Our weekly round-ups cover the latest innovation from around the world. Now, our monthly review is here to see what beverages are tapping into core trends and have real runway to grow.
The power of protein; the potential of alcohol-free and the push for hydration are all evident in this month’s round up.
Non-alcoholic sparkling tea
Alcohol-free drinks are growing fast: with plenty of innovation across alcohol-free wine, beer and spirits. But most intriguing are the innovations that meet this consumer demand from outside this core beer/wine/spirit trio.
Chalu, a new premium non-alcoholic sparkling tea brand, takes China’s impressive tea history and turns it into a modern beverage for today’s moderation-minded audience.
Founded by tea expert Mia Sun and former Goose Island brew master Fraser Kennedy, the drink combines Yunnan’s storied tea heritage of the Tea Horse Road with craft techniques from the wine world.
The beverages are cold-brewed and then lightly aged on Yunnan oak for a complex flavor: tapping into demand for elegant, health-conscious alternatives to alcohol.
The new trio of Snow Jasmine, Volcano Oolong and Hibiscus Noir.
The sparking teas are launching in China this summer with a roll-out to Europe and the Middle East set to follow.
Nestlé launches Milo Pro
Consumers have always shown an appetite for protein-packed foods: now Nestlé is adapting this for a new audience.
Milo Pro, which has debuted in Indonesia and will roll out across Southeast Asia, takes the classic chocolate-flavored malted powder – beloved by kids (and many adults) across Asia Pacific - and gives it a protein upgrade for young adults.
Milo Pro contains three times as much protein as standard milo.
It hits a need (many adults are not receiving sufficient protein) and desire (57% of teenagers in Southeast Asia want to include more protein-rich foods in their diets).
Protein is important for young people to grow and develop quickly: repairing body tissues and helping make important substances such as enzymes, antibodies and hormones.
Gatorade hydration booster
Gatorade is the US’ top sports drink and, for decades, has always been at the forefront of the emerging trends and technologies (think smart bottles and wearable smart tech).
So it’s no surprise to see it put its energy into the burgeoning powdered hydration category with a drink that adds further functionality: with a new Gatorade Hydration Booster variant, Relax.
Available in Raspberry Lemon flavor, Gatorade Hydration Booster Relax is an electrolyte drink mix crafted with L-Theanine and magnesium to help consumers both hydrate, but also relax and unwind.
Backed by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Gatorade Hydration Booster was developed with an advanced blend of electrolytes and functional ingredients, with no artificial flavors or sweeteners and no added colors.
Coffee Palmer
Category blurring just keeps getting bigger, bolder and better.
Coming out of New York-based independent coffee roaster and education hub, Coffee Project NY, is a new RTD Coffee Palmer.
Inspired by the classic Arnold Palmer (tea mixed with lemonade) the Coffee Palmer blends 60% of Coffee Project’s signature, house-roasted “Woke Up in New York” drip coffee with 40% tart lemonade, lightly sweetened with natural Turbinado sugar.
The result is a ‘bright, unexpected take on hot weather refreshment’.
The drinks are made from 100% Arabica beans roasted in-house; with water, Turbinado sugar and crystallized lemon.
Market data and trend reports show that Gen Z is lapping up cold coffee and on the search for new formats and creative ideas. And the Coffee Palmer can even be mixed into a creative mocktail or cocktail for further, personalized innovation.
PHX blends hydration and energy
More category blurring comes from PHX, a new functional beverage that blends hydration and energy.
The launch comes from One 11 Brands, a new start-up incubator focused on functional beverages, and led by industry veteran Daniel Blake (who set up the innovation launch pad after more than a decade at Anheuser-Busch).
Sales data from Circana shows that 71% of energy drink shoppers also purchase sports drinks. PHX combines both in one can: blending 700mg of electrolytes with 200mg natural energy from green tea alongside 100% daily value of eight essential vitamins.
The new zero sugar drink comes in six flavors: Peach, Lemon Lime, Watermelon Lime, Blueberry Lemonade, Wild Berry and Orange.
