What's hitting the shelves? New beverages in November
Ocean Spray Zero Sugar
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., the agricultural cooperative owned by roughly 700 farmer families, has launched Ocean Spray Zero Sugar Juice Drink.
This is the first beverage from Ocean Spray with 'bold flavor', 0g of sugar, and no artificial sweeteners.
Ocean Spray Zero Sugar Juice Drink will be available in two flavors: Ocean Spray’s iconic Cranberry flavor and Mixed Berry, a new flavor to the brand’s beverage portfolio.
The drink is made with real fruit juice and sweetened with stevia.
“From full flavor blends to refreshing diet and now bold zero sugar, Ocean Spray is committed to developing product innovations that continually meet the needs and desires of consumers who are seeking out more options for their juice drink,” said Trinh Le, Vice President, Next Generation Beverages and Omni-Channel Marketing at Ocean Spray.
“We’re excited to be the first brand to introduce this new innovative product in the shelf stable aisle and continue our legacy of beverage innovation.”
Earlier this year, Ocean Spray launched another “better-for-you” juice line, which includes Immunity Cranberry Blueberry Acai, Immunity Orange Mango, and Ocean Spray Revitalize Cranberry Pineapple Juice Drink.
These function-forward beverages are made with real fruit juice, no artificial sweeteners, and zero added sugar.
Ocean Spray Zero Sugar Juice Drinks will be available across the US at grocery stores and Walmart from this month.
Dandelion-spiced rum
Warner’s Distillery – a UK gin distiller – has launched its first rum.
Discovering that dandelion root delivers a warm spice when roasted and distilled, the makers of Warner’s Distillery now cultivate 600 square meters of dandelions, which are then roasted in its local coffee roasters and form the base of the rum.
Beginning with a white Caribbean rum base, the brand uses, alongside dandelion root, smoky black cardamom, cinnamon, pink peppercorn, overripe bananas and discarded orange peel to provide the rum’s flavor.
Cassia and sarsaparilla - alongside more dandelion and orange peel - are added post-distillation.
“In the process of building this innovative liquid we’ve learned just how versatile and sustainable the humble dandelion is,” said Co-Founder Tina Warner.
“It is a hardy plant that some may call a weed and in addition to the number of pollinators it supports, the plant itself has multiple uses and we’re excited to be the first to put it into a super-premium spirit.
The brand launched exclusively with Greene King on 17 October in more than 150 Chef & Brewer restaurants and on Greene King’s website, and will soon be available in independent shops.
Nutricia launches medical drink to help children
Danone’s health and nutritional care firm Nutricia has launched a medical drink to help pediatric patients: which is rolling out in the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
The drink is composed of a mix of real fruit and vegetables, formulated with the intention of mitigating disease-related malnutrition and faltering growth.
Malnourishment can prevent children from growing properly, and one in two hospitalized children are malnourished. Created through a collaboration between parents and younger patients, Fortini + Mix Multi Fibre aims to help malnourished children grow. Providing one third of their five-a-day, the drink supports children who have a wide range of medical conditions.
“We know the role that food plays, not only in terms of health, but also socially and emotionally. And this is no exception for younger patients with specific medical nutritional needs. When nutritional intervention is needed, the lack of naturalness can be frustrating for both younger patients and their parents”, says June Zhang, VP of Categories, Brands and Innovation Specialized Nutrition at Danone.
“We are pleased to pioneer our first medical nutrition drink with a balance of real fruit and vegetable ingredients, empowering patients’ needs, Healthcare Professionals recommendations and parental wishes.”
Adaptogenic juices
California’s Pressed Juicery has introduced a new line of Adaptogenic juices - a first for the brand.
“There’s no better way to unwind and stay level-headed this holiday season - and beyond - than with Pressed Juicery’s new line of adaptogenic juices including the Unwind Tonic and Calm Shot,” says the brand.
“Featuring Ashwagandha as one of the key ingredients along with L-Theanine, the collection is formulated to help unwind and ease everyday anxiety and stress.”
Unwind Tonic retails at $6.95 and is “crafted with this adaptogenic blend of tart cherry, chamomile, Ashwagandha, and L-theanine to promote calmness within your body and mind. Enhance your daily wellness by getting 20% of your daily magnesium and 225mg of Ashwagandha.”
Calm Shot retails for $3.75 and this “one-sip-wonder has a magical blend of Ashwagandha, L-theanine, and magnesium to speedily support your inner zen. With 20% of your daily magnesium packed in a pocket-sized bottle, this blend promotes serenity for your mind, body, and soul, allowing you to tackle everyday stressors with ease.”
Hazy IPA-style hard seltzer
Massachusetts adult beverage brand Willie’s Superbrew has added a new flavor to its lineup of hard seltzers with Juicy Hazy Hoppy: designed to offer ‘the flavors of a traditional New England hazy IPA with fewer calories, bolder flavors and only real-fruit ingredients’.
“At 6% alcohol by volume and a whopping 23% juice, Juicy Hazy Hoppy is a tropical hard seltzer reminiscent of your favorite hazy IPA,” says the company.
“Brewed with aromatic Citra and Mosaic hops, real mango and pineapple and topped with a squeeze of fresh lime, Juicy Hazy Hoppy is one of the most flavorful seltzers ever produced. The real fruits, purees and juices give the hard seltzer a beautiful, bright color and super flavorful taste that sets it apart from anything else on the shelves.”
Juicy Hazy Hoppy joins Juicy Ginger Lemon, Willie’s spin on ginger beer, and Juicy Mango Tango, a mango passionfruit hard seltzer, to round out the company’s core lineup.
Juicy Hazy Hoppy is available in select retailers across the East Coast including North Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire, with Maine and Vermont coming soon.
RTD cocktail launch
Horton Ready-To-Drink Cocktails – a line of coconut rum-based canned cocktails from influence Krista Horton and her husband Bryce Horton – has launched in the US.
The line is made with real distilled rum from Florida Caribbean Distillers – the largest rum producer in the US – and coconut. The line includes Diet Kola, Pineapple Soda and Lime Soda.
Although Krista Horton has collaborated with other brands, Horton RTD is her first self-owned project.
“A portable new spin on her favorite cocktail combo – rum and diet cola – the bubbly lineup brings to market a new kind of coconut rum experience,” says the brand. “Exclusively available in a 12 can Party Pack, Horton RTD cocktails are the perfect choice to brighten your next gathering – no matter the season.”
Each can comes in at 7% ABV, 6-7 grams of sugar and 150 calories.
Hand-crafted potato vodka inspired by the Yorkshire Dales
Collaboration Spirits, a Yorkshire, UK spirits company created by two families, has launched Nine Tines Vodka, a super smooth small-batch premium potato vodka using potatoes grown in the lush fields of the Yorkshire Dales.
The grain and gluten-free vodka is carefully hand-crafted from field to bottle - nine miles from field to distillery - using Yorkshire spring water. It is distilled 30 times over copper plates before being filtered through charcoal to produce ‘a perfectly balanced smooth and creamy vodka’.
The name is inspired from the number of ‘tines’ on a potato fork which is used to gently lift the potatoes from the ground, what historians would call a sippet. With specially rounded ends to ensure the precious potatoes are not damaged when hand turning, a sippet traditionally had nine or ten tines in a simple row.
Collaboration Spirits co-founder Richard Smith said: “We have purposely gone ‘against the grain’ in creating Nine Tines Vodka by crafting a potato-based vodka which uses the best Yorkshire ingredients. We have chosen a deliberately slow distilling process which gives the vodka an unmistakable purity and smoothness."
The tasting notes read: “Toffee-like sweetness, with vanilla and delicate warming spices perfectly balanced by savory earthy notes. Satisfying mouthfeel, both soft and creamy with a lingering finish – perfect for sipping neat or savoring in a Martini.”
Collaboration Spirits is launching Nine Tines in the UK with a focus on the retail and hospitality market. Nine Tines (40% ABV), retails for £39 (70cl).
