Water with chili
Coca-Cola European Partners will introduce a new range of flavored waters, Oasis Aquashock, next month.
The two flavors offer a ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ hydration experience: Oasis Aquashock Spicy Raspberry is flavoured with fiery chilli, whereas the Chilled Cherry variant contains cooling, tangy lime. CCEP says this will appeal to young adult consumers who are looking for excitement within the flavoured water sector.
The drinks, which are free from added sugar or calories and use natural flavors, will be available in 500ml PET bottles with a translucent lid, bottle and label, setting it apart from Oasis juice drinks.
The full range of Oasis juice drinks and flavored waters are soft drinks tax exempt.
Guinness launches new ‘gateway’ Open Gate beers
Guinness has released two new beers, Open Gate Citra IPA (5% ABV) and Open Gate Pilsner (4.5% ABV). Created at the Open Gate Brewery at St. James’ Gate, Dublin, available for the on and off trade.
Guinness says the new brews will help make craft and world beer more accessible.
“Despite huge interest in craft beer, there are 7.5m people in the UK who are ‘craft-inquisitive’; this means that they mainly drink mainstream beer, are interested in craft, but aren’t buying into it very often,” says Diageo. “This group has three main barriers to purchase: value, confusion over choice, and concerns that the quality will be poor and that the taste will not match their expectations.
“The two new offerings from the Open Gate Brewery aim to address the barriers to craft beer and become a ‘gateway range’, giving craft-curious consumers the confidence to venture into alternative flavoursome beer.”
Open Gate Citra IPA has an RRP of £4.80 for a draught pint, while Open Gate Pilsner has an RRP of £4.60 for a draught pint. Bottle and can formats will be available to the off-trade.
Peachy Perrier
Perrier has launched a new flavor – Peach – nationwide in the US.
The new flavor joins lime, l’orange, pink grapefruit, green apple, strawberry and watermelon in the range.
“With invigorating bubbles, natural flavors and naturally occurring minerals for taste, Perrier Peach is a wonderful choice to add a twist to your morning or afternoon refresher and is the perfect addition to your favorite mocktails or cocktails,” says the brand. “All of Perrier's flavored carbonated mineral waters are sugar-free and zero-calorie, using natural flavors.”
Perrier Peach is available in 8.45 fl oz slim cans and 16.9 fl oz PET bottles, ideal for on-the-go consumption. Fridge packs (SRP: $6.95 for ten 8.45 fl oz slim cans) are available at select retailers nationwide and for home and office delivery.
Japan’s Pepsi J-Cola
PepsiCo and Suntory are launching a cola for the Japanese market, J-Cola: a product that has a ‘carefully balanced combination of spices and citrus flavors unique to Japan’.
The launch has three varieties: Regular, Zero (zero-calorie) and Midnight (with a ‘drifting hint of cassis’ to target the 50% of Japanese cola drinkers who consume cola in the evening).
“Pepsi J-Cola aims to be a new cola that can provide the maximum satisfaction to Japan's “cola lovers” under the concept of “JAPAN & JOY COLA,” and is positioned as a new, strategic brand for the Japanese market,” says Suntory.
Mancan wine
Mancan, an exclusive wine-in-can company, has released a rose blend to join its portfolio of red, white and fizz.
Made from California grapes, Mancan is available online and at select US retailers for a suggested price of $4.99.
Mancan says the can is specially lined to lock in flavor profiles and prevent metallic tastes, and is suited to consumption at the beach, at BBQs or at sporting events.
Gusto organic
UK company Gusto Organic has launched three new drinks in 275ml glass bottles, following the launch of its Real and Naturally Slim colas last year.
It believes its new cherry cola is the first organic version on the market, made with cherries, agave, spices, essential oils and Fairtrade Madagascan vanilla.
Meanwhile, Fiery Ginger with Chipotle uses fresh ginger juice, Indonesian and Nigerian ginger extract, and Mexican chipotle, sweetened with organic fairtrade juice and agave.
Organic Sicilian blood orange uses oranges from Mount Etna and spring water from Devon (UK).
The drinks - described as 'decidedly grown up adult soft drinks' - have listings in Fortnum & Masons, Ocado, Whole Foods market and Sourced Market.
Paw Patrol
British brand Appy Kids Co is adding a new dairy line to its portfolio.
The 189ml tetra cartons of milk – which come in whole milk, strawberry, banana and chocolate flavors – will become available in late spring.
“Appy Kids Co’s range fills a gap because the drink is made from real British milk, and it is rich in vitamins and calcium to give kids the nutrients they need for a healthy development,” says the brand.
The Appy Kids Co dairy range is approved by Red Tractor and the Vegetarian Society,
Starbucks ‘Le Signature Chocolate’
Starbucks has introduced a new flavor to its RTD Chilled Classics line in France, Europe and the Middle East: Le Signature Chocolate.
Inspired by the in-store Signature Hot Chocolate, which is one of the top 10 drinks in its French coffee shops, the RTD hot chocolate will offer consumers an alternative to iced coffee.
The drink is now available in 30 countries across Europe and the Middle East, retailing at €1.69.
Himalayan natural mineral water
Premium water Himalayan Natural Mineral Water is launching in the US this month, through a partnership between Tata Waters and Talking Rain Beverage Company.
The water, which is sourced from an aquifer 400 ft below ground in the Himalayas, is one of the first premium Indian fast-moving consumer goods brands to target a wide US audience.
Water travels for 20 years through mountains, passing through natural filters of rock, sand and silt: picking up minerals such as magnesium, calcium and sodium from Himalayan sea salt.
“With its smooth taste, balanced pH, and ideal proportion of natural minerals and electrolytes, Himalayan Natural Mineral Water satisfies today’s thirst for something better,” according to the brand.
The brand is available in 500 mL (MSRP $1.59), 500 mL 4 pack (MSRP $5.69), and 1 liter (MSRP $2.39) sizes at select retailers in Chicago and Southern California; and nationwide on Amazon.
‘The deliciousness is in the detail’
Coca-Cola iced coffee brand Barista Bros has launched a range of flavored milk – Café Creations – which is inspired by decadent flavors and desserts.
The three flavors are toffee almond panna cotta, butterscotch brownie and dark chocolate fudge.
The new products are available nationwide across Australia in grocery, retail, petrol and convenience stores.
Organic tea from Sanpellegrino
Premium sparkling water brand Sanpellegrino has added two organic sparkling teas in lemone (lemon) and pesca (peach) flavors in the Canadian market.
Made from organic tea extract, pure cane sugar and 3% Italian fruit juice from concentrate, the drinks mark the company's first foray into organic beverages.
“A perfect harmony of flavors, Sanpellegrino + Tea is a new sensation to hydration and ideal for those who desire to enhance their moments with a thirst-quenching sparkling beverage with a classic Italian flavour palate,” says Nestle Waters Canada.
Sanpellegrino + Tea joins the sparkling fruit beverages family of six other flavors: aranciata (Sicilian orange), aranciata rossa (blood orange), clementina (clementine orange), limonata (lemon), melograno e aranciata (pomegranate orange) and pompelmo (grapefruit).
Sanpellegrino + Tea is on sale at retail grocers across Canada at a retail price of $5.99 for a six-pack.
Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade
Dr Pepper Snapple brand Canada Dry has launched new flavor, Ginger Ale and Lemonade, in the US.
“Canada Dry Ginger Ale and Lemonade can be enjoyed on its own or used in drink recipes for a refreshing punch or cocktail,” according to the brand.
Canada Dry has seen 11 years of consecutive growth.
Capri-Sun and Sprite launch new recipes
Coca-Cola brands Sprite and Capri-Sun have both launched a reformulated recipe in the UK in response to the sugar tax, which came into effect this month.
Sprite has switched out stevia for a combination of sugar, acesulfame K and aspartame: reducing sugar content by 50% and bringing it down to 3.3g sugar / 100ml.
Capri-Sun has switched to a blend of sugar and steviol glycosides to reduce the sugar content to 4.9g/100ml.
The sugar tax kicks in at 5g/100ml.