Rumble: A Health Drink Created in Victoria

Left: Paul Underhill one of Rumble's Founders. Right: Rumble

VICTORIA

You probably haven’t heard of the new drink, Rumble, yet, but it’s creating quite the buzz around town among many athletes and foodies. So, what is Rumble? Well, it’s branded as a nourishing drink by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (more on that later), but really, it’s many different types of drink. Part smoothie, part energy drink and part health concoction, Rumble is made with off-the-shelf ingredients like kale, agave nectar, pomegranate, walnut oil, just to name a few. One of the great things about Rumble is that it isn’t made with powders or things-made-to-taste-like-other-things (surprise!), it is made with all raw, natural ingredients.

Rumble, the drink, is only one half of the story. The other half resides with its founder, Paul Underhill. Paul had manageable Cystic Fibrosis for most of his life when, about 6 years ago, he got very sick. He had to leave his job with the BC government (Ministry of Agriculture), where he was researching whether GMO foods were harmful to people and if they should be regulated. His illness made his hunger levels drop substantially, which in turn increased his need for good nutrition from the foods he ate. In response Paul created a drink in his kitchen that was a blend of organic, nutritious fruits and vegetables, to give him the nourishment he needed during the battle with his illness. After about a year of refining his drink, Paul teamed up with Kim McQueen (Naturopathic Doctor), James McQueen, and Steve Hughes to turn his creation into a product for the mass market. There really isn’t anything like Rumble currently on the Canadian market. When they took Rumble to Canadian Food Inspection Agency, they did not get the designation of “meal replacement” or “sports drink.” An entirely new category was created and Rumble was designated a “nourishing drink”.

As Paul Underhill insisted on the use of all natural products, he spent years looking for somewhere to manufacture his drink. The plant had to be able to combine all the different things he wanted, no small task in itself, and Paul wanted a screw top aluminum bottle. The idea behind the bottle is that you can reuse it and it’s better for the environment (glass is heavy and means more CO2). Some imaginative users have already used the bottle to make a travel camp stove, and also a kite string holder. Paul finally found a manufacturing plant in the States, while not as good as producing it locally (Canada), he feels it is still better than offshore.

Today, Rumble is very close to the first drink Paul started with in his kitchen. Rumble comes in two different flavours: Dutch Cocoa — which is 99.9% allergen and lactose free, and Vanilla Maple. Both drinks are vegetarian, though not vegan, and both are delicious. The Dutch Cocoa flavour tastes as it sounds, with a slight malty flavour as it finishes. The Vanilla Maple is, again, as it sounds, but with a nutty flavour — coming from the walnut oil. Neither drink is chunky or thick, Rumble is actually surprisingly light in consistency. It is so light that many people who drink it are able to do rigorous activity right after downing a whole bottle. Paul still drinks them daily, although now it’s because of how they make him feel, not because he has to— about a year ago, Paul had a double lung transplant. The operation was a success, not even 6 months after the surgery, Paul rode the 140km Ryder Hesjedal Tour De Victoria bike ride. You can bet he had a Rumble tucked into his water bottle holder.

Rumble is available at many healthy grocers around British Columbia and mid-Eastern Canada. Available locally (for Rumble) in Victoria at the Trek Bicycle Store, Front Runners and Catalyst Gym as well as most health food grocers. Rumble is planning on an expansion into the states hopefully for sometime in 2013.

Website: www.drinkrumble.com