What's hitting the shelves? New product launches: January

Ocean Spray Brew

Ocean Spray, the agricultural cranberry cooperative, has launched a hybrid fruit juice and cold brew coffee drink.

Ocean Spray Brew marks the expansion of the brand into the coffee category with two flavors: Cranberry Lemonade with Cold Brew Coffee and Cranberry Blueberry with Cold Brew Coffee.

Each drink uses Colombian Coffee with 40mg caffeine from green coffee beans for each 8oz serving – equal to half a cup of coffee. The drinks also contain antioxidant vitamin C and vitamin B and are free from added sugar, preservatives, and artificial flavors and colors.

Ocean Spray Brew hits shelves across the US this month, including in Target, Stop & Shop, Shaw’s, Albertsons, Vons, and Safeway. It will continue to expand to more stores throughout the year.

Indian whisky

Beam Suntory has launched a range of four premium spirits in India.

The flagship product is Oaksmith Indian whisky - created by Shinji Fukuyo, Chief Blender, Suntory - using traditional Japanese craftsmanship, blended with the finest Scotch Malt whiskies and American Bourbons to make a whisky that is ‘unique and authentic to Indian taste’.

Oaksmith is launched alongside Japanese whiskies Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve; Hibiki Japanese Harmony, and Roku Japanese Craft gin.

The House of Suntory brands are being launched across all major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bangalore. 

Neeraj Kumar, Managing Director of Beam Suntory India, said: “The growing premiumisation of the Indian market and the appreciation for finely crafted spirits made this the right time to launch these brands, along with Roku gin. Indians today are well-travelled and exposed to global trends, which inspired the creation of Oaksmith for whisky lovers in India.”​

Zero sugar Powerade

Coca-Cola is expanding its Powerade line-up for the first time in over a decade with two new functional hydration zero-sugar products. 

Launching this month, Powerade Ultra includes creatine, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), vitamins B3, B6 and B12, and 50% more ION4 electrolytes compared to original Powerade. Coca-Cola says it is the first RTD sports beverage to include shelf-stabilized creatine, a compound produced in the body from specific amino acids and stored in the muscle. The drink comes in three flavors: Mixed Berry, White Cherry and Citrus Blast.

It will be followed in mid-February by Powerade Power Water, which is an electrolyte-enhanced sports water. It features ION4 electrolytes and vitamins B3, B6, B12. It will be offered in three flavors – Berry Cherry, Tropical Mango and Cucumber Lime – in six-unit multi-packs of 16.9 oz flat-cap bottles and individual 20 oz sport cap bottles.

Both new products are based on Powerade's ION4 system, which replaces the four primary electrolytes lost in sweat – sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Powerade is partnering with NCAA March Madness and the US Olympic and Paralympic Team.

Truly Lemonade Hard Seltzer

Truly Hard Seltzer is launching Truly Lemonade Hard Seltzer - a mix of hard seltzer and lemonade – in the US.

The drink is made with lemon juice to ‘deliver the crisp, clean taste of hard seltzer and bolder lemonade flavor’.  Truly Lemonade is available across the US in four flavors: Original Lemonade, Black Cherry Lemonade, Mango Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade.

Like the rest of the Truly line up, Truly Lemonade has 1g of sugar and 100 calories – which the brand compares to other hard lemonades at 30 grams of sugar and 220 calories per 12 oz serving. 

This latest launch comes on the heels of the release of Truly’s new optimized recipe to deliver crisper and more refreshing flavors.  It was an undertaking that revamped all 13 flavors.

Truly is growing at a rate of nearly 200% ​, according to IRI figures – but the brand says that nearly half of hard seltzer drinkers are looking for a broader range of flavor options ​ without compromising on the low sugar and calories that hard seltzers offer.

“We took the feedback from drinkers and created Truly Lemonade for those looking for more flavor than traditional hard seltzer yet not willing to compromise on calories, carbs or sugar,”​ said Casey O’Neill, Senior Manager of Product Development at The Boston Beer Company. 

Mulberry & Coca Gin Liqueur 

London to Lima Gin – a brand created by British and Peruvian entrepreneurs – is launching its second expression in the UK.

Mulberry & Coca Gin Liqueur is made with the Peruvian Quebranta grapes that have been used for centuries to make the national spirit, Pisco. The distilled spirit is macerated with mulberries which are hand-picked in Peru close to the distillery.

Amazonian Coca leaves are also added, along with wild honey to make a rich gin liqueur.

Traditional botanicals, used to make the original gin expression, include juniper berries, orris root, angelica root and cassia. London to Lima Gin also includes more exotic Peruvian botanicals such as coriander seeds, lime, orange, aguaymanto (more commonly known as physalis) and pink peppercorn grown around the distillery.

The 36.8% ABV gin liqueur has a RRP of £39 for a 50cl bottle.

Apple juice

Premium juice brand Sous Le Pommier says it has created a new category of eco-responsible juice in France: with a range guaranteed to come from apples free from pesticide treatments.

The brand says organic certification is not the only model of eco-responsible production: instead creating a line certified by Bureau Veritas to be made of apples guaranteed to be free from pesticide, insecticide, fungicide and herbicide treatments.

Bureau Veritas ensures that the apples have not been treated; that 100% of apples used come from France, and that the finished juice has no trace of treatments.

The line consists of apple juice; sparkling apple juice; and apple and pear juice.

Mtn Dew Zero Sugar

PepsiCo has launched MTN DEW Zero Sugar, a new product that offers ‘all the bold charge and flavor of the original MTN DEW, now without any sugar’.

The new drink has launched across the US this month, available in 20 oz. bottles, 2 liter bottles, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and a variety of other single and multipack sizes.

MTN DEW already has a Diet Mountain Dew drink, alongside other products such as Mountain Dew Code Red, Mountain Dew White Out and Mtn Dew Kickstart.

Grape flavored soda

Soda Folk, a craft soda company, has launched a new premium grape flavored soda in the UK.

The company – which started out bringing all-natural American style craft soda from Colorado to the UK - says the category has seen a huge rise in recent years, driven by consumers opting for healthier, more natural and interesting products.

The drink has been crafted with high-quality ingredients; and contains only naturally occurring sugars with no artificial colours, preservatives or flavourings. The soda is gluten free and suitable for vegans.

Simon Waterfall, Soda Folk’s Managing Director, said: “​We feel our newly launched Grape Soda ​has a broader​ ​audience​ ​appeal and is more of a ‘grown-up’ soda.”​

Soda Folk Grape Soda is available at selected Sainsbury’s stores and will soon expand to a range of restaurants. Other products include Root Beer, Cream Soda and Cherry Soda.

Hard seltzer made with wine

US wine and bubbly brand Barefoot is launching a hard seltzer made with wine.

Barefoot Hard Seltzer (4% ABV) combines Barefoot Wine, seltzer water and natural flavor: creating a drink with 70 calories and 2 grams of sugar per 250ml can. It comes in four flavors: Pineapple & Passion Fruit, Cherry & Cranberry, Peach & Nectarine, and Strawberry & Guava.

The drink is positioned as a premium alternative to beer and lighter-bodied alternative to wine.

Barefoot Hard Seltzer hits shelves nationwide in the US next month, with a suggested retail price of $1.99 per can or $7.99 for a four pack, or $19.99 for a variety 12 pack.

Starbucks Golden Turmeric​

Starbucks and Nestlé are launching new coffees for US retail​​ in February: seeking to offer consumers at home ‘a little more than their average cup of coffee’.

Essential Vitamins contains five B vitamins; Golden Turmeric contains turmeric, ginger and cinnamon; and 2x Caffeine contains twice as much caffeine as one Starbucks K-Cup pod of black coffee.

Starbucks Cold Brew Concentrates can be mixed with water and ice to create cold brew at home, coming in Signature Black and Caramel Dolce flavors. Starbucks Fresh Brew offers pre-portioned airtight packaging – that is 'brand new to the market and will transform your at-home coffee experience' – and is available in Pike Place Roast, French Roast, and Breakfast Blend. 

Starbucks and Nestlé created a ‘global coffee alliance’​​ in 2018, giving Nestlé the perpetual rights to market Starbucks packaged goods and foodservice products worldwide outside of Starbucks coffee shops.