We have all been there: it’s around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, it’s been a couple of hours since lunch and your body is craving a snack. Countless brands have targeted this need state, with anything from better-for-you donuts and chocolate to reduced-fat potato chips and high-protein snack bars. In the US, a new brand is taking a different approach.
Launched in mid-2025, Släcka doesn’t promise to satisfy consumers’ cravings – it claims to remove them. The brand positions its sparkling beverage as “a snack in a can” that can help retrain consumers’ brains and quiet food noise.
The phrase "food noise" has gained traction over the past 1-2 years - both on social media and among some nutrition researchers. It can be defined as “persistent, intrusive or repetitive thoughts about food”. Limiting those thoughts it is often described as a positive side-effect of using GLP-1a drugs, which are said to help reduce these thoughts by regulating appetite and by affecting the brain’s reward system. GLP-1 drugs’ effect on the brain is an area that researchers are now starting to look into further.
The Släcka brand claims to reduce food noise by offering a beverage that contains 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) – an amino acid that is thought to increase serotonin levels in the body and help regulate mood and satiety. Släcka promotes its products with phrases like “craving crusher” and “control cravings, one sip at a time”, while claiming that the product helps consumers feel full for longer.
In addition to 5-HTP, the product also contains the caffeine metabolite paraxanthine along with the amino acids L-theanine and L-carnitine for energy. To aid hydration, Släcka contains electrolytes in the form of potassium and sodium.
One 355ml can of Släcka provides 5 kcal and 1g of carbs with no sugar. The brand uses OnoSweet, a Reb-M sweetener made from fermented sugar. One can costs $3.99 (€3.43) on the brand website, with Släcka also being available in select retailers across New York City. The brand is set to launch across northeast US, Texas and southern California in November.
