Fanshawe alumnus creates first of its kind "healthy soda"

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: PROVIDED BY GLO COMMUNICATIONS AND DARREN PORTELLI
Fanshawe alumnus, Darren Grad, is making waves in the health drinks aisle, with his creation of Crazy D's Soda Labs, with the all natural and probiotic craft sodas being available in stores such as Farm Boy and Remark Fresh Markets.

Ever want to crack open a cold bottle of your favourite soft drink only to be faced with the guilt of unhealthy additives and artificial flavouring?

That’s no longer a problem thanks to Crazy D’s Soda Labs, a Toronto-based company that recently created a soda which is actually beneficial to one’s health.

According to a Crazy D’s Soda Labs press release, this revolutionary soda, which is the first of its kind to be sweetened by organic yacón root syrup, comes in three flavours Rockin’ Rolla Cherry Cola, Ginga’ Kick and Twisted Citrus. The drinks are all natural and are prebiotic craft sodas.

Created by Fanshawe alum Darren Portelli, the soda concept has had a large amount of traction, finding its ways into over 100 stores online and across Canada.

The concept for the product was the result of Portelli’s battle with mental health issues and a yearning to find an anti-inflammatory, naturally sweetened soda that would satisfy his cravings for ginger, when trying to get off of medication. Portelli spoke with the Interrobang and shared how a major question during this time was “why do we keep adding sugar, which causes inflammation to ginger, which is an anti-inflammatory?”.

“I was really obsessed with anti- inflammatory”, Portelli said. “I spent about three years trying to make a ginger soda that would have anti-inflammatory affects.”

Portelli went on to share how a factor he wanted to avoid that is present in most naturally sweetened drinks, even those coming from fruit, was that they still affect insulin levels.

After searching for an alternative which would not have these affects, Portelli discovered the yacón root, an anti-inflammatory prebiotic that has many positive health effects. It ended up being exactly what Portelli needed to slowly be tapered off his medication.

The new-found passion for anti- inflammatory benefits and the negative effects of sugar, paired with the changes in medication dosage resulted in Portelli becoming eccentrically obsessed with the quest for a healthy soda.

“That was the concept of Crazy D’s, just this mad lab scientist who was obsessed with everyone’s health. It’s kind of a metaphor with everything I was going through,” Portelli said.

The hard work that it took to create the drink was just the beginning however, as launching a company and selling the product was massive undertaking in itself.

“It’s a lot of hard work trying to turn the company around, keep costs down and all this kind of stuff,” Portelli said. “It’s been a lot of learning and a lot of different struggles…,but thankfully my family’s been really supportive and the media’s being really receptive too, which is nice.”

Portelli looked back fondly on his time at Fanshawe and the affects that it had on his thought process, leading up to the creation of this brand.

“I always knew that I wanted to help people, I just didn’t know in what way. So, I had taken a prehealth [program],” Portelli said, who went on to tell how this was followed up with courses in psychology and sociology.

“Everything that I learned, it’s applied to what I do today and I think that time period of being in college, that’s when people are impacted the most by problems to do with food,” he said.

Portelli explained how most people, especially those in budget lifestyles such as this, tend to go with the cheaper, less healthy items.

“If we could create some options, slowly things could start to change, but as it stands, people always go for the cheaper, more convenient options,” Portelli said.

Portelli shared that a pivotal moment in his career was receiving support and praises from figures such as David “Avocado” Wolfe and Shay Mitchell.

The traction the product has seen so far, seems to be only the beginning of what’s to come for Crazy D’s Soda (Labs). With lots planned for the future, Portelli shared that the primary goals are “more flavours, more stores [and] trying to get it out to the public more”.

If this article picked your interest and you wanted to grab your own bottle of Crazy D’s Soda, you’re in luck. It can now be found in Remark Fresh Markets and all Farm Boys in London. More information on this tasty and healthy beverage can be found at CrazyDLabs.com.