What's hitting the shelves? New beverage launches
Volcanic artisian water
Splendor Water, a new brand of bottled mineral water, has launched online ahead of its January 2022 debut in the Southeastern US.
This volcanic, artesian water is sourced from La Maná, Ecuador and boasts ‘an array of natural properties that promote optimal health, including naturally occurring minerals, electrolytes, and colloidal gold and silver’.
Sourced from a natural aquifer, Splendor Water filters over centuries through basalt and lava from the Cotopaxi volcano, one of the world’s tallest active volcanoes.
The bottles will be available in rPET in four sizes: 1.5L, 1L, 750ml, and 500ml; as well as glass bottles in 350ml and 750ml sizes.
Real Good Tea
Portfolio Beverages, Inc. has launched its premier line of functionally infused teas, Real Good Tea.
Formulated with hemp extract, these functional beverages have been created, developed, and manufactured by the company’s team in Atlanta.
Real Good Tea is offered in four signature blends, each brewed with unique teas to support a variety of functions and flavors. These blends are naturally sweetened with amber clover honey and infused with 50 mg of high-quality, fast-acting, VESIsorb hemp extract in each serving (sleek 12 fl oz can). The functional beverages feature 'real good' ingredients, including adaptogens, vitamins, botanicals, and supplements.
The four blends are Rise Up; Stay Well; Destress; and Wind Down.
Pure Boost Vitamin C shot
Vive Organic has a new addition to its Pure Boost line of wellness shots: Pure Boost Vitamin C.
This 2oz shot features a ‘super dose’ of 500mg of Vitamin C, delivered through organic, plant-based ingredients including Acerola Cherry and Camu Camu, a tangy tropical berry known for its antioxidant properties.
Other ingredients include passionfruit juice, dragon fruit juice and cayenne pepper.
The shots are free from synthetic vitamins, added colors, flavors or sweeteners, and contains 3 grams of natural sugar.
The shots are available online in the US from Vive Organic, Amazon and Walmart; as well as in Whole Foods stores.
Boxtails
Drake’s Organic Spirits has launched Drake’s Perfect Margarita Boxtail.
All of Drake’s Boxtails are packaged in an outer box made from recycled paper which is compostable; and at 14 cocktails per box saves cans going to landfill.
“A refreshing combination of Drake’s Organic Tequila, organic triple sec liqueur, organic fresh lime and other citrus juices, the 12% ABV Drake’s Perfect Margarita BOXTAIL brings the convenience of boxed wine to the cocktail arena,” says the brand.
Perfect Margarita joins Minted Mojito; Watermelon-Tini; Mango Punch; and Black Cherry Limeade. The drinks are all certified USDA Organic, gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan and kosher.
Drake’s Boxtails can be found in US retail stores such as Costco, Whole Foods, Walmart, Total Wine and Sam’s Club.
Wild Drum Hard Seltzer
Wild Drum is seeking to carve out the hard seltzer space in India with its new launch.
“Hard seltzer is a fresh category of alcoholic beverage that is gaining skyrocketing popularity all around the world. Indians were missing out on the world's healthiest drinking trend but Wild Drum has taken the lead in bringing it to the country,” says the brand.
Wild Drum comes in three flavors: Pure, Mango and Lemon-Mint. Each serving has less than 99 calories, and the drink is vegan, gluten-free, low-calorie, fat free, and free from preservatives.
Wild Drum can be found in all major wine shops throughout Maharashtra, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh.
Funny water
Funny Water, a naturally flavored still water with a 3.75% ABV and antioxidants and electrolytes, has launched in the US.
The Chicago-based brand is the brainchild of PJ Loughran and Jake Vogel, who both saw an opportunity for a non-carbonated, low-ABV alternative in a market increasingly dominated by an endless cavalcade of hard seltzers and craft beers.
Loughran is a veteran of the music festival industry, having led creative and marketing for some of the biggest events in the US, including Bonnaroo (Manchester, TN) and Outside Lands (San Francisco, CA). He recognized a unique opportunity to provide fans a beverage experience that helps promote better hydration habits.
“We were amazed when we first began developing the product that wine was essentially the entry point for non-carbonated alcoholic drinks from an ABV perspective,” said Loughran. “If you’re not a fan of bubbles and the bloat that often comes with carbonation, your starting point was typically 14%. We saw a unique opportunity to fill this void, creating a lower alcohol entry point for a widely underserved consumer.”
Funny Water is available in 12oz variety packs featuring three flavors: Watermelon, Citrus, and Cucumber Mint.
Tropical Ginger Beer
American premium carbonated mixers company Q Mixers is launching its newest product, Tropical Ginger Beer.
The new product joins classic ginger beer and hibiscus ginger beer: alongside a wider portfolio totalling 12 flavors including spectacular tonic and sparkling grapefruit.
“Made with real ginger, agave, mango, passion fruit, and pineapple, Tropical Ginger Beer offers a strong ginger punch, juicy, tropical flavors, and extra carbonation,” says the brand.
Q Tropical Ginger Beer is available exclusively at Kroger and Qmixers.com in 7.5oz cans, with plans for expanded national distribution in early 2022.
Q Mixers are free from HFCS or artificial preservatives.
Seltzer launches
US beverage incubator XED Beverages has launched HAPĒ Sake Spritz in 145 BevMo stores in the US. The drink is ‘is the first sake based spiked seltzer made with premium junmai sake, real fruit, and real tea’, according to the company. It has launched in all 145 BevMo stores and is rolling out in Erwhon and Ralph’s.
Meanwhile, the company is also expanding distribution of its first brand, SESH Cocktail Meets Seltzer, past its initial March launch states of NY, NJ, OH and IL: now becoming available in MA, PA, RI, GA, TN, FL, MD, and NV.
In key national accounts, SESH is outselling the category average by +46% dollars per facing and has sold over 35,000 cases in 7 months, reports the brand.
Blurring the boundaries: Primer mixes alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Primer Electrolyte Charged Hard Seltzers is gearing up to launch in the US Midwest in February 2022. The brand will be sold in multi-packs of nine with three different ABVs: 0% ABV, 5% ABV and 8% ABV.
Based outside Milwaukee, Primer has been created by two industry veterans who have spent over 10 years helping to shape popular US lifestyle beverage brands like superstar hard seltzer White Claw and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. Co-founders Anthony Spina and Matt Sievers say they want to ‘redefine the drinking experience’: noting the category lines between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are blurring like never before.
According to IWSR figures, 58% of consumers want to switch between full strength and no/low ABV drinks during the same occasion. Meanwhile, 78% of non-alcoholic drink buyers in the US can also be found purchasing alcoholic beer, wine or spirits, according to Nielsen IQ.
As a result, the duo have made their brand a ‘one-stop-shop’ with the different ABVs in the same multipack.
The drinks are available in two flavors: black cherry and mango. The beverages are also infused and charged by electrolytes. Each drink contains 2g of sugar and carbs per serving, between 20 and 180 calories, and are gluten-free.
