Have your cupcake and drink it
Baileys has launched Baileys Red Velvet, a limited edition created in collaboration with Georgetown Cupcake founders and sisters Katherine Berman and Sophie LaMontagne.
Baileys Red Velvet features the flavor of the shop’s number one selling cupcake.
“With aromas of freshly baked red velvet cupcakes, sweet cream, and buttery icing, Baileys Red Velvet tastes like fresh chocolate cake, topped with a dollop of cream cheese frosting and just a hint of cocoa powder,” according to the brand.
“On the finish, the rich chocolate and creamy icing flavors combine to create a delectably indulgent liqueur that dreams are made of.”
Baileys Red Velvet is available across the US at a suggested retail price of $23.99 for a 750ml bottle.
Georgetown Cupcake will also be serving up non-alcoholic Baileys Red Velvet cupcakes infused with the flavor of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur nationwide and online.
Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice
Hendrick’s Gin has launched Hendrick's Midsummer Solstice, the first gin released from Master Distiller, Lesley Gracie's Cabinet Of Curiosities, in Australia.
The limited-edition gin is a “delightfully floral incarnation of the original Hendrick’s Gin recipe inspired by nature’s most effervescent blooms.”
The drink’s refreshing and floral twist is perfect to light drinking as Australia prepares for warmer months and long evenings, says the brand.
Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice is available for a limited period from liquor stores and bars nationally.
Vita Coco CBD soft drinks
Vita Coco has launched a new line of CBD drinks in the UK in three flavors: cloved orange, apple ginger and lemon cardamom.
With 20mg of broad spectrum CBD per 330ml can, it is the highest dose of CBD extract currently available in the soft drinks market, according to the brand.
Vita Coco says the drinks aim to “help consumers relax and unwind at the end of a long day, and is a great alternative to an evening alcoholic beverage or the booming low and no category”.
The drinks are made with a coconut water base, sparkling water and natural flavorings; containing around 7kcals and 1g sugar per 100ml.
The new drinks will launch on November 21 at Holland & Barrett and other retailers.
Ocean Spray launches Atoka
Cranberry co-op Ocean Spray has unveiled a new brand and line of herbalist crafted plant-based drinks: Atoka Wellness.
The brand includes tea tonics, oatmilk elixirs and herbal shots in a variety of four herbal blends.
Herbal Blend 01 uses Cranberry, Guayusa, Ginseng + Ginger ‘to elevate your day into focus.’
Herbal Blend 02 blends Elderberry, Reishi, Rosehips, Ginger + Spices to create a ‘modern elderberry syrup, curated to support your daily wellness journey.’
Herbal Blend 03 uses Dark Cherry, Chamomile, Hops + Ginger mix to ‘help ease the tensions of daily life and quiet the busy mind.’
And Herbal Blend 04 is made from Cranberry, Linden Flower, Lemongrass, Orange Peel + Ginger ‘to soothe the belly and your senses’.
Atoka will launch the Boston area as a test market, before rolling out in January 2020.
Bavarian Helles Lager
Nirvana Brewery, the UK’s only bricks-and-mortar alcohol-free brewery, has launched its first lager for Sober October: Bavarian Helles Lager.
The launch brings Nirvana’s range of sub 0.5% ABV brews to seven.
Nirvana’s 0.3% ABV Bavarian Helles Lager pours golden in colour, offering drinkers ‘pleasant biscuit notes from the malts, balanced with subtle Hallertauer hops giving a gentle nectar finish’.
Nirvana co-founder, Becky Kean, said: “I enjoy a good lager myself, but the mainstream alcohol-free lagers really didn’t tickle my tastebuds. They’re often an afterthought to breweries’ portfolios, or simply a dealcoholised version of their existing alcoholic offering.
“The lager styles coming out of Germany tend to only have four natural ingredients, yet offer much more complex flavours and natural carbonation. That’s why we decided on a Bavarian Helles Lager as the perfect addition to our alcohol-free line up.”
Mistral G&T
French gin brand MistralGin and UK soft drink brand Franklin & Sons have partnered with a new G&T can.
Made with 12 botanicals from the South of France, with Franklin & Sons Premium Indian Tonic Water, the drink is available in Tesco stores for £2.25.
Rosie Crossman, Brand Manager at Franklin & Sons comments: “We are extremely excited and proud to add this beautifully blush G&T can to the Franklin & Sons portfolio. The new partnership is a symbol of our on-going commitment to support and work with craft gin producers, providing consumers with the perfect ready-to-serve G&T on the go, without compromising on taste.”
MistralGin owner Guillaume Bonnefoi explains, “MistralGin is Provence’s first and only rosé gin. The recipe was a year in development, and features both traditional gin and Provençal botanicals to create a sophisticated dry, craft gin with fresh, distinctive flavours and a contemporary citrus finish. It pairs perfectly with the award-winning Franklin & Sons Indian Tonic Water.”
The 250ml floral pink and purple can has a 6% ABV.
Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer
Known for its range of collagen products, from peptides to shots and water, Vital Proteins will now add coffee creamers to the mix. Hazelnut, Vanilla, Mocha and Coconut will launch online and in retail in the US, starting spring 2020.
The 11oz bottles contain 5g of collagen per serving, naturally-occurring MCTs from coconut cream, and is made without any fillers, binders, gums or dairy.
Kurt Seidensticker, CEO and founder of Vital Proteins, said "Creating a collagen-based liquid creamer was really a no-brainer for us. The number one way our customers are enjoying their daily intake of collagen is in their coffee, so we wanted to cater to those individuals who prefer a chilled, liquid add-on to their morning - or afternoon - cup.”
Harmless Harvest Protein & Coconut
Coconut water brand Harmless Harvest is dipping further into plant protein with its new plant-based snack drinks in the US. The Protein & Coconut line sources from pea, sunflower and pumpkin and “bridges the gap between meals.”
Chocolate, Vanilla Spice and Toasted Coconut are available now at select retailers like Whole Foods. Each 10oz bottle contains 12g of plant protein, 5g of MCTs and organic coconut.
Heather Cutter, senior VP of marketing at Harmless Harvest, said "Protein & Coconut builds on the integrity of the Harmless Harvest coconut portfolio by continuing to uphold our Fair for Life commitment of social accountability and fair trade within our supply chain.”
Yuengling Hershey's Chocolate Porter
A collaboration between America’s oldest brewery and one of its oldest candy brands has resulted in a limited edition chocolate porter. D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc., said the new beer combines more than 300 years of “mastery and rich heritages rooted in Pennsylvania.”
It comes from a base of Yuengling's nearly 200-year old Dark Brewed Porter recipe, blended with the flavors of Hershey's chocolate. The 4.7% ABV beer will be available from October-February, on-draft at select bars and restaurants in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington DC, Delaware, Indiana and Kentucky.
Jennifer Yuengling, VP of operations at Yuengling, said "As the 6th Generation of the Yuengling family, we have a 190-year history of listening to our fans and looking for new ways to deliver quality and memorable drinking experiences. We saw a unique opportunity to partner with Hershey's, a brand known worldwide for its iconic, delicious tasting chocolate, to deliver fans our first-ever beer collaboration.”
Alcoholic Mad Bean Coffee
A new hard coffee brand from Geloso Beverage Group debuted this month, building on the popularity of alcoholic bean brews. Mad Bean Coffee is a 4.5% ABV iced coffee FMB, available in Mocha and Vanilla.
Mary Chapman, marketing director for Geloso Beverage Group, said "The convenience of hard coffee in many situations is what makes Mad Bean extremely appealing to our consumers."
Paul Rene, VP of US operations, said "Geloso Beverage Group prides itself on being an innovator in the flavored malt beverage category. We believe this could be the next big category that is going to change the shelves at retail."
Boxed (Matcha) Is Better
From sustainability-focused brand Boxed Water Is Better comes a new partnership with mission-driven tea importer Art of Tea. The Boxed Matcha bundle contains both water and tea packets, a blend of three Japanese green tea varietals.
The product comes with 24 units of each, and for every bundle sold the company will plant 24 trees in US National Forests with the National Forest Foundation. They can be purchased on the Boxed Water website for a limited time.
Rob Koenen, CMO at Boxed Water, said "At Boxed Water, we're always looking for brands who share our Better Planet ethos. With Art of Tea's focus on sustainably grown and sourced ingredients, it's a perfect fit with our own mission to move consumers to more planet-friendly products."
Rebbl Prebiotic Tonics and Gold Label Elixir
Rebbl’s functional beverage portfolio is growing this fall with the addition of new SKUs and flavors. The Prebiotic Tonics line is sparkling and contains 6g of prebiotic fiber and 6-8g of sugar per bottle. They are available now at Whole Foods in the US in Forest Berry, Mystic Mint, Ginger Gold and Cold-Brew Cola.
Michele Kessler, CEO of Rebbl, said "Our new Sparkling Prebiotic Tonics fill a void in the market when it comes to low-sugar options that aid in digestive health, and they have the added benefits of high-integrity plant ingredients like elderberry, turmeric, and mate for an added layer of functionality.”
Adding on to Rebbl’s core collection of plant-based elixirs is the new Mayan Cocoa Gold Label Elixir. It supports the immune system with four varieties of medicinal mushrooms and adaptogens maca and ashwagandha.
Dave Pirazzini, senior innovation manager at Rebbl, said "For years, we've sought to create an ultra-functional elixir featuring the 'kitchen sink' of our favorite mushrooms and herbs, traditionally used to support immune health.”
"While it was important to harness the benefits of these powerful ingredients at efficacious levels, we knew our Gold Label Elixir had to be indulgent and taste amazing, so we leaned into rich, dark cocoa with Ceylon cinnamon and a hint of cayenne for our own twist on a traditional spicy Mayan cocoa elixir."
Angry Orchard Unfiltered Cider
With autumn and apple season in full swing, Angry Orchard has launched a new variety of its popular cider, Crisp Apple Unfiltered. Said to be ‘hazy and less sweet,’ the latest Angry flavor is designed to taste like it was just freshly pressed from an orchard.
The company says its low in acid, high in tannin and made from traditional bittersweet apples. It skips the filtration process and comes out at 6% ABV. Unfiltered is available in the US in six-packs.
Stella Artois Midnight Lager
Stella’s first seasonal beer is a dark brew made just for the holidays. The Midnight Lager has notes of Belgian dark chocolate and espresso at 5.4% ABV, and will launch nationwide on November 4.
The brand will offer special preview tastings on Halloween in Sleepy Hollow, NY, said to be the most haunted town in the US.
Lara Krug, VP at Stella Artois, said “Stella Artois was originally brewed as a holiday gift for the town of Leuven in Belgium, so we know a thing or two about the holiday season and wanted to give a new gift to our consumers. The rich taste of Stella Artois Midnight Lager along with the deep, warm notes perfectly complements the cold crisp weather and will be the brew worth toasting with this holiday season.”
From Japan to New Zealand
Suntory BOSS Coffee, the company's top selling canned coffee brand in Japan, is launching in New Zealand.
The drink is the top selling canned coffee brand in Japan, with 324 million cans consumed every year. It is created using the traditional Japanese flash-brew method: with beans brewed piping hot to release a rich aroma, then chilled in a 'flash' to lock in flavour.
In New Zealand, BOSS Coffee will be launching with Iced Long Black and Iced Latte Coffee. It will be the only flash-brewed packaged coffee in the country, according to Suntory.
An Iced Latte contains 6.3g added sugar and 52 calories per can, with 135mg per 237ml (just under an average 150mg double shot). Iced Long Black has no dairy or added sugar, five calories per can, and is keto-friendly.
Suntory Boss Coffee is available at supermarkets, petrol stations and convenience stores nationwide with a RRP of $4.
