Flavour remains the focus for soft drinks, coffee and alcohol innovation, driven as ever by brands’ response to evolving consumer expectations around taste, functionality and experience.
Seasons also play an increasingly important role to garner attention and spend, particularly from younger adult shoppers.
Cold coffee remains one of the fastest-moving segments, with concentrates, capsules and iced formats helping to shift consumption beyond the traditional morning routine. Convenience and customisation at home are central, supported by strong café cues and social media influence.
Across alcohol, producers are leaning into heritage, craft and scarcity to justify premium price points. Blind tasting concepts, small-batch releases and high-proof expressions are all being used to engage enthusiasts and the on-trade alike.
Sustainability and provenance also remain critical, with reusable packaging, recyclable formats and regenerative farming increasingly embedded into new product development.
L’OR iced capsules
L’OR is targeting growth in at-home iced coffee with the launch of L’OR Coconut Iced Capsules, a premium capsule developed specifically for brewing over ice.
Rolling out UK-wide stores from 4 May with an RRP of £4.69, the NPD is designed to help retailers attract younger consumers seeking coffee shop-style iced drinks at home.
The capsules feature a tailored roast and grind to deliver intensity, aroma and flavour when served cold. The launch taps into the growing popularity of flavoured coffee, with coconut now entering the top five flavours, as well as rising interest in indulgent options among younger drinkers. Iced coffee is also driving incremental consumption occasions, particularly later in the day.
For retailers, the launch offers an opportunity to premiumise the capsule category and recruit new users looking to replicate café-style iced drinks at home. The capsules align with JDE Peet’s sustainability commitments, using aluminium pods that are fully recyclable via the Podback scheme, alongside widely recyclable cardboard outer packaging.
DRAM5 discovery box
DRAM5 has launched a design-led whisky discovery box aimed at reimagining how Single Malt Scotch whisky is explored, positioned as a premium gifting option ahead of Father’s Day in the UK.
Each DRAM5 mystery box contains five surprise single-cask, barrel-strength Scotch whiskies, presented blind to strip away brand and distillery bias and encourage flavour-led tasting.
The whiskies are sourced from a mix of established and boutique distilleries across Scotland, with each cask selected for its individuality and provenance. The first release is limited to 6,000 boxes, with all whiskies exclusive to DRAM5. 60% of boxes contain premium drams, 35% include at least one rare single cask aged 27 years or more, while 5% feature ultra-rare whiskies, including expressions from Ardbeg, Littlemill and Macallan.
The contemporary packaging has already received recognition from the Muse Design Awards and a Gold iF Design Award 2025. DRAM5 is available via the brand’s website and selected premium retail stockists, with an RRP of £95, targeting both collectors and curious newcomers.
Living Things soda
Living Things has expanded its prebiotic soda range with the launch of Cherry & Lime, a new lightly sparkling flavour rolling out this week in the UK across online and independent retailers, with wider grocery distribution to follow.
The NPD has been developed to tap into rising consumer demand for cherry-flavoured soft drinks while supporting summer-led sales through a flavour-forward, functional proposition.
Cherry & Lime combines juicy cherry with fresh lime and follows the same nutritional profile as the rest of the Living Things range. The soda is high in fibre, low in sugar, contains no sweeteners, delivers fewer than 15 calories per 100ml and includes 2bn live cultures, using all-natural flavours. The brand positions the flavour as a balance of nostalgia and freshness, designed to deliver on taste while maintaining health credentials.
The launch supports Living Things’ continued expansion across grocery and foodservice. The brand has recently secured new nationwide listings with ASDA Express and Morrisons, alongside continued growth with Tesco, Waitrose and Ocado. Foodservice partnerships include LEON, Tesco Cafes and Pizza Express, with international distribution across Europe. Cherry & Lime is available in 330ml cans, 4x330ml and 12x330ml multipacks, with RRPs from £2.29 to £23.99.
Starbucks concentrate
Nestlé and Starbucks are expanding their presence in the cold coffee segment with the launch of Starbucks Coffee Craft, a premium coffee concentrate developed under the Global Coffee Alliance.
The innovation is designed to make it easier for consumers to recreate café-style iced drinks at home while unlocking new consumption occasions beyond hot coffee.
Made with high-quality Arabica beans, Starbucks Coffee Craft delivers the brand’s signature taste in a simple pour format.
The concentrate launches in two variants, Rich Black and Signature Caramel, and can be customised with water, milk or plant-based alternatives. Initial rollout will take place in Japan, Korea and the UK this year, with expansion across Europe and Asia planned for 2027.
Cold coffee continues to drive category growth globally, with forecasts projecting the segment to exceed $4bn by 2030. The launch builds on the strength of the Global Coffee Alliance, which has expanded Starbucks-branded products across nearly 80 markets, and supports Nestlé and Starbucks’ strategy to scale the brand across new formats and at-home occasions.
Modern Milkman milk
Modern Milkman is expanding its dairy range with the introduction of organic “brewed milk” from Mossgiel Organic Dairy, rolling out across its UK doorstep delivery network.
Priced at £2.80 for a 1-litre reusable glass bottle, the milk sits at the premium end of Modern Milkman’s curated offering.
Mossgiel’s brewed milk is gently pasteurised at 68°C for five minutes, a lower-temperature process designed to preserve flavour, proteins and a natural cream layer while remaining compliant with UK safety standards. The milk is non-homogenised and offers a seasonally evolving flavour profile, from lighter sweetness in spring to richer, buttery notes in colder months. The process also uses around 90% less energy than conventional pasteurisation.
The launch responds to growing consumer curiosity around raw milk alternatives and minimally processed dairy. Mossgiel was the first UK dairy to eliminate single-use plastic, while Modern Milkman operates a reusable glass bottle and collection model at scale, bringing together two sustainability-led businesses.
Patrón tequila
Patrón Tequila has launched Patrón 100, a 100 proof small-batch expression produced using 100% tahona stone milling.
Distilled to proof at 50% ABV with no dilution, the release marks the brand’s first high-proof expression and reinforces its commitment to traditional tequila production methods.
Made using only 100% Weber Blue Agave, water and yeast, Patrón 100 delivers a bold yet balanced flavour profile, with notes of sweet cooked agave, minerality, earthiness and black pepper spice. The tahona process, which slowly crushes cooked agave with volcanic stone, is designed to unlock deeper complexity. The tequila has been developed with bartenders in mind, offering structure and intensity for cocktails while remaining suitable for sipping.
The launch comes as tahona-produced unaged tequilas outperform growth in the wider blanco category. Patrón is supporting the release with the Let’s Roll Tour, featuring 100 bartender-focused activations over 100 days across the US. Patrón 100 is now available in the US on- and off-trade with an SRP of $49.99.
