Lemon Perfect’s Yanni Hufnagel – From Basketball to Healthy Hydrating
Lemon water is now available as an elegant alternative that is beautiful inside and out. Packed with flavor while lacking the calories, the packaging is both eye-catching and pleasing. The summertime classic is distributed by Lemon Perfect, a California-based company originally founded in 2017 by a former college basketball recruiter, Yanni Hufnagel.
The company has a strong investor backing. At the
intersection of flavor and good-for-you, the brand is considered a disruptor in
its field. It’s “mission is to democratize drinkable wellness by making Lemon Perfect
accessible for ANYONE, anytime, anywhere.”
Once an American college basketball coach, Hufnagel has served as an assistant coach of the Nevada Wolf Pack men’s basketball team, the California Golden Bears, Vanderbilt Commodores, and Harvard Crimson. During his time, Hufnagel was regarded as one of the top recruiters in college basketball and is now making Lemonade the new hit refreshing and healthy drink.
Lemon
water is good for your body for several reasons. In addition to the obvious
hydrating effects (some people add lemons to water to enhance the taste and
thereby promote more drinking), lemons are packed with vitamin C, a primary
antioxidant that helps protect cells from the damage of free radicals. Lemons
also help with weight loss, since they contain polyphenol antioxidants that
have been shown to slow weight gain.
The
vitamin C that is found in lemons also helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles,
dry skin from aging as well as sun damage. Lemon water has also been shown to
aid in digestion, and it is also an effective breath freshener. Last but
certainly not least, lemon water contains citric acid that contains citrate
that not only makes urine less acidic, but it also may even dissolve small
stones.
Lemon Perfect is not only served in the original lemon flavor. Rather, the lineup is made up of a broad variety, featuring four additional flavors, including Strawberry Acai, Blueberry Acai, Peach Raspberry, and Dragon Fruit Mango. Each product is made with water, organic cold-pressed lemon juice (5% juice – or “half an organic lemon” as the label states), organic flavors, ascorbic acid, and the aforementioned sweeteners.
In terms of the recipe, the lemon juice is made from lemons that are cold-pressed. This procedure effectively separates the fiber from the cells of the fruit that hold all the nutrients and live enzymes. Unlike heating, cold-pressing preserves more nutrients because the blades do not destroy the fruit which helps retain the pulp. As such, the juice not only contains more fiber and protein, but it also stays more flavorful for longer because the cold press machine does not expose the juice to air that speeds up the oxidation process.
After the Lemon Perfect juice is bottled, it undergoes a secondary food safety process, namely high-pressure processing. High-pressure processing – or HPP – is an eco-friendly cold pasteurization technique that, like the company’s cold-pressed juicing process, preserves without heat or preservatives the essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes found in every freshly squeezed bottle of Lemon Perfect.
In terms of the taste, Lemon Perfect has combined sweeteners such as stevia and erythritol in such a way that their drinks are healthy, low-calorie and flavorful. The juices have a full-calorie level of sweetness and no aftertaste, which makes them a top choice among the sugar-free products on the market.
When it comes to the branding and design, Lemon Perfect is an eye-catcher, and very much holds its own among the established players that have been on the market for much longer. The bottle itself has a yellow cap that pays homage to the major player of the content – the lemon – and a matte finish label that differs in color for each of the flavors. The front of the bottle has a large vertical ‘Lemon Perfect’ logo that is white, and it is very pleasing to the eye.
Lemon Perfect is also proudly certified in several categories. These include certification by USDA Organic, High Pressure certified, Non-GMO verified, certified vegan by Vegan Action, certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group and kosher by OU Kosher. The company is also environmentally conscious – it is a member of One Percent for the Planet, an international organization whose members contribute at least one percent of their annual sales to environmental causes.
According
to Lemon Perfect, “The Best lemons come from an Earth at its best.” With that
in mind, the company limits its carbon footprint by sourcing its lemons from
pesticide and herbicide-free local and organic farms in Southern California.
Lemon Perfect also uses an eco-friendly pasteurization process like HPP that
uses only recycled water and electricity. Every bottle is also made from PETE
#1 plastic, a BPA-free and fully recyclable material.
The company has also partnered with Whole Foods Market. According to Hufnagel, “Whole Foods has long been an incubator for innovative, emerging brands that deliver on consumers’ desire for great-tasting yet healthy options, and Lemon Perfect certainly lives at that intersection.
We couldn’t be more excited and expect this to be the beginning of a very meaningful, long-term partnership with Whole Foods globally.” In addition to Whole Foods Market, Lemon Perfect is also available at more than 500 retail locations in the Northeast, the Rocky Mountains, and Southern California. To find a store nearby, please visit the store locator website.
For more information on Lemon Perfect, please visit the company website.