Three new launches in the crowded functional drinks market include: Liquid Smoking Designed to give a euphoric sense of calm and relaxation using African herbal extracts. Already published in the Dutch Telegraph and designed by Studio Pirates in The Hague, the relax drink Liquid Smoking is sold in a 25.4cl can. Company founder Martin Hartman commented: “Liquid Smoking is absolutely not an 'energy' drink. It is the opposite. It is a 'relax' drink featuring a herbal mix which had similar properties to nicotine". Rebootizer A drink in a dual sachet that you press, squeeze, shake and drink to revive yourself after a night out partying. Ten years in development, it works because the functional ingredients only come into contact at the last minute. Already having Swiss and French regulatory approval “It’s a new way to improve your life,” claims founder Thierry Huguet. Transatlantic Blow “Bring the product to the people, not the people to the product” explained marketing guru for Transatlantic Blow, Stefan Gottchalk. Chill out ‘Blow’ beds for nightclubs, beach tepees and beach towels – in fact 80 branded products are bringing word of Blow to the club scene. Blow, another word for cocaine, is the latest stimulation drink made using coca leaf extract. A blend of 13 exotic herbs including caffeine and ginkgo biloba it has a strong citrus flavour and is intended to enhance response, blood circulation and mobility. Local inhabitants of the Andes chew coca plant leaves to anaesthetise the body against hunger, exertion and tiredness. … and in the gourmet food hall… Eau de Fruit in Boxal’s striking alubottle offered a refreshingly different concept being entirely natural and in three delicious variants – mint and lemon verbena, cardamon and verbena and and pink grapefruit with lemon thyme and aniseed. Created with the help of Mr Jeannot also the oenologist for Jean Paul Gaulthier’s perfume Madame, these are eminently drinkable and already making inroads in the premium sector across Europe. For a full SIAL 2008 review, see the next issue of Beverage Innovation magazine. Subscribe here.

*The Spirit of Georgia has been developed, produced and is, for the time being, exclusive to Germany. The name is inspired by the home of The Coca-Cola Company, where the most successful soft drink of all time was invented in 1886. It began distribution to German retailers in July. * With approximately 23kcal/100ml, the The Spirit of Georgia is less sweet than conventional soft drinks, has no artificial aromas, colouring or sweeteners, and contains no preservatives. A dash of apple juice fermentate – new in the soft drink segment – gives the three flavours a particular crispness. It's available in three flavours: Blood orange prickly pear, Lemon juniper berry, and Green mango kiwi – all packed in a new, refillable glass bottle. The Spirit of Georgia’s target audience is soft drinks consumers aged 30 and over. “Our intention was to either tailor an existing beverage from our portfolio to adults or to come up with a completely new product," said Alexandra Megid, Director My Flavor at Coca-Cola Germany and "inventor" of The Spirit of Georgia. "We decided in favour of the second alternative, because one thing is for sure: Coca-Cola has great expertise in refreshment steeped in tradition, and we're convinced that we can establish a new beverage for adults on the market." * Focus on the glass bottle * The Spirit of Georgia is packaged in a proprietary 33cl refillable glass bottle, which is the result of a major investment in development and production and is aimed particularly at the away-from-home Horeca sector as well as at retail outlets and beverage stores. The Spirit of Georgia is also available for coolers in the on-the-go market in a 50cl PET bottle, and on retail shelves in a 75cl non-refillable PET bottle. Selling The Spirit of Georgia "We've put together a comprehensive programme to launch The Spirit of Georgia in all sales channels,” said Axel Bachmann, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Erfrischungsgetränke AG. “Newly developed secondary placement displays are provided for retailers; these can be used in a small space and in combination if more space is available. With three different cooler types, we also make it possible to trigger additional impulse purchases. Furthermore, various sales support materials for all channels, and tasting campaigns will flank the build-up of consumer awareness and trade sales. “By the end of the year, Coca-Cola intends to have the same broad listing for The Spirit of Georgia as it has for its classic Fanta brand." TV advertising, supported by a nationwide billboard campaign and widescale sampling, began in August.

*US-based Kor Water has launched the Kor One: a reusable water bottle designed to “make a real difference”. * The company believes the new bottle will “elevate the hydration experience” while offering “conscientious consumers an elegant alternative to disposable bottled water”. Billed as an iconic design which embodies the natural beauty of blown glass, the bottle is made from Eastman Tritan copolyester, a new plastic which offers durability without Bisphenol-A. The ergonomic design with integrated handle and thumb release cap enables one-handed operation. The 750ml capacity is suitable for all environments. Kor Water founder Eric Barnes revealed: "We sought to create the perfect reusable water bottle, where design inspires, personal heath triumphs and sustainability prevails. We believe the Kor One is effective on all three counts. “We're passionate about the importance of clean water – to human health and to the health of our planet. We also believe in the power of design to inspire and motivate. Change requires a complete redesign of the hydration experience. We call it Water ReDesigned and this product is just the beginning,” he added.

Designed to prevent accidental dispensing, the Touch Guard safety taps from Tomlinson Industries are child-resistant, requiring a two-step action to control dispensing. The tap handle must be squeezed and then pushed down to activate, and the handle released to shut off low. A study conducted by an independent laboratory, to Consumer Products Safety Commission Standards, showed the Touch Guard tap is “child resistant” for children under three and a half years old. Tomlinson’s PS/HPS series consists of small, self-closing taps for hot water and hot and cold beverages.Existing PS/HPS taps can easily be converted to Touch Guard by replacing the upper assembly. The Touch Guard safety feature is available in red, indicating that hot water is dispensed from this tap, with white and blue also available. The Touch Guard has been available on all HFS Series taps for over 10 years, and is standard equipment on many POU and bottled water coolers.

*In a landmark sales agreement, Designer Whey will now sell the company’s best-selling protein products through online retail giant Amazon.com. * The agreement will make Designer Whey’s whey protein products available to Amazon's millions of global customers, and makes it possible for Designer Whey to expand its distribution. The agreement with Amazon includes all Designer Whey products, in addition to the recently released Protein Blitz enhanced beverages. Amazon.com and DesignerWhey.com shoppers can also find the Original and All Natural product lines, such as 12.7oz canisters and 2lb jugs of traditional flavours, and this summer’s popular Protein 2Go, travel-size water bottle mixers. David Jenkins, Founder and CEO of Designer Whey sees this as a landmark move: “Amazon.com ships over one million orders each day and Designer Whey protein products will now be accessible to busy people who make their purchasing decisions online, enabling them to live a more healthy, balanced lifestyle. The company’s flagship brand, Designer Whey, is changing the way America and the world wide web feel about protein."