The number of non alcoholic drinks on the shelves is increasing and all thanks to some highly imaginative and inventive entrepreneurs. Claire Phoenix has compiled an A-Z of drinks underlining current trends in health, refreshment and indulgence.
A number of these have just entered the World Beverage Innovation Awards – take a look and see how yours shakes out – there’s still time to be included.
Acáo from Germany is an organic and vegan energy juice drink, packaged in 250ml slimline cans from can maker Rexam, indicating the trend towards natural energy. The beverage is made of organic fruit juices, replacing additives with infusions of guarana berries for a natural stimulant.
Be Well Nutrition has released a café au lait flavour for its Iconic line of protein drinks – another strong move in beverages over the past few years. It is made with Colombian coffee for a bold and authentic coffee taste. The packaging is designed as a convenient breakfast-time on-the-go snack, or workout recovery beverage. It has also been redesigned by making the move into a plastic HDPE bottle, increasing the package size from 11oz to 12oz.
CBL Drinks has launched a range of premium, sparkling flavoured spring waters as part of its Perfectly Clear brand. Underlining the move to sugar-free, the Clear Sensation range is available in four flavour combinations: lemon and mint, strawberry and raspberry, pomegranate and blueberry, and apple and pear. Packaged in transparent 500ml bottles, it contains the added vitamins A, B3, B5, B6, B12, D3, K1 and H.
DrinkMaple is just one of quite a few maple waters to make it onto the market this year. Collected from Vermont maple trees in the spring and sold in a 1 litre tetra pak.
Easy Greens from Innocent is a fresh tasting, cold pressed juice made from a blend of fruit and veg, including celery, cucumber and spinach with ginger. Douglas Lamont, Innocent CEO, said: “By cold pressing the juices, we are able to use sensitive ingredients such as cucumber and spinach, whose colour, taste and texture would change significantly if they were exposed to any heat. The resulting juices have a lovely, vibrant colour and fresh taste, just like the fruit and veg we use to make them, and offer great nutritional benefits.’
Frobishers has rebranded and repackaged its Fusion juice drink brand, and is set to launch in various foodservice outlets. Foodservice is no longer the poor relation with many niche and premium brands making their appearance here, where cost is less of an issue.
Firefly Revitalising Juice Drinks has also relaunched with a refreshed brand including a vibrant redesign and release of a 400ml on-the-go PET bottle. In a new move, a botanical stamp has been placed on the top of bottle lids to reinforce the message that the drinks are “boosted with botanical blends”.
Green Mustache cold pressed juices are US-based and have the ethos of “making it healthier, making it fun and making it taste good”.
H Factor has unveiled its line of hydrogen-rich water in the US, potentially opening up an innovative new water category within this beverage sector. The product is naturally infused with an optimal level of molecular hydrogen, building upon the growth of the industry in Asia. The aluminium packaging pouch helps to maintain the integrity of the water, as the individual hydrogen molecules are too light and small to be contained effectively by conventional materials. The water could apparently improve athletic performance and recovery; increase energy levels; and relieve fatigue, hangovers, allergies, jet lag, skin irritation, inflammation and circulation.
Innocent fruit and veg drinks are a clever ploy by smoothie specialist Innocent drinks to get children to consume more vegetables.
Just Water is a new spring water brand in a Tetra Top paper based bottle in the US. The one-step open packaging offers a new way for brands to deliver grab-and-go beverages to forward-thinking consumers, the packaging manufacturer said. The recyclable packaging is made primarily from renewable paper. Just Water selected Tetra Top because of the carton’s low carbon footprint and a manufacturing process that conserves energy and water. Moreover, the carton has post-recyclable use as paper products and green building materials
Karma Cola is a new craft cola made with real cola nut and the best organic and Fairtrade ingredients. It has gone on sale in Waitrose stores in the UK in conjunction with existing listings in more than 500 shops, cafés, restaurants and bars. Named The World’s Fairest Trader in 2014 by Fairtrade International, Karma Cola pays farmers a fair price and works directly with cola nut farmers in Boma village in Sierra Leone, to help rebuild their crops and their communities.
Krispy Kreme has announced that three of its RTD iced coffee flavours will be made available in the retail channel through participating grocery, convenience and mass merchant stores across the US. This move highlights the move to adult confectionery beverages with mocha, vanilla and caramel varieties available in individual 10oz and take-home 32oz sizes.
Healthy beverage brand Lifetonics has recently secured a new listing in Waitrose for its three nutrient-enhanced revitalising drinks. They are available in coconut and mint, Dalandan orange, and elderberry and juniper varieties. They have been specifically formulated with naturally derived sweeteners, and contain neither refined sugar nor artificial sweeteners yet offer exotic flavour choice.
MilkSplash is the pocket-sized way to make milk more interesting for children. The growth in small water enhancers has now extended to create dairy drinks – not just flavoured water. The cleverness is having a pack that is nice to handle, easy to use but never leaks into the pocket or schoolbag.
Morinaga’s TBC Placenta Plus vitamin C blood orange is a new product in its TBC beauty drink series. Lasting 90 days in the fridge, each 240ml plastic cup contains 100mg of placenta, 165mg of vitamin C and 30% blood orange fruit juice.
UK-based beverage start-up Nomi (which means “drink” in Japanese) has launched a premium range of bottled 100% natural cold brew coffees, inspired by the Japanese RTD coffee market. It is available in Tokyo black, Kyoto iced and Osaka almond varieties .The drink is cold-brewed for 16 hours to ensure low acidity and a smooth flavour.
Nameraka Honpo Isoflavon Sparkling is a collagen beauty drink. This carbonated citrus-flavoured beverage contains isoflavone, collagen, hyaluronic acid, lactobionic acid, 2% fruit juice and fermented soy milk. With beauty claims, it is low-calorie and targeted at females in their early 20s. Available in a 140ml clear glass bottle, from Nihon Yamamura Glass.
Old Orchard Brands introduced three blend-and-serve lines of non-alcoholic frozen cocktail mixes: margarita, piña colada and strawberry daiquiri. The mixes can be made with or without alcohol and are sold in 12oz plastic cans with a recommended retail price of $1.98. All three flavours are made with real fruit juice, providing up to six 8oz servings in each container.
Pierre Hermé Nomu Yogurt Infiniment Mandarine from Ohayo Dairies is the latest in the line of Pierre Hermé-inspired drinking yogurt beverages. Like the macaroon on which it is based, it uses mandarin orange fruit juice and peel, and each 180g plastic cup contains 169kcal lasting 17 days.
Qcumber with spicy ginger is the latest flavour from the Qcumber range of lightly sparkling spring waters with cucumber. There’s also Qcumber with garden mint and of course the original – with cucumber!
Rehatime (meaning “rehabilitation time”) Jelly from Morinaga Dairies is a Muscat grape-flavoured pouch jelly drink for supporting rehabilitation after illness. Aimed at care homes and medical institutions, it contains 2500mg of BCAA (1,400mg of which is leucine); 10g of protein; 2µg of vitamin D; shikuwasa extract; and is high in polyphenols.
Birch water brand Sibberi has launched 250ml and 500ml plastic bottle sizes, as it seeks to further capitalise on the UK’s emerging alternative water market. Its introduction follows the launch of a 330ml glass bottle of birch water in July, and has been prompted by the brand’s continuing success. It continues a series of alternative water innovations that have included coconut water, maple water and even cactus and artichoke waters being introduced in recent years.
In France, Smart-Chimp has launched an antioxidant water with spirulina, which has many benefits including protecting cells against oxidation; helping the body to purify blood; and stimulating the immune system. The drink’s natural blue colour is given by phycocyanine protein in spirulina.
Temple Turmeric Super Lights are functional beverages designed to support a positive inflammatory response, made using the brand’s own Hawaiian Oana turmeric. The drinks with 40 calories per bottle are in hibiscus berry-ade, lemon ginger-ade and strawberry lemonade varieties.
Tg teas are symptomatic of a major move to RTD green tea with flavours that make it easy to drink. These iced green tea drinks contain ginseng – there are also Hot Tg pyramid tea bags and organic matcha variants.
Ubuntu ethical cola is from the Natural Beverages Company and owes its sweet taste to the Kasinthula Smallholder Cane Grower Scheme in Malawi’s Shire Valley.
Volvic Touch of Fruit is a new sparkling range, which launched a £1.5m television advertising campaign, as it prepares to roll out an apple and raspberry sparkling flavour.
Wow Water from US-based NutriTwist is a naturally sweetened soft drink designed as a healthy beverage by Peter Andoni for his diabetic son. The drink incorporates vitamins B, C, and D, hydrating electrolytes, all natural sweeteners from cane sugar and stevia, no artificial colourings or high fructose corn syrup.
Yazoo, the flavoured milk brand from FrieslandCampina, is now using ergonomic bottles that are better for the environment – being made of a PET plastic that includes 20% recycled material, rather than the HDPE. They eliminate the need for an aluminium foil lid saving 2 tonnes of waste per year – enough aluminium to make more than 1,700 bicycle frames.
Zeo has a new range of six lightly carbonated, low-sugar flavours with a sleek glass bottle and green logo depicting the brand’s natural identity, available in 275ml and 750ml variants: the collection includes peach and grapefruit; zesty lime, blood orange and citrus, mixed berry, cloudy lemonade and spiced cola.
So much is happening in the beverage arena from placenta drinks (yuck!) to dessert style and all natural energy drinks – you can keep an eye on these launches and many more in the pages of Beverage Innovation magazine.
If you have your own non-alcoholic (or even alcoholic) drink that should be talked about on the world stage then now is the time to enter the World Beverage Innovation Awards being presented in November in Nuremberg at BrauBeviale. The closing date is 22 September and we all know how time flies by.
All entries feature in the digital showcase magazine and online on FoodBev.com – and you may well have a winner on your hands. Past entrants have been delighted with the coverage received and global publicity – that’s why these are the industry’s top beverage awards. Celebrate your differentiation!
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