A revolutionary new soft drink that is claimed to burn calories and boost energy has hit the Bermuda market.

Celsius works by increasing a person's metabolic rate for several hours and offers a number of health benefits from zero sugars and carbohydrates and low sodium levels, and is even lightly carbonated and has a pleasant taste.

And it will be of particular interest to an Island where 13 percent of the population suffers from diabetes and 23 percent are obese, according to statistics released at the end of last year's summer.

The drink is produced by sports nutrition company Celsius Holdings Inc. in Delray Beach, Florida, and is exclusively distributed by Triangle Imports, based in Pembroke. The product was initially pre-launched by Triangle at Phoenix and Brown & Co.'s corporate shopping nights in November 2007 and has been distributed to and marketed or sold at numerous stores including Phoenix and People's Pharmacy, cafes and health shops such as the Lemon Tree Cafe, La Baguette, Kathy's Kaffee and Down to Earth and supermarkets Lindo's and the Miles Market, as well as corporate offices like Zurich Investments and Centre Re Solutions ever since. Plans are afoot to start a health awareness campaign to promote it further Island-wide.

It comes in five flavours including wild berry, lemon and lime, orange, ginger ale and cola in 12 fluid-ounce cans retailing at between $3 and $3.30 and the same size bottles from $3.30 to $3.50.

The makers claim that clinical studies have shown that Celsius burns an average 100 more calories than a placebo over a three-hour period, while raising metabolism by 12 percent and providing a sustained energy boost during that time.

Its key ingredients are green tea with EGCG, ginger, calcium, caffeine, chromium, B vitamins and vitamin C, but without any sugars, carbohydrates, preservatives, trans fats and minimal levels of sodium.

Keerome Maybury, president and CEO of Triangle said his company's move to distribute the product effectively marked the launch of the world's first calorie-burning soft drink in Bermuda.

"Celsius is a category-defining beverage that fits well within our portfolio of luxury/specialty products; and we feel it has a strong future with our company," he said. "Bermuda is a logical market for a product such as Celsius because the island has a growing population of highly qualified, health conscious local and expatriate professionals, who will immediately understand its benefits.

"We expect this will inevitably result in more manufacturers turning their attention to the Island as a territory worthy of consideration for supplying premium lines. This can only mean more diversity and choice in a retail sector that, figures suggest, is in need of stimulation.

"At the end of the day, all of the studies and surveys suggest that the product, from what we have seen in the market, has been very well received."

And he is keen to make sure that Celsius has and maintains a longevity in the Bermuda market.

"One of our representatives was in Florida and she was out there at the time when the product was still pretty fresh in the market," he said.

"She came across the product through a sampling session in a convenience store and she was pretty impressed with what she experienced.

"She came back here with the product and we tried it for ourselves and researched it further. From what we observed and experienced, we found that Celsius fitted really well into our business model of products that suggest potential for longevity."

But it is not just the Bermuda marketplace where the drink, which was officially launched in June 2005, has already been earning its plaudits, having received a number of awards from places such as the US to as far afield as Dubai in the Middle East, like the 2007 Beverage Innovation Award, Best New Beverage Award, Data Monitor Top Consumer trend 2007 and the 2006 CSP Retailer Choice Best New Product Award Finalist among others.

Mr. Maybury said that the product has been especially well received by professional women and people with diabetes on the Island, but the overall demographics of the country mean it is being targeted at old and young and health-conscious alike, while he is also hoping the summer months will lead to a greater take-up of the product.

"This new agreement with Triangle Imports, Bermuda further demonstrates that Celsius is gaining traction with experienced distributors around the country and abroad because it's a unique beverage that offers something new and relevant for today's consumers," said Steve Haley, CEO of Celsius Holdings.