UK-based premium milkshake brand Shaken Udder has launched a new line of protein milkshakes in two flavour variants. Available in chocolate and strawberry flavours, the new shakes contain 20g of protein per serving and are made with Belgian chocolate and real strawberries. The ambient protein milkshakes contain no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners. Shaken Udder’s co-founder Andrew Howie said: “We identified a clear need for a mainstream protein brand within the milkshake category that still delivers exceptional taste. Our target shoppers aren’t focused on functional gains but they are seeking a nutritious treat with a boost of protein.” Jo Abram, marketing director at Shaken Udder, added: “Our new range of protein shakes will meet the needs of consumers looking for delicious flavour and real ingredients, with a 20g protein hit. A recent study we conducted shows that 70% of consumers recognise us for our ‘good quality ingredients’ and over 60% for our ‘premium’ shakes.” This is the latest innovation from Shaken Udder, which launched two new flavours of its classic milkshakes in September last year, Double Choc and White Choc. It also introduced an ambient variant of its fan-favourite Strawberry flavour in August. The new protein milkshakes will launch into Sainsbury’s supermarkets from 10 April.

Australian start-up and cell-based meet pioneer Vow has unveiled Quailia, an entirely new food crafted from a subspecies of the Japanese quail. The launch makes Vow the third company worldwide to market food derived from cultured cells* after Good Meat and Upside Foods received approval and began serving their cell-based chicken in restaurants in Singapore and the US last year. A Vow spokesperson told The Cell Base: "The Singapore Food Agency independently assessed our entire product and process from start to end and concluded that it is completely safe for human consumption. In doing so, Forged Parfait received world-first approval for consumption in Singapore on 20 March 2024." Launched in Singapore, the cultivated quail parfait, named Forged Parfait, is Vow’s flagship product from its new range, Vow Forged. To create Forged Parfait, Vow began with a small sample of cells from a Japanese quail. The company's food scientists identified and isolated the cells that contributed to taste and texture, before moving them to a bioreactor to emulate the natural growth conditions needed to flourish. Vow's chefs then mixed those cells with other ingredients to create Quailia – which is made entirely without serum. In a statement, Vow said: “Unlike its traditional counterpart, Quailia is without a heart, brain, feathers, or bones – its entire body consists only of rich flavours, delicate textures and delectable meat made to be eaten”. Vow’s CEO George Peppou added: “Today we are making history yet again. We tantalised diners around the world with the mammoth meatball, and now we're bringing to life another world-first – an entirely new, utterly delectable animal. Quailia is the ultimate expression of what we do – intentionally create foods unlike anything we’ve had before." "Forged Parfait combines a flavour and texture combination you can’t find anywhere else. The result is a delightful contradiction rich yet delicate with a unique weightless, melt-in-your-mouth quality.” Forged’s innovations are tapping into increased consumer demand for novelty and never-before-tasted ingredients, creating foods with new flavour and texture combinations. Ryan Clift, a chef who has collaborated with Forged, added: “I’m so blown away by the profile of Forged Parfait. It’s sweet, has a beautiful, delicate flavour, and the texture is always perfect. It’s the perfect parfait.” Forged Parfait will be available to experience first at Mandala Club’s MORI in Singapore from 12-27 April, with continued roll out ‘at some of the finest restaurants in the country' in the coming months. *Israeli start-up Aleph Farms secured a 'no questions' letter from the Israeli Ministry of Health in January this year, granting approval for the safety of its cell-based beef, but has not yet launched products.

In the dynamic alcohol category, sound serves as a key player in shaping brand experiences. However, a recent report by amp sound branding uncovers a surprising lack of unique sonic identities among top alcohol brands. The findings highlight a missed opportunity for differentiation and recognition. As brands navigate this sonic landscape, they face a critical choice: to pioneer their distinctive sound or risk being drowned out by the competition. Rex Hirschhorn, research and insights consultant at amp, tells us more. Picture an atmosphere where alcohol is being served…is it solitary and silent, or sociable and vibrant? From the moment a can or bottle is cracked to the first sip, alcohol and the impending imbibing ritual are inextricably intertwined with the medium of sound. Although these prototypical sounds are ubiquitous indicators of the alcohol-consuming experience, they cannot replace the unique flexibility and adaptability of a sonic identity. A sonic identity can be defined as the translation of a brand’s ethos, values or personality into sound. How, then, do alcohol brands find ways to differentiate themselves within an industry filled with universal product sounds? In our latest report, The Sound of Alcohol, the team analysed and ranked the top 50 alcohol brands by their use of music and sound (over the last 12 months) based on the top five brands from each sub-sector by market share. What the team discovered both surprised and disappointed us greatly. Only one brand, Pilsner Urquell, has and uses a sonic identity. With that said, it came as no surprise that the alcohol sector excessively utilised licensed music in advertisements and marketing materials. Licensed music and alcohol are an inseparable combination; this even bleeds into the live event space, with nearly all music festivals and venues (and even some bands) boasting alcohol sponsors to enjoy alongside performances. There are two main problems with this dependency on licensed music. First, it is extremely expensive; brands can shell out millions on a single track. Second, there is no ownership, as two brands can use the same song, meaning growth in brand equity and recognition is a non-starter. For example, in this year’s Super Bowl, Bud Light’s spot featured ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ by Steppenwolf. This track was used many years earlier by Miller in their ‘Beach’ commercial. We wanted to see if the immense license investment among alcohol brands held any value. We asked 150 beer-drinking Americans to connect popular beer brands to the licensed music of corresponding popular campaigns. As seen in Figure 1, even at the best, only 25% could match the song to the brand. This leading brand, Bud Light, is also a little misleading because it used ESPN/ABC’s Monday night football theme song, meaning the connection may be between football and Bud Light rather than music. This is all to say that the investment in licensed music does not pay back the cost of brand recognition, even if you use the same licensed track in almost every commercial, like Modelo. We were so intrigued by the lack of connection that we ran a follow-up study (not included in our latest report) on the most-watched sporting event in the US, the Super Bowl. Less than 24 hours after the big game had ended, we asked Super Bowl viewers to match the song used in beer ads to the corresponding brand. As seen in Figure 2, most Super Bowl viewers could not make the connection the next day. This is not to say that song choice holds no value, but rather the opposite; music holds so much value that using a track that represents your brand is imperative in an industry so innately tied to music. We added one non-beer brand, T-Mobile, to the above Super Bowl study because they used their sonic logo (the audible version of a visual brand logo) in their big game spot. 84% of those same participants were able to match the sonic logo to T-Mobile, which is in stark contrast to the licensed track results previously discussed. Despite this, licensed music is not the biggest problem that plagues the alcohol industry in the sonic sphere. 50% of the brands the amp team analysed used a majority of stock music in their advertisements, and 19% of all content shared in the alcohol industry had no music at all. These numbers are extremely high for an industry with such an incredible historical connection to the sonic world. This excessive use of stock music (or no music) in marketing materials was found to be greatest among unexpected alcohol types: hard seltzer and champagne. Hard Seltzer is the newest and most heavily invested-in fad – it would not be unreasonable to expect this sub-sector to acknowledge the importance of sound. However, the amp team found the sub-sector appears to be going flat, with hard seltzer brands utilizing no music in 41% of their external advertisements. How can such a nascent industry find itself stuck in a silent era? Champagne, on the other hand – being such a premium beverage – sounded discounted according to amp research. Champagne brands use, on average, 71% stock music, which directly opposes their seemingly luxurious offering. Taylor Swift is right; champagne problems really do exist. With waning seltzer sales, these two sonically stunted alcohol types should serve as a cautionary tale for the next new industry investment, alcohol-free beverages. Many current alcohol brands have started providing no-alcohol options (0% alcohol beverages), while new brands have also popped up. This inclusive addition to the market provides an incredible opportunity for brands to begin thinking about a holistic sound strategy at the inception of their product. While the rise of alcohol-free brands and products provides an opportunity to establish sonic identities in a sparse field, current alcohol brands are not out of play. The lack of branded sonic assets (such as a sonic logo or a holistic sonic identity) within the sector means that the next brand to establish audible assets will be at an incredible advantage and will have the opportunity to sonically pioneer their alcohol type. Just as Netflix was the first to create a sonic logo in the streaming world, the early players tend to be ubiquitous in the industry and become cultural drivers. So, which alcohol brands will explore their true sonic flavour, and which will be overpowered by the competition? We will wait to see! #Marketing

Israeli molecular farming company PoLoPo has announced its new SuperAA platform, which can produce proteins in common plant crops. The platform is currently deployed in potatoes at greenhouse scale and can generate both a native protein (patatin) as well as egg protein (ovalbumin) through proprietary metabolic engineering techniques. The cutting-edge SuperAA platform turns the potato plant into a micro-'biofactory' that manufactures the target amino acids in the plant and stores them in the tuber. PoLoPo harvests the tubers when they reach sufficient size, extracting the proteins before drying them into powder. The resulting powders are said to ‘seamlessly’ integrate into current food processing lines and formulations. PoLoPo started with potatoes due to their resilience in diverse climates, low growth costs, short maturation time, relatively large storage capacity in the form of tubers, high yield per land use and compatibility with existing harvesting and processing technology. PoLoPo’s CEO, Maya Sapir-Mir, said: “The SuperAA platform uses plants as living factories and leverages their natural productivity and storage organs to grow proteins that are identical to protein derived from a chicken’s egg. The high-scale production of proteins in plants via molecular farming has the potential to economically transform not only potato farming and processing, but broader agriculture and ag-tech, for a more resilient and sustainable food system.” Currently being used to develop patatin and ovalbumin, PoLaPo’s ovalbumin can be used in packaged foods for its functional properties, including texture and stability, as well as for enhancing nutritional value and increasing shelf life. Patatin powder can be used as an allergen-free protein for a variety of products such as plant-based meat and dairy, baked goods, cereals, snacks, beverages, sports nutrition and nutraceuticals. PoLoPo says its proteins will soon be available to the food industry for testing.

Two limited-edition Krispy Kreme doughnuts are launching in the UK next week, in partnership with chocolate brands KitKat and Aero. A new ‘Krumbled’ doughnut, featuring a KitKat-flavoured chocolate filling and crumb on top of a chocolate iced doughnut aims to deliver an indulgent ‘crunchy and creamy’ experience. Meanwhile, the ‘Bubbly’ ring doughnut offering is filled with peppermint chocolate and topped with an Aero chocolate topping mix, with an Aero peppermint chocolate ‘bubble’ placed as the ‘cherry on top’. The KitKat and Aero doughnuts will be available between 11 April and 19 May at Krispy Kreme stores, selected supermarket cabinets in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s, and through third-party delivery partners UberEats, JustEat and Deliveroo. Both doughnuts will be priced at £3.25.

US cold-pressed juice brand Pressed Juicery has expanded its portfolio with the launch of ready-to-drink nootropic coffees and matcha. The range consists of a cold brew, coffee latte and matcha latte infused with mushrooms like reishi, lion's mane and chaga, which the brand said is to be "designed to redefine morning coffee ritual without inducing jitters". The cold brew is infused with reishi, lion's mane, chaga and cordyceps, providing a potent morning boost. Its blend of functional mushrooms enhances energy and mental clarity, offering various health benefits. The coffee latte contains functional mushrooms like reishi, lion's mane, chaga and cordyceps, promoting sustained energy and mental clarity without added sugars. Meanwhile, the matcha latte provides a balanced blend of theanine-caffeinated matcha for lasting energy without the crash. With ingredients like chaga, cordyceps, l-theanine and lion's mane, it supports cognitive function and focus. The nootropics range is available in stores and online at the brand's website.

Canada Royal Milk has received approval from Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for the production of infant formula at its Kingston, Ontario, facility. Founded in 2019, the company manufactures milk powder products and operates a 320,000-square-foot facility with over 150 employees. The approval will allow for the production of infant formula for the Canadian market. Canada Royal Milk said in a statement: "After a lengthy process of nearly two years, Canada Royal Milk has now received both Health Canada and CFIA approval...The next steps to begin production of the first batch of infant formula have been initiated, and it is anticipated that the product will be available for retail distribution from coast to coast this summer." "Canada Royal Milk is guided by the highest standards of safety, quality and excellence to create a made-in-Canada infant formula. Now that the necessary approvals have been obtained, Canada Royal Milk is committed to supporting the health and nourishment of families across the country.”

Women’s hormonal health brand MyOva has introduced three new botanical teas crafted to address hormone issues that many women face on a daily basis. With the new line, which includes Hormonal Balance Tea, Pre + Post Menstrual Support Tea and Digestive Support Tea, MyOva is expanding beyond its usual focus of PCOS support to address a broader range of hormonal issues. Each tea, formulated by a naturopath and herbalist, is crafted with a blend of botanical ingredients and vitamins, specifically targeting and alleviating common hormonal concerns. The new Hormonal Balance Tea is said to be a ‘delicate and uplifting’ blend of botanical herbs including vitamin B6 to support hormonal regulation, Ceylon cinnamon bark to maintain normal blood glucose levels and ashwagandha root to help counter the effects of stress. It also includes spearmint, ginger root and shatavari to help regulate menstrual cycles. MyOva’s new Pre + Post Menstrual Support Tea is formulated to offer support during the second half of ones menstrual cycle. This tea is enriched with vitamin B6, Ceylon cinnamon bark and Rose petals to enhance mental balance, promote better sleep and create a radiant complexion. It also includes nettle leaf, dandelion leaf, lemon balm leaf and rosemary leaf. Finally, the company’s Digestive Support Tea is a balancing botanical blend formulated to promote digestive comfort. The tea includes cardamom pods for digestion, fennel fruit for the digestive tract and marshmallow for gastrointestinal health. The blend is said to ensure optimum digestive comfort, keeping a balanced gut and includes ginger root, fennel fruit, cardamom pod, lemon balm leaf, gentian root, chamomile flower, marshmallow root and vitamin B6. All three teas are loose leaf – MyOva says that using freshly prepared botanical leaves and flowers aids in preserving essential oils and maximising antioxidants. This latest line is set to help women combat hormone issues from bloating and fatigue to PMS. MyOva’s founder Leila Martyn said: "At MyOva, our commitment has always been to empower women with science-backed, natural solutions for their wellbeing. With this new range, we are expanding our offerings to provide even more holistic options for managing female hormonal health.” She continued: “While MyOva has been synonymous with addressing PCOS-related concerns, we believe that hormonal balance is essential for all women, regardless of their specific health backgrounds. By introducing products beyond PCOS, we aim to cater to a wider audience and contribute to the overall wellness journey of women everywhere."

Breville has announced the launch of its first sparkling beverage water maker, called InFizz Fusion. Available in five colours – sea salt, black truffle, olive tapenade, damson blue and brushed stainless steel –the machine has the capability to carbonate a variety of beverages, including fresh juices, wine, alcohol, coffee and tea, in addition to water. The InFizz Fusion is said to stand out due to its pressure control system, the FusionCap, which allows direct carbonation of flavoured beverages without the risk of overflow or requiring additional sparkling water to existing mixes. Breville explained that by enhancing natural base ingredients instead of using processed flavour drops post-carbonation, drinks maintain their full flavour throughout. InFizz Fusion gives users the flexibility to carbonate various beverages, experiment with pre-bottled drinks and restore flat liquids for enhanced flavour. The InFizz Fusion offers a "twist and tilt" action for bottle engagement and release and a "die-cast lever" for carbonation application, "making it an incredibly easy product to use," the company said. Sabrina Smith, global category manager at Breville, said: "We are thrilled to be launching the InFizz Fusion just in time for everyone to enjoy their favourite drinks throughout the spring and summer. This is a product that opens up countless possibilities for the types of drinks that can be enjoyed throughout the day, while taking their flavor to the next level." "The InFizz Fusion opens up a whole new way for our customers to experiment and enjoy drinks like they've never experienced before at home: from all-natural fizzy juice for the kids to sparkling ice teas, flavourful fresh non-alcoholic cocktails, to entertaining with carbonated sangria and margaritas – just to name a few." Otto Romer, head of cuisine, chemistry and experience R&D at Breville, added: "Science can explain why carbonated drinks simply taste better. When a liquid is injected with carbon dioxide gas, the gas reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which has a taste that your tongue can actually detect – and one that accents the flavour of the beverage. At the same time, carbonation bubbles in the nose and mouth trigger other sensors in the brain, unlocking a more exciting, multi-sensory flavour experience." In addition, Breville is releasing InFizz Aqua alongside the InFizz Fusion, designed specifically for carbonating water without the FusionCap feature.

Mark Anthony Brands-owned brand White Claw has debuted a range of ready-to-drink tequila seltzers, Called Tequila Smash. The product line is claimed to be the first tequila beverage blending "ultra-pure" seltzers, "authentic" tequila and fresh fruit flavours from White Claw, without added sugar and 100 calories per 12oz can. White Claw's Tequila Smash offers a 5% ABV per can and is available in four flavours: strawberry guava, pineapple passion fruit, mango tamarind and lime prickly pear. Phil Rosse, president of Mark Anthony Brands, said: “White Claw pioneered the ready-to-drink category, which continues to be one of the fastest growing beverage categories and ripe for disruption. Following the success of our White Claw Vodka + Soda launch last year, we seized the opportunity to bring decades of beverage research and flavour innovation to another popular spirit, Tequila. White Claw Tequila Smash is a revolutionary new way to enjoy a Tequila drink with friends.” White Claw Tequila Smash is rolling out in the US in a variety of eight-packs for an SRP of between $18.49-$18.99.

Brown-Forman has announced the launch of its own distribution business in Japan, bringing its distribution in-house for the first time since the company entered the market in the 1970s. According to the 2022 IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, Brown-Forman-owned brand Jack Daniel’s led the premium whiskey category in Japan, which is said to be one of the world's largest premium whiskey markets. Ricardo Cupido, VP, managing director, Brown-Forman Asia, said: “Japan is an important market as we drive the growth of our Jack Daniel’s family of brands, Woodford Reserve, and our broader super premium portfolio. The significant expansion of our own Brown-Forman Japan organisation and capabilities reflects our strong belief in the immense potential of the Japanese market." Thomas Hinrichs, EVP and president of Brown-Forman Emerging International, commented: “This strategic move allows us to introduce our brands to consumers with an even greater focus and prioritisation. We see great opportunity in Japan given the strength of our portfolio which also includes The GlenDronach, Benriach and Glenglassaugh, our award-winning single malt scotches.” At the end of 2023, the company opened a new dedicated headquarters in the centre of Tokyo, Japan, positioned “ideally to further the growth of our brands in Japan across all channels,” added Aaron Martin, Brown-Forman Japan’s VP and general manager. Other key markets in Asia for the company include Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea.

Israeli animal-free dairy protein developer Imagindairy and Ginkgo Bioworks have announced a new partnership designed to accelerate the introduction of a new wave of cow-free dairy. The multi-year programme – which aims to commercialise Imagindairy’s non-whey proteins – is partly funded with a joint grant from the Board of Governors of the Israel-US Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation. The collaboration will leverage Ginkgo’s protein expression services and Imagindairy’s process development and scale-up expertise to manufacture animal-free non-whey to reach prices similar to conventional dairy proteins. Jennifer Wipf, chief commercial officer at Ginkgo, said: “We’re thrilled to get to work with Imagindairy on this innovative and market relevant project. We’re also honoured to be recognised by the BIRD Foundation. Being awarded this highly competitive grant is a testament to our technical expertise and ability to accomplish this project with Imagindairy. I can speak for the entire team when I say that the samples that Imagindairy have shared are absolutely next-level. If the rest of their pipeline is anything like what we’ve tasted, we can’t wait to try what’s next.” Eyal Afergan, co-founder and CEO at Imagindairy, added: “We’re proud of this acknowledgment by the BIRD Foundation, as it highlights the importance of further innovation in the alternative proteins field, and our capability to successfully execute this project. Our process development capabilities and industrial-scale precision fermentation lines will allow us to rapidly scale the optimised strains created with Ginkgo and bring innovative non-whey proteins to the market faster.” He concluded: “We’re deeply impressed by Ginkgo’s work in the food-tech industry...We’re confident this collaboration will unlock further product offerings, providing consumers with additional animal-free dairy delights that match the cost and taste of traditional dairy, making significant contributions to the industry, consumers, and the world.” This week Ginkgo also announced that it is working with Chicago-based alt-seafood producer Aqua Cultured Foods to improve the economics and functions of its microbial strains for alt-seafood production.