{"id":1069675,"date":"2026-07-05T09:09:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T09:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1069675\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T09:09:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T09:09:59","slug":"liverpool-mum-launches-healthy-soda-brand-after-daughters-birth-left-her-worried-about-her-wellbeing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1069675\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool mum launches healthy soda brand after daughter\u2019s birth left her worried about her wellbeing"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Liverpool mum has launched a new gut-friendly soda brand after fears for her own health following the birth of her baby.<\/p>\n

Suzanne Parkinson, who co-founded Cruzy with husband Chris, was diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis soon after her 20-month-old daughter Darcie was born.<\/p>\n

The condition left the 32-year-old from Childwall with chronic fatigue and struggling to get out of bed.<\/p>\n

Suzanne admits: <\/strong>\u201cIt was a really low point in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

But a search to find products to help her and her wellbeing led Suzanne and Chris creating one of their own \u2013 and now they\u2019re excitedly planning a positive future for their new business and drinks brand.<\/p>\n

Suzanne, who\u2019s now feeling better, and enjoying far more energy says: <\/strong>\u201cIt\u2019s all thanks to Darcie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HealthyCruzy<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was never part of our dreams, and we\u2019d never have done this if it wasn\u2019t for her, so it\u2019s really Darcie who\u2019s inspired it.\u201d<\/p>\n

And she smiles:<\/strong> \u201cShe may expect a percentage in later years!\u201d<\/p>\n

Suzanne and Chris, who both had corporate roles, were living overseas when their little girl was born.<\/p>\n

But despite their delight, the new mum was diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis \u2013 a temporary autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland which causes an initial period of overactive thyroid, followed by underactive thyroid \u2013 after being left with debilitating tiredness and fatigue.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She said:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019d have 10 hours sleep and then still couldn\u2019t get up, and it even impacted on Chris and his job because I\u2019d be phoning him at 2pm in the afternoon asking him to come home because I was shattered and couldn\u2019t cope.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Suzanne focused on her recovery and health, paying particular attention to her gut health, the couple decided to take a career break and went on a three-month trip to the US. It was there they discovered sparkling drinks that tasted great and were good for you.<\/p>\n

\"Healthy
\n\"Healthy
\n\"Healthy<\/p>\n

Suzanne explains: <\/strong>\u201cWe wondered why there wasn\u2019t something similar in the UK, before discovering that there was, but the market\u2019s really small we couldn\u2019t find exactly what we were looking for, so we decided to create a premium soda built around real British fruit juice, with added fibre and live cultures.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started looking at manufacturers, and researching flavours; and we had multiple rounds of taste testing with a beverage consultant in Wales to perfect the recipes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suzanne and Chris moved back to the UK and launched Cruzy three weeks ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are three flavours of drink \u2013 apple, blackcurrant, and strawberry and rhubarb \u2013 all made using real British juices, live cultures and plant-based fibre that work to promote and support gut health.<\/p>\n

There are no artificial sweeteners, and everything follows Suzanne and Chris\u2019s sustainable ethos. The drinks are produced in a carbon-negative facility, the\u00a0outer packaging is printed using vegetable-based inks, and the aluminium cans are fully recyclable: \u201cWherever possible, ingredients and production are sourced in the UK.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really believe in the product and eventually we\u2019d like it to become a mainstream soda that people reach for instead of a Coke.<\/p>\n

\"Healthy<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that\u2019s ambitious but it\u2019s amazing for you, it looks amazing, and it tastes amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cruzy is available online and via a store and health club near the couple\u2019s north west home and they are in talks with major high street names to hopefully see it for sale inside main stores and supermarkets. They also plan to take it to food and drink festivals over the summer months.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s success savoured more by former St Julie\u2019s RC High School pupil Suzanne because at one point it looked like she was destined to fail.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter a difficult time in my childhood, school became challenging for a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd at the end of two years of sixth form I ended up with two \u2018U\u2019s and an \u2018E\u2019 for my A Levels, but then something clicked and I asked the head Mr Rimmer to let me stay on another year and I promised I\u2019d do better and not fail. I\u2019d be there every day until the caretaker kicked me out \u2013 and I got three \u2018B\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suzanne says:<\/strong> \u201cI think everything that\u2019s happened has made me more determined than ever to succeed and we\u2019re already trying to think of new flavours.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo thank you Mr Rimmer \u2013 and thank you Darcie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find out more about the drinks here.<\/a>
\nGet the latest news around the city here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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From the best hotels, beauty spots, days out, food and more up North \u2013 visit\u00a0thenorthernguide.com<\/a>\u00a0and follow The Northern Guide on Instagram\u00a0HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n