The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

2023 saw the launch of many innovative and breakthrough products in the food and beverage industry. Below are the top ten most-searched product launches on the FoodBev website.

Doritos unveils “world’s first” silent snack for gamers

Sips & Bites, Doritos and PepsiCo’s in-house agency, unveiled ‘Doritos Silent,’ the “world’s first” AI-augmented snack – powered by ‘Crunch Cancellation’. The technology cancels the sound of the crisps’ crunch for gamers in real-time as they game with each other, solving what Doritos says is a genuine consumer tension. Snacking and gaming are synonymous, with 86% of gamers claiming to snack while playing. Doritos research has uncovered that gamers are put off by the sound of other players snacking, with a third of gamers claiming the sound of someone snacking frustrates them when playing and one in five gamers saying the sound makes them want to log off, with crisps identified as the noisiest. Under development for six months, the process involved the technical analysis of more than 5,000 thousand different Doritos crunch sounds to create a database. From these recordings, Doritos ‘Crunch Cancellation’ technology utilises AI learning audio driver technology to provide gamers with an uninterrupted playing experience. The software can be downloaded for free on the Doritos web page and works exclusively with PCs. Once activated, the brand says that the software will “eliminate all traces of Doritos crunching".

Thomas’ expands breakfast portfolio with croissant bread launch

Bimbo Bakeries-owned brand Thomas’ expanded its breakfast portfolio with the launch of its Croissant Bread. Thomas’ Croissant Bread has the flaky delicate layers of a croissant, baked into a loaf and sliced for convenience, making it easier for consumers to toast. It is made with “quality” ingredients without high fructose corn syrup. Ted Swain, director of innovation for Thomas’ Breads, said: “What makes Thomas’ Croissant Bread so uniquely good is that it’s made in a croissant-style lamination process resulting in 72 layers in each loaf to get that signature flakiness you expect from a croissant”.

Häagen-Dazs collaborates with Lotus Bakeries on new Biscoff ice cream

General Mills launched a collaborative Häagen-Dazs flavour. The brand teamed up with Lotus Bakeries to pair its creamy ice cream with the popular Biscoff caramelised biscuits. Häagen-Dazs Caramel, Biscuit & Cream crafted with Biscoff offers a mix of caramelised Belgian biscuit, paired with rich and smooth caramel ice cream, to provide a smooth and creamy, yet crunchy, experience.

Dr. Oetker expands Ristorante range, adds premium tier

Dr. Oetker launched three new flavours to its Ristorante frozen pizza range and introduced a new tier of premium pizzas. A brand-new Pepperoni Mozzarella Pesto pizza joined the core range, featuring a thin and crispy crust topped with pepperoni, mozzarella and a pesto garnish. The new tier of premium pizzas, Ristorante Primo, included two flavours – Salame Piccante Nduja and Pollo Funghi Truffini. The Salame Piccante Nduja is topped with mozzarella, calabrese salame, nduja, peppadew peppers and a sweet, hot honey garnish on a chilli-infused crust. Pollo Funghi Truffini features mozzarella, roast garlic chicken, crispy bacon, sliced mushrooms and a rich truffle garnish on an Italian herb-infused crust.

Fruit-tella enters jelly market

In January Fruit-tella expanded into the jelly market with the launch of HFSS-compliant jellies, Fruit-tella Curiosities. The sweets are made with 30% reduced sugar, real fruit juice and natural colourings and flavours and come in two varieties: By the Sea and In the Snow in flavours lemon, orange and strawberry, blackberry and raspberry Lauren Potter, senior brand manager at Fruit-tella, said: “This expansion of the beloved Fruit-tella portfolio caters to parents with 4-12-year-olds who are searching for an all-natural treat for the family…with the quality assurance that comes from a trustworthy household name.”

Ambrosia expands porridge pot offering with latest addition

Ambrosia added a new flavour to its porridge pot range with apple and blueberry. The pots contain a real fruit layer that can be stirred in and British wholegrain oats, which provide a source of protein, fibre and calcium. The pots are HFSS-compliant, while containing less than 3% fat and no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Daniel Jalalpour, marketing director for desserts at Premier Foods, said: “With 73% of workers travelling into a workplace, compared to just 31% in April 2023, consumers are looking for breakfast products that are convenient and quick to consume. Ambrosia porridge pots are the ideal choice to accommodate this as they can be enjoyed hot or cold, with no need to add hot water. The new addition provides shoppers with even more flavour choice at breakfast.”

Cove Gut Healthy Drinks launches sugar-free functional sodas

Cove Gut Healthy Drinks launched a sugar-free, functional soda made with 1 billion probiotics and prebiotics. Cove Soda comes in two flavours: orange, grape and lemon-lime. The range, which is said to be the first to market in Canada, uses organic ingredients and is made with a natural plant blend sweetener that combines probiotics and prebiotics to enhance gut health. Cove Gut Healthy Drinks CEO John MacLellan said: “Our success with Cove Kombucha has given us great insight into consumer behaviour, including their continuous desire to educate themselves on improving gut health”.

Ocean Spray introduces sweeter cranberry juice

Cranberry juice brand Ocean Spray has introduced a different, sweeter type of cranberry juice drink, Ocean Spray Pink Cranberry. The new drink contains vitamin C, with no added sugar, artificial colours or flavourings. It contains a blend of pink, red and white cranberries, which provide a smooth, sweet and refreshing taste compared to the tangy flavour of red cranberry juice. Jo Dickinson, senior UK marketing manager at Ocean Spray, said: “Research shows nearly three-quarters of non-cranberry juice consumers would be more likely to drink cranberry if it had a sweeter taste profile... We knew we had to find a solution that was different, unexpected even, yet consistent with Ocean Spray’s brand values.”

Kerrygold introduces new butter blends

Kerrygold launched a new range of butter blends, a savoury range of flavoured butters. The brand’s creamy line of butter is made with milk from Irish grass-fed cows and slowly churned for a smooth finish. Free from artificial flavours or preservatives, the new butter blend offerings are made with milk rich in naturally occurring beta-carotene. The new range includes three varieties: Chive & Onion, Sundried Tomato & Basil and Bell Pepper & Garden Herbs

Sharwood’s unveils reduced fat curry pastes

Premier Foods-owned brand Sharwood’s launched a new range of reduced-fat curry pastes. The new range includes three pastes with 30% less fat than their full-fat counterparts, available in tikka masala, madras and korma flavours. Andrey Sokirkin, global marketing director for cooking sauces and accompaniments at Premier Foods, said: “Premier Foods has been leading the way in offering consumers healthier options that maintain great taste and the new Sharwood’s 30% Reduced Fat Pastes are the latest in this offering. The Sharwood’s healthier range is set to appeal to health-conscious shoppers – particularly younger people who are seeking ‘better for you’ options from across our portfolio.”