'Bubbles with benefits’
Coconut water brand Vita Coco has launched a sparkling collection in four flavors: grapefruit, lemon ginger, raspberry lime and pineapple passionfruit.
“Dubbed ‘bubbles with benefits,’ the sparkling line is a delicious blend of carbonated water and coconut water, providing the tingly refreshment of a sparkling drink with the functionality, electrolytes and hydration of coconut water. Vita Coco Sparkling is only 25 calories and boasts 280 mg of the electrolyte potassium with no added sugar.”
Vita Coco was founded in New York City in 2004 by Mike Kirban and Ira Liran. It is now available in 30 countries with a range including coconut water, coconut milk, coconut oil.
Coca-Cola Clear
Coca-Cola has launched a transparent drink called Coca-Cola Clear in Japan this month.
Coca-Cola Clear is a lemon flavor zero calorie drink: with the recipe omitting the caramel coloring used in Coca-Cola Classic.
Coca-Cola Japan says the launch has been timed for the summer months when novelty is required in an increasingly competitive market, with the summer carbonated beverage market around 1.5 times bigger than in winter.
Coca-Cola Clear is available in 500ml and 280ml PET bottles, retailing at 140 yen ($1.27) and 115 yen ($1) respectively.
‘A taste of British summertime’
UK premium mixer brand, Fever-Tree, has launched a limited edition Cucumber Tonic: ‘a taste of British summertime’.
Cucumber Tonic Water uses a natural cucumber essence, extracted through low temperature distillation process from fresh General Lee cucumbers.
“The flavour notes of the cucumber essence are perfectly balanced with the gentle bitterness of Fever-Tree’s signature quinine sourced from the Eastern Congo and soft spring water,” says the brand.
“The result being a tonic with a refreshing taste and aroma, which pairs perfectly with fresh and floral gins and when served with a cucumber ribbon and sprig of fresh mint, gives a fresh cucumber twist on the quintessentially British G&T as well as great accompaniment to premium vodka.”
Cucumber Tonic Water is available in 500ml glass bottles at Sainsbury‘s at an RRP of £1.70, with listings in Waitrose to follow.
Perrier & Juice
French natural spring water Perrier is introducing Perrier & Juice, a beverage made with fruit juice, in Canada this month.
Perrier already offers its Original Perrier and Natural Flavours collection in Canada, and the new beverage is the first in the portfolio to mix carbonated natural spring water with fruit juice. It is available in three varieties: strawberry and kiwi; peach and cherry; and pineapple and mango.
Each beverage is 79% Perrier carbonated water, 17% fruit juice from concentrate, 3.5% natural sugar syrup and 0.5% natural flavor.
Hemp milk and rum
US brand Bom Bom Brands has launched its ‘Fully Baked’ alcoholic drink: ‘a creamy and delicious blend of chocolate chip cookie and brownie flavors with premium Caribbean rum and hemp milk’.
The brand, which believes it is the first to make an alcoholic product with hemp milk, says that hemp milk has increasingly become a healthy alternative for vegans and non-vegans alike. Hemp milk is made from the seeds of the hemp plant, but does not contain the chemical THC which is found in marijuana.
Fully Baked is 14.2% ABV, slightly higher than RumChata and Bailey's Almande. Fully Baked is launching in 750 ml packs, with an MSRP of $19.99-$21.99, and a 50ml trial size is to follow next month.
Fully Baked joins two other flavors: Coco Mochanut and Nilli Vanilli.
French cold brew
‘Le Cold Brew Malongo’ is made from Arabica coffee from Laos; it is free from added sugar, and is Fairtrade and organic. There are two varieties: cold brew pure origine Laos and cold brew with ginger and citron.French brand Malongo has launched a cold brew coffee, seeing the arrival of the cold brew trend from the US into Europe.
The drink is available at Malongo cafes in France at 3.90€ for a 300 ml bottle.
English sparkling wine in cans
The Uncommon has launched a range of English wine in a can exclusively at Selfridges.
Retailing at £5 for a 250ml can, the lightly sparkling dry white contains 2g sugar per litre (‘a fraction of that of Prosecco and Champagne’) with notes of pear and elderflower. Produced in Surrey, the wine is made from Bacchus grapes, which are hand-harvested from vineyards using biodynamic techniques.
The brand says it wants to become the most sustainable wine brand in the country. The fruit, winemaking and canning is all done within a 40 mile radius. The brand says single-serve aluminium cans will help reduce the amount of wine thrown away when fizz in sparkling wine goes flat; while the cans are recyclable and lightweight.
“The average wine consumer is now younger and more adventurous, going to one or more of the seven thousand registered outdoor events held in the UK each year that prohibit glass, cans however are an ideal alternative,” says the brand.
“So, whether you’re headed out for a summer’s picnic, popping to the beach, taking a mud bath at a classic festival or having a night in in front of Bake Off, The Uncommon is convenient, fast to chill, light in your pocket and awfully easy to crack open!”
Sparkling tequila
Sauza Tequila has launched Sauza Agua Fuerta, a tequila-based, RTD spiked sparkling water, in the US.
Made with clear, sparkling water and a tequila base, Sauza Agua Fuerte taps into the rising demand for refreshing and ready-to-drink cocktails. The drink is ‘light in sweetness and calories and full on crisp fruit and agave taste.’
Malini Patel, Vice President of Tequila and Premium Growth Platforms at Beam Suntory, said: “We’re excited to introduce something new to the fast-growing, spiked sparkling water category.
“With a tequila spirit base and a focus on fresh, natural flavors, Sauza Agua Fuerte is perfect for tequila fans who are seeking light, refreshing cocktails to enjoy during the warm weather months.”
Sauza Agua Fuerte comes in three flavors: lime, grapefruit and mango. The product is 5% ABV and comes in slim 12oz cans. The products is available in select markets in single cans for a suggested retail price of $2.99 or 4-packs with a suggested retail price of $9.99.
RTD iced chai
US natural tea company Bhakti has launched a new line of RTD iced chai.
The drink blends Bhakti’s chai with cashewmilk, a dairy alternative that is growing in popularity and fits well with Bhakti’s organic fresh pressed ginger and spices.
The five flavors are classic, cold brew coffee ‘dirty chai’, mocha, sugar-free toasted coconut and reduced sugar classic.
The 12oz drinks are now available nationwide with a MSRP of $2.99.
Bhakti – which means devotion in Sanskrit – is based in Colorado and as a certified B Corp focuses on sustainable business practices, craft brewed products, and supporting charitable organizations through its GITA giving program.
Baileys infused coffee pods
Australia’s ExpressPods has launched Baileys infused Nespresso compatible coffee pods.
The pods took around a year to develop, with the final product suitable for consumption throughout the day (each cup of coffee only contains around 0.01% alcohol).
The coffee pods can also be used to create iced coffee when used with cold milk, or an Affogato with icecream.
Sugar free citrus Fanta
Fanta has launched a sugar-free citrus version in France.
The drink is available in a 33cl slim can and in PET bottles at 500ml and 1.5L.
The PET bottles are a ‘twisted’ bottle design that was introduced last year.
The recommended price for a 1.5L bottle is €1.69.
Patrón Citrónge Pineapple
Patrón tequila has launched Patrón Citrónge Pineapple, a drink made from “Piña Miel” pineapples cultivated in the Mexican state of Veracruz.
The brand says pineapple flavors are seeing a resurgence, particularly in the wider cocktail culture, and it is a flavor that pairs well with agave-based spirits like tequila and mezcal.
“Patrón Citrónge Pineapple Liqueur is clear with a tropical aroma and flavor, perfectly balanced between sweet and tart,” says the brand. “With distinct notes of fresh, ripe pineapple, the taste is soft and sweet with a long-lasting light aftertaste.”
The pineapple line joins Citrónge lime and mango.
Quaker City Shrubs
Quaker City Shrubs – a new line of sparkling tart and tangy canned alcoholic beverages made from apple cider vinegar – is launching in the US.
The beverage has been created by Steven Grasse in partnership with Diageo.
At 4% ABV, the beverages contain 3g sugar and 90 calories per pack. There are three flavors: grapefruit, blackberry and apple.
Grasse says the beverage has been designed as an alternative to beer, hard ciders and other spiked sparkling beverages.
“These low-calorie, low-sugar and low-ABV beverages are delicious straight from the can, poured over ice, or used as mixers in simple cocktails,” says the brand.
“They offer imbibers the perfect all-natural alternative to beer and cider compared to other ready-to-drink cocktails which are commonly packed with sugar or cold-fermented dextrose (found in most hard seltzers). Apple cider vinegar enhances natural fruit flavors while adding tart, tangy notes and a dry finish.”
Quaker City Shrubs is available in Whole Foods, Wegman’s, and Total Wine stores across the Philadelphia, Delaware and southern New Jersey regions, as well as at boutique bottle shops, beer distributors and bars and beer gardens.
