fans to try something new, while providing another vehicle for Asian-American shoppers to enjoy familiar and favorite flavors. To see my background represented in something so innocuous yet essential (for many people) in everyday life and culture is a small victory I will certainly take and share with others.