What's hitting the shelves? New products: February
Immune boosting wellness shots
US wellness shot brand So Good So You has released two new varieties focused on the immune system: Camu Camu and Elderberry.
The company has also updated two existing wellness shots – ginger and turmeric – to contain ‘even more immune boosting-power’.
Each shot contains 1 billion CFUs (colony forming units) of probiotics to support a healthy immune and digestive system.
So Good So You was founded in 2014, by Rita Katona and her husband Eric Hall, and manufactures its juice shots at a zero-waste, renewable-energy powered facility. The brand currently owns 25% of the functional juice shot category and its shots are now in stores across 47 states, including Target, Publix, Sprouts, and Safeway. In 2020, So Good So You’s original Immunity Shot (Powered by Ginger) saw a 300% increase, as consumers searched for proactive health solutions amid the pandemic.
Vodka hard seltzer
Amber Beverage Group’s vodka brand Moskovskaya Vodka has designed a new Moskovskaya Street hard seltzer, inspired by the iconic Moscow Mule cocktail.
Canned at 4.5% ABV, two new products - Raspberry & Lime and Ginger & Mint – will launch in the UK this month before rolling out across Europe.
“There have been several takes on this trend from experimenting with the flavours, alcohol base and level, number of calories, design and other aspects, and as a historical vodka brand we wanted to create an exciting new option that is an authentic yet modern experience for the Moskovskaya consumer,” said Felicity Gransden, Global Brand Ambassador of Moskovskaya Vodka.
The new expressions of Moskovskaya’s hard seltzers will be available in a slim 250 ml cans in the convenience channel.
“As hard seltzers are likely to see the highest growth rate within the UK’s RTD category, this is the right moment for Moskovskaya to deliver an authentic, fresh variation of the iconic brand that will fit UK consumer preferences,” said Simon Thomas, the Managing Director of the UK-based distributor Cellar Trends.
Topo Chico Tangerine
Topo Chico is expanding its US portfolio with Twist of Tangerine: a sparkling mineral water with citrus flavor.
It joins Topo Chico’s “Twist” line, which features Twist of Lime and Twist of Grapefruit.
The beverage is available from February 8 at Sprouts Farmers Markets in the brand’s 12oz glass bottles.
The new flavor will also roll out at Whole Foods in the spring.
Tequila RTDs
San Diego distillery Cutwater Spirits is expanding its presence in the tequila-based RTD category this year: starting with mango margarita in California this month.
Sales of Cutwater’s tequila margarita grew by more than 190% in 2020, prompting the company to launch the 12.5% ABV mango margarita this month.
Mango margarita will be followed by the launch of strawberry and peach margarita cans made with real fruit puree in April; alongside frozen margarita ice pops in mixed packs.
The tequila in Cutwater’s drinks come from a partnership with the Orendain family in Jalisco.
Functional instant coffee
Alpine Start, a Colorado-based maker of premium instant coffee founded by professional climber Matt Segal, has announced the launch of a functional benefits line.
Inspired by the needs of elite Mount Everest climbers Adrian Ballinger and Cory Richards, Alpine Start worked closely with these athletes to help formulate the company's newest line of instant beverages fortified with vitamins, adaptogens and MCTs.
Designed to provide clean, optimal energy, the new IMMUNITY + FOCUS / With Benefits line comes in two varieties: a higher caffeinated organic coffee and a low-caffeine organic matcha green tea. Both powdered instant blends are vegan, free of added sugars, and deliver a dose of adaptogenic mushrooms (organic reishi + lion's mane), MCT's (medium-chain triglycerides), and Vitamins D and A.
Nespresso world explorations
Nespresso has launched a new ‘world explorations’ coffee range: taking consumers through some of the world's top cities with a coffee culture.
“Nespresso World Explorations captures the sensations, tastes and aromas of some of the world’s most admired cities: celebrating traditional coffee moments from around the world like the Viennese coffee house culture, where coffee becomes part of a special trip and is enjoyed idly from morning ‘til night, or Argentina’s Merienda coffee break, observed late in the afternoon alongside sweet and savoury snacks,” says the Nestlé brand.
“Inviting consumers on a journey that will enhance their tastes and enrich their coffee knowledge, the World Explorations range features the intense Cape Town Envivo Lungo and Stockholm Fortissio Lungo, as well as the more balanced Vienna Linizio Lungo and Tokyo Vivalto Lungo, with two new mild cups, Shanghai Lungo and Buenos Aires Lungo [pictured], inspired by the flavour profiles typical of these Asian and South American cities.”
Virgin Islands' hard seltzer
US Virgin Islands craft brewery, St John Brewers, is launching its first hard seltzer.
Love City Hard Seltzer comes in four flavors: Watermelon Dragonfruit, Mango Mandarin, Hibiscus Pomegranate, and Passion Fruit. The new product is scheduled to hit resorts, bars, and restaurants across the Virgin Islands in the coming weeks, including the St. John Brewers Tap Room in Mongoose Junction, Cruz Bay. Mix 12-packs will be available in grocery and convenience stores throughout the islands.
Their new hard seltzer line complements the brand’s broad portfolio of craft beers and sodas created and released in the Virgin Islands and mainland market since the brewery was founded in 2004. “Moving into the hard seltzer category has been an exciting challenge for us,” say co-founders Kevin Chipman and Chirag Vyas. “We’ve been perfecting our filtration processes and testing recipes at the Tap Room for over a year: constantly consulting our staff and patrons for their feedback and hosting tasting panels to craft our unique Caribbean flavor. Now, we can’t wait to share the finished product.”
The premium hard seltzer brand, dubbed “Love City” after the island of St. John’s nickname, looks to take on the national brands that have recently launched there.
Sparkling water
Nichols has re-launched Feel Good Drinks, a range of flavored sparkling waters with a 100% natural new drink formulation in plastic free packaging. Born in the UK out of recognition of the opportunity in the market for natural, great tasting drinks with no added sugar or additives, the brand will be run in the style of a start-up as part of Nichols PLC.
The range of 100% natural fruit canned sparkling waters have been created using no artificial flavours, added sugar or sweeteners and contain 15% real fruit juice. Available in three variants; Peach & Passionfruit, Rhubarb & Apple, Raspberry & Hibiscus, the range contains less than 27 calories per 330ml can and is available to purchase from Ocado, Booths, WH Smith Travel and online.
Feel Good General Manager, Ed Woolner, said: “In a century of rapid technological and industrial growth, humans have somewhat forgotten how fragile the natural world is and how much we rely on it for our wellbeing. The Feel Good 3% People & Planet fund is our way of giving back, we know we are taking raw materials from the planet, but by donating and partnering with charities that support personal and planetary wellbeing we hope to help protect the natural environment that gives us so much.”
Zero calorie kombucha
European kombucha brand the GUTsy Captain has launched a Zero sugar and Zero calorie range, aiming to reach a growing number of consumers who are looking for healthy drinks with low sugar levels.
The Zero range includes six flavours – Original, Ginger & Lemon, Pomegranate, Watermelon & Mint, Passionfruit and Raspberry – which are the fastest selling Kombucha SKU in supermarkets. In the UK, the range offers three different pack formats to suit all consumption occasions which include a 250ml can, 400ml and 1L PET bottles and 300ml glass bottles, available across grocery multiples and health and convenience retailers, including Holland & Barrett.
"Our challenge was to broaden the appeal of the category with innovative NPD, to continue to make GUTsy Captain appeal to more consumers and ensure that they reach for Kombucha intuitively,” said Inês Freitas, chief marketing officer.
Whilst appealing to consumers who want to consume a lower level of calories and sugar, the new Zero range remains 100% Kombucha and, whilst it has a longer fermentation period in order to leave no sugar at the end, it is created in the same traditional and authentic way as the existing core range, using a SCOBY - a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, which produces the taste that consumers have come to love about The GUTsy Captain drinks.
The GUTsy Captain Zero range has a recommended retail price of £1.99.
Coca-Cola Coffee
Coca-Cola with Coffee has launched in the US this month: championed by the brand as a 'true hybrid innovation that provides the perfect solution for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up, especially in today's work-from-home environment'.
The drink – which “sips like a Coke and finishes like a coffee” – is available nationwide in three flavors: Dark Blend, Vanilla and Caramel. A zero-sugar counterpart comes in Dark Blend and Vanilla. They will be available in the ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee aisle.
All varieties are shelf-stable and contain 69 mg of caffeine per 12-oz. can (This compares to 80-100mg in an average 8oz cup of coffee).
Coca-Cola debuted its Coffee Cola blend in Australia in 2017 under the name Coca-Cola Plus Coffee; before launching Coca-Cola with Coffee in Japan in 2018. The US is the 50th market to launch the beverage. Each country tailors the recipe and packaging to meet local tastes.
Cocktail meets seltzer
XED Beverages has debuted with its first product, a ‘cocktail meets seltzer’ drink.
SESH has been founded by former college roommates and entrepreneurs Zeke Bronfman and Nate Medow, who wanted to create cocktails that were both high-end and accessible, as well as limiting sugar and carb intakes.
As an adult beverage 'at the crossroad of two of the fastest-growing segments in the alcohol industry’ — RTD cocktails and hard seltzers – the 6% ABV drink contains zero sugar, gluten or preservatives and 120 calories per 12oz can. It comes in four flavors: gin and tonic, mojito, Moscow mule and paloma.
SESH is available at bars and restaurants and in retailers such as Kroger, Total Wine and Binny's, and digital delivery service, goPuff.
