From global giants to fast‑scaling disruptors, this month’s beverage new product development (NPD) roundup shows how manufacturers are targeting growth through flavour, format and deeper emotional relevance.
A clear focus on flavour is cutting across categories, with brands turning to bold fruits, tropical profiles and nostalgic twists to capture attention in a crowded market.
Functionality continues to be a defining trend, as hydration brands expand into occasion‑led systems and energy drinks double down on flavour‑plus‑performance propositions. At the same time, established soft‑drink players are using heritage flavours to drive modern innovation, reflecting rising demand for comforting profiles with a contemporary edge.
In alcohol, premiumisation and exclusivity remain strong drivers, with new limited editions and retailer collaborations playing a central role in shaping consumer choice. Japanese‑inspired botanicals, farm‑to‑bottle credentials and single malt debuts underline the ongoing appetite for provenance and craftsmanship.
Read on to find out which beverage brands are shaking up the NPD market this week…
Ukiyo Nashi Gin
Kirker Greer Spirits has introduced Ukiyo Japanese Nashi Pear Gin as an M&S‑exclusive expression, rolling out across more than 300 stores and online via Ocado from next month. The launch strengthens the UK retailer’s premium gin range with a contemporary, flavour‑led option inspired by Japan’s nashi pear.
Developed collaboratively between M&S and Kirker Greer Spirits, the gin is positioned to tap ongoing UK consumer interest in Asian‑influenced botanicals and modern twists on classic styles. The expression is distilled in Chiba, east of Tokyo, and builds on Ukiyo’s craft credentials, combining juniper, yuzu citrus, nashi pear and shiso leaf, supported by white pepper, orris root and green tea. It sits at 40% ABV and carries an RRP of £32.
M&S said Ukiyo brings strong brand recognition and authenticity to the category, while Kirker Greer Spirits highlighted the exclusive release as a strategic addition that reinforces the premium direction of the range.
Rockstar Punched boost
Rockstar Energy is opening 2026 with a new flavour and two national and regional expansions across its Punched and Boom sublines.
Leading the activity is Punched Blackberry, the latest addition to Rockstar’s full sugar Punched range, launching exclusively across select West Coast states. The flavour brings a dark berry profile with 160mg of caffeine, developed in response to rising demand for richer, fruit‑forward energy drinks.
The brand is also widening distribution for existing fan‑favourites. Punched Lime Freeze, previously available in central US markets, will roll out across the Western region following strong initial performance and consumer demand for high‑impact citrus flavours.
Boom Piña Colada, which debuted in the West in 2025 and became the top performer within the Boom line-up, is now launching nationwide. The flavour delivers a creamy, dessert‑inspired profile featuring blended dairy notes and tropical piña colada character alongside 160mg of caffeine.
Rockstar Energy will support all three launches throughout 2026 via social media, in‑store programmes and content featuring its athlete ambassadors, including Lia Block, Red Gerard and Keegan Palmer. Consumers can locate products via the Rockstar online store finder.
Passoã Sunset
Passoã is marking its 40th anniversary with a global Taste the Sunset campaign aimed at driving early‑evening cocktail occasions across the on‑trade. The world’s top-selling passion fruit liqueur is positioning itself as a key flavour for lighter, daytime‑led drinking, supported by a year‑long activation programme.
The campaign taps into shifting consumer behaviour, with CGA by NIQ reporting that 63% of UK drinkers now visit the on‑trade between 5pm and 8pm, ahead of late‑evening visits.
With an ABV of below 20%, Passoã is targeting this space by highlighting its suitability for spritzes, frozen serves and simple two‑ingredient builds that can be adapted to local tastes. Trade‑focused materials will promote versatility across serves with orange juice, lemonade, tonic or other soft mixers.
Passoã will roll out several global activations through 2026, including a digital Sunset Tracker that alerts consumers two hours before sunset and directs them to participating bars. More than 40 flagship venues worldwide will also support the campaign with enhanced visibility and tailored activity.
With demand for tropical flavours remaining strong and flavoured Margaritas continuing to grow, Passoã aims to build on its established role in the Pornstar Martini and reinforce its position as the category’s reference point as operators prepare for summer 2026.
Coca‑Cola Cherry expansion
Coca‑Cola is expanding its cherry portfolio across the US and Canada with the launch of Coca‑Cola Cherry Float and the nationwide return of Diet Coke Cherry.
The additions build on four decades of cherry‑flavoured innovation and extend the range beyond the existing Coca‑Cola Cherry and Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar Cherry variants. All products begin rolling out from February 2026 and are also already on UK retail shelves.
Coca‑Cola Cherry Float is the lead launch, offering a cherry and vanilla profile inspired by classic soda fountain serves. Available in full sugar and zero sugar formats, it will be sold in 12 pack cans and 20 ounce bottles.
The brand is introducing refreshed packaging for the new flavour that incorporates pink and purple gradients with an illustrated float on pack, using white script for full sugar and black script for zero sugar varieties.
Diet Coke Cherry is also returning nationwide following sustained demand, according to Coca-Cola. The zero sugar, zero calorie flavour is launching with updated packaging that aligns with the current Diet Coke design system and features new cherry iconography. It will be available in 12 pack cans and 20 ounce bottles.
The expanded portfolio now spans five cherry options across full sugar and zero sugar formats and will also feature in Coca‑Cola Freestyle machines.
Air up Dragonfruit-Lychee
Air up is expanding its 2026 flavour line-up with the UK launch of Dragonfruit‑Lychee pods, created to support consumers struggling with daily hydration.
The new flavour combines sweet dragonfruit and light lychee notes, using the brand’s scent‑based system to make plain water taste flavoured without sugar, sweeteners or additives. The pods are now available in a three‑pack at £6.99, with each pod able to flavour up to 25l of water.
The launch follows new research from air up showing that hydration remains a challenge for many UK consumers. Some 11% of adults report feeling constantly dehydrated, while 21% say water is their least favourite drink. Younger adults appear most affected, with more than one in five under 35s saying they struggle to stay hydrated, despite NHS guidance recommending six to eight glasses of water per day.
Arbikie Single Malt
Arbikie Highland Estate has opened pre‑orders for The Arbikie Single Malt following a series of private tastings during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The independent Scottish farm distillery presented its first Single Malt Scotch Whisky to a select audience of global leaders and industry figures, offering an early look at the new release ahead of launch.
Produced entirely on the Arbikie Estate on Scotland’s east coast, the whisky is grown, distilled, matured and bottled on site, reflecting the distillery’s field‑to‑bottle approach.
Arbikie used the Davos tastings to introduce three ultra‑limited editions that signal its long‑term direction for single malt. The Wild One is the most exclusive, with only 100 bottles created using wild, spontaneous fermentation. The Journey consists of 500 sets charting the whisky’s ageing from 10 to 18 years, with each annual edition finished in a different cask style including Bourbon, Port, Rum, Burgundy, Cognac, Calvados, Sauternes and Mizunara. The Signature serves as the core expression, a 10‑year‑old single malt matured in bourbon casks.
Good Salt
Wolfson Group has launched Good Salt, a new entrant to the functional hydration category built around ‘mode hydration’, a system designed to move away from the one‑size‑fits‑all approach common in electrolyte products.
Instead of a single formulation, the brand is introducing three distinct modes aimed at supporting different moments across the day: Focus, Move and Chill. Each mode contains a core electrolyte base layered with targeted functional ingredients and is available in two natural flavours.
Good Salt is positioned for broad, everyday usage rather than sports‑specific performance, targeting consumers looking for hydration solutions that support work, exercise, recovery and relaxation.
Focus is designed for mentally demanding tasks and combines electrolytes with zinc, B vitamins and green tea extract. Move is created for training and active lifestyles, formulated with B vitamins, L‑citrulline and L‑taurine. Chill is built for evening routines and features botanical extracts including ashwagandha, lemon balm, chamomile and L‑theanine to support relaxation.
All products are made in the UK, vegan, caffeine free, sugar free and use only natural flavourings and colourings. The range comes in single‑serve sachets sold in boxes of 26 at an RRP of £29.99.