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Fruit flavours are appearing in more places than ever, extending beyond traditional iced teas and soft drinks into snacks, frozen desserts, protein bars and functional beverages. From peach in premium ice cream and sparkling tea, to cherry in protein bars and zero-sugar colas, brands are using familiar, familiar flavours to innovate and respond to growing demand for convenient products.

Here, FoodBev highlights recent launches across categories, showing how fruit is being applied in indulgent, convenient and functional formats.

Twinings

In January, Twinings expanded its ready-to-drink Sparkling Tea portfolio with the launch of Revive, a peach-led variant positioned within the brand’s premium, functional refreshment range.

The new flavour blends lightly brewed Chinese green tea with peach and apple juice, elderflower infusion and sparkling water. It contains fewer than 50 calories per 250ml can and is made with no added sugar, artificial sweeteners or colours.

Sweetness is derived from fruit juice, with lime juice providing acidity and elderflower delivering a floral finish. 

Developed by Twinings’ master blenders, herbalists and R&D team, Revive uses a subtly flavoured green tea selected to complement the fruit and floral notes.

In line with the wider Sparkling Tea range, the product is fortified with magnesium, niacin and vitamin C, targeting reduced tiredness and fatigue and normal psychological function. 

Magnum

Magnum has expanded its Signature range with two new flavours, pistachio and peach. The launches feature a premium shell with flavour inclusions, a gelato core and the brand’s signature cracking chocolate coating, and are sold in 90ml single sticks and 3x90ml multipacks.

La Pistache combines caramelised salted pistachio pieces with pistachio gelato and ice cream, tapping into strong momentum behind the flavour – UK ice cream sales of pistachio rose 74% in 2025. La Pêche pairs a peach-flavoured shell with peach gelato, bringing the fruit into a more indulgent, layered ice cream format.

The launches follow 2025’s Double Cherry and Double Hazelnut – the category’s two best-selling new products – and mark the first NPD under the standalone Magnum Ice Cream Company, reinforcing its focus on premium, flavour-led growth.

Coca-Cola

Earlier this month, Coca-Cola announced that it will expand its cherry-flavoured soft drinks portfolio in North America by launching a new Cherry Float variant and reintroducing Diet Coke Cherry nationwide.

The new products will join its existing Coca-Cola Cherry and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Cherry lines.

The move reflects Coca-Cola’s continued focus on extending core brands through flavour variations rather than launching entirely new trademarks, a strategy widely adopted by major beverage groups to defend shelf space and stimulate incremental sales amid slowing soda volumes in developed markets.

Coca-Cola Cherry Float is positioned as a modern take on a traditional soda fountain drink, combining cherry and vanilla notes without dairy. It will be sold in both full-sugar and zero-sugar versions, signalling the company’s ongoing effort to balance indulgence with demand for reduced-sugar options.

Diet Coke Cherry, previously available only in limited markets, will return nationwide with updated packaging. The zero-calorie drink targets loyal Diet Coke consumers while tapping into renewed interest in retro flavours, a trend increasingly visible across food and beverage categories.

Nākd

Fruit-led innovation has also extended into protein snacking, with Nākd expanding its range with Protein Cherry Bars. The launch introduced a cherry variant to the existing line-up of Cocoa Hazelnut, Peanut Butter and Caramel.

The bar is made with 100% natural ingredients, is cold pressed and contains 6g of plant-based protein per serving, with no added sugar. It is HFSS compliant and positioned within the protein cereal bar segment, where demand for convenient, on-the-go formats continues to grow.

The launch built on momentum behind Nākd, the UK’s seventh largest cereal bar brand, worth £40.8 million and growing 9.6% year on year. Protein Cherry Bars launched exclusively into Sainsbury’s from 11 February.

Capri-Sun

Capri-Sun expanded its UK range with Mango & Passion Fruit, reinforcing momentum behind tropical flavour profiles in juice and soft drinks. The variant rolled out nationally from 5 February in the brand’s 330ml resealable pouch across major supermarkets and wholesale channels.

The launch combined mango and passion fruit in a zero added sugar formulation, with no artificial flavours or preservatives, reflecting ongoing regulatory pressure on sugar reduction and sustained demand for cleaner-label family beverages. Capri-Sun said consumer testing showed the new flavour outperformed competing products on taste.

The brand also highlighted its packaging credentials as part of the launch. Capri-Sun said its pouch format carried a lower carbon footprint than other beverage packaging formats and was fully kerbside recyclable in the UK, aligning with retailers’ sustainability and Scope 3 reporting priorities.

The move underscored Capri-Sun’s focus on flavour innovation, reformulation and packaging differentiation as it competed for share in the ambient juice and soft drinks market.

Natural Grocers

Functional fruit offerings have also moved into frozen formats, with Natural Grocers expanding its private-label range with five new Organic Frozen Fruits and Smoothie Blends, available exclusively in-store.

The line-up includes Organic Frozen Sunshine and Super Boost Smoothie Blends, Tropical Fruit Blend, Sliced Bananas and Sliced Peaches. All products are USDA certified organic, harvested at peak ripeness, quickly frozen to preserve nutrients and flavour, and packaged without added sugar, preservatives or synthetic colours.

The new additions build on Natural Grocers’ broader private-label range, which has grown to more than 900 products since 2016, and provide versatile options for blending, baking or topping, delivering fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and natural sweetness in a convenient frozen format.

Maison Perrier

Sparkling water has also seen a move toward functional, fruit-flavoured offerings, with Maison Perrier introducing French Kiss, its first sweetened sparkling water with prebiotic benefits. Each can contains at least 10% real fruit juice, 6g of fiber, and less than 1g of sugar.

The range includes four flavour combinations: Blackberry & Lemon, Peach & Cherry, Mango & Coconut, and Raspberry & Lime, blending complementary fruit notes with subtle sweetness and digestive support.

French Kiss launched on Amazon and Harris Teeter, with a six-can pack priced at $8.49, and will expand to Target, Publix and nationwide availability by early April 2026.

Welch’s

Fruit innovation continues into convenient snacking, with Welch’s expanding its Fusions line with two new varieties: Citrus Surge and Tropical Tornado. The launch follows the success of Fusions Original Fruits, which became one of the brand’s best-selling innovations.

Fusions combines two flavours in every bite, pairing a chewy exterior with a juicy centre. Citrus Surge includes Pink Grapefruit & Tangerine, Lime & Tart Cherry and Yuzu Lemon & Strawberry, while Tropical Tornado features Dragon Fruit & Mango, Kiwi & Strawberry, and Pineapple & Passionfruit.

Original Fruits flavours remain Watermelon & Lemon, Blueberry & Raspberry and Peach & Green Apple.

All Fusions varieties are made with natural flavours and colours from natural sources, are gluten- and peanut-free, and provide vitamins A, C and E. The new flavours are rolling out in convenience stores, with broader distribution to Amazon, Walmart and major grocery chains planned.

Milo’s Tea Company

Refrigerated beverages are also seeing fruit-led expansion, with Milo’s Tea Company introducing three new drinks: Fruit Punch, Zero Sugar Lemonade and Limited Edition Blackberry Sweet Tea. The launches build on Milo’s reputation for using real, high-quality ingredients in categories often dominated by shelf-stable, artificial options.

Fruit Punch reimagines the classic family favourite with 100% natural ingredients, no preservatives and a balanced, shareable fruity blend. Zero Sugar Lemonade extends the brand’s sugar-free line-up, offering a bright, fresh lemonade taste with no added sugar, preservatives or acids.

The Limited Edition Blackberry Sweet Tea blends fresh-brewed Milo’s sweet tea with natural blackberry flavor and is available through May 2026.

All three beverages are available in gallon sizes at over 2,500 Walmart stores nationwide, with additional distribution in regional grocery chains. Fruit Punch is also sold in half-gallon sizes, while Zero Sugar Lemonade comes in half-gallon and 20oz single-serve formats.