What's hitting the shelves? New beverage launches
San-Diego-inspired canned cocktails
San Diego craft-brewed beverage company Kove has debuted a fresh new look alongside three flavor additions to its canned cocktail line-up.
Featuring vivid branding and a sleek can design, the cocktail-inspired flavors offer a ready-to-drink (RTD) option that is plant-based, gluten-free and low-ABV (5%).
Kove’s 'bright, botanical, and boozy' beverages are fermented from a tisane blend (botanical infusion) using organic ingredients.
The three new flavors, Party Wave Punch, Beaches & Peaches and Desert Rose Paloma, join Kove’s flagship flavor, Dragon Fruit Margarita, to complete the brand’s summer variety pack.
Kove’s San Diego headquarters features an R&D brewery focused on beverage innovation and flavor development. Koo Miyake, Kove’s head of product, leverages his years of expertise in the craft beverage industry to create innovative flavor combinations inspired by San Diego’s endless summer.
"When developing the flavors of Kove, we are inspired by daily life in San Diego," said Miyake. "Whether you're poolside, at a backyard barbecue or catching a gorgeous sunset, we wanted to make sure there was a Kove flavor to accompany all of your favorite moments. We think about beverages the same way we think about music, food and art. They should match your environment, boost your mood and most importantly, capture the art of living."
Kove’s newest line is available for purchase at select Sprouts, Barons, BevMo, Total Wine and Lazy Acres as well as San Diego restaurants and bars. A 12-pack featuring all four flavors, the “Beach Days” pack, retails for $19.99 and a single-flavor four-pack retails for $10.99.
Robinsons Ecopack
UK squash brand Robinsons has launched a new packaging concept, the Robinsons Ecopack: a highly-concentrated squash (cordial) in a plant-based carton.
The Elopak carton is made from 89% plant-based material (paperboard from responsibly managed forests) with a cap made from plastic derived from renewable raw materials. A small amount of aluminum and plastic is used to create the watertight barrier.
The Robinsons Ecopack boasts a super concentrated liquid that contains 60 serves per 500ml carton, which equates to 85% less plastic per serve when compared to Robinsons one liter Double Concentrate bottle.
Fiona Graham, Innovation lead for Robinsons, said: “As a brand, Robinsons is continuously innovating and is committed to improving the environmental impact we have. Squash is already a sustainable product due to its concentrated format. Making Robinsons available in this new format allows consumers to feel confident in the knowledge that the pack they’ve chosen has more serves, but used less packaging per serve, and can be recycled once finished.
“All packaging types have their own unique benefits and challenges, and we know there is currently no one ‘silver bullet.’ That said, we believe that continuing to innovate with products such as Robinsons Ecopack will bring us one step closer to a solution and provide consumers with a range of options.”
The pack will be trialled in 385 Tesco stores from June through to December.
James White launches children’s fruit & veggie drink range
UK company James White Drinks has announced the launch of its newest organic drinks range, developed specifically for children.
Made with high quality organic juices with 50% water added, the drinks are ‘a delicious and healthy option with the not-so-secret ingredient of vegetable juice included’.
“We think we have come up with the perfect combination of fruit and vegetable juices that kids will really enjoy – even those kids that are not normally enthusiastic about vegetables,” said Lawrence Mallinson, owner of James White Drinks.
“And we think their parents will like them also. Containing no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and gluten free – of course – the juices are certified organic by the Soil Association.”
There are two flavors; Mango, Apple, and Carrot; and Grape, Apricot, Apple, and Cucumber; packed in 20cl creatively designed ambient (12-month shelf life) cartons with a biodegradable straw.
Watermelon water
US brand Boxed Water has released its summer flavor: Watermelon.
The latest addition to Boxed Water's line contains ‘subtle hints of watermelon for the perfect refreshing summer beverage’. It is made of 100% purified drinking water and joins the existing line – Lemon, Blackberry, Cucumber and Grapefruit – which are sugar-free and contain zero artificial sweeteners.
“Watermelon will be available in a 500mL carton for a limited time through the summer, and is expected to be met with the same enthusiasm as the other flavors when they launched,” says the brand.
Boxed Water uses 92% plant-based cartons (including a plant-based cap).
Coca-Cola Creations teams up with League of Legends
Coca-Cola Creations has launched a new limited-edition flavor in collaboration with Riot Games, the publisher and developer of League of Legends.
The new Coca-Cola Ultimate ‘will provide fans and players the taste of experience points’ (+XP) and is the first collaboration with a gaming company on a Coca-Cola flavor, co-creating a flavor that will give players ‘an exhilarating taste as they queue up for a game’.
“Coca-Cola Ultimate fuses the two iconic brands with striking packaging design that features black and various shades of gold. The familiar Coca-Cola Creations logo is also complemented by a bespoke ‘Ultimate’ crest and energized with a magical blue Hextech glow. The design showcases a unique expression of the recognizable Coca-Cola Spencerian Script font, inspired by the Nexus Crystals in League of Legends,” say the partners.
Players can also unlock digital experiences via a QR code on the bottle or can.
Marquis: Lemon Lavender
Los Angeles beverage brand Marquis – ‘a beverage brand helping people rethink how they drink caffeine with deliciously refreshing, lightly-caffeinated sparkling sips’ – has launched its first botanical-inspired flavor, Lemon Lavender.
Following the launch of Pineapple Passion in early 2023, Marquis experienced 75% growth in total sales in Q1 of this year compared to the same time last year, sparking a new best-seller in its lineup. Now, Marquis introduces the ‘posh botanical blend; ahead of summer for those looking to mindfully enjoy a revitalizing, balanced caffeinated sip, with only a fraction of the amount of caffeine other beverages have.
The drink contains 100mg caffeine per can, with no sugar, calories or net carbs.
Marquis’ drinks use a ‘first-of-its-kind’, tri-blend of caffeine that combines yerba mate with green coffee and green tea, in an USDA Organic certified formula.
US craft beers launch in the UK
A total of 14 beers from six American craft breweries will become available in the UK next month, including eight which are making their debut in the country.
The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, has teamed up with global beverage importer Heathwick Ltd in the new promotion to celebrate independent American breweries.
The range will be available exclusively in large and extra-large nationwide stores of Home Bargains (275+ stores) in the promotion starting 28th June 2023 while stock lasts.
The beers come from Cruz Blanca Brewery in Chicago, IL; DC Brau Brewing Co in Washington DC; Millhouse Brewing Co in Ploughkeepsie, NY; Saugatuck Brewing Co in Douglas, MI; Tailgate Brewery in Nashville, TN; and The Virginia Beer Co in Williamsburg, VA.
Boochcraft limited release
Boochcraft, the San Diego plant-based, organic hard-kombucha company, has announced the limited release of Blueberry Ginger Ale, the second flavor in its Liquid Art Lab series for 2023.
The series is a celebration of nostalgia and presents an opportunity for Boochcraft to experiment with flavor innovation. The inspiration for this newly released beverage stemmed from the request for a “Boochified” soda, leading to a ‘beautifully balanced, ready-to-drink refreshment featuring sweetness from berries, lavender and a dry hit of ginger.’
All-natural energy beverages
Better-for-you beverage brand Remedy Drinks has expanded its organic, no-sugar energy lineup with the introduction of Berry Blast Energy and Tropical Twist Energy: ‘smooth-tasting, fizzing delicious, all natural energy beverages’.
“Both energy drinks are made with raw green coffee bean extract and ginseng and contain no sugar, only 5 calories and deliver 110mg of natural caffeine without the harsh jitters or crash,” explains the Australian brand, which has expanded to the UK and US.
“What sets Berry Blast and Tropical Twist Energy apart from other clean energy drinks are its Kombucha properties. Each can is loaded with essential gut-lovin’ ingredients like organic acids and live cultures from Kombucha.”
The new flavors are available via the brand’s website and Amazon.
