Innovation is driving growth across the drinks industry, with brands exploring new ways to meet demand for convenience, flavour discovery and differentiated drinking experiences.
Functional ingredients remain a major focus, with wellness-led beverages expanding into new formats and occasions.
Brands are increasingly combining convenience with health-focused positioning as consumers look for products that support broader lifestyle goals.
At the same time, premiumisation is shaping both alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories.
Whisky makers, aperitif brands and champagne houses are leaning into heritage, craftsmanship and exclusivity to create new reasons for consumers to trade up.
Nostalgia, cultural storytelling and flavour innovation are also emerging as powerful tools for brand differentiation. Whether through collaborations, limited editions or modern reinterpretations of established categories, beverage companies are looking to capture attention in an increasingly competitive market.
Good Peels refreshes
Good Peels has entered the growing ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol category with the launch of a premium spiked apple refresher that aims to challenge traditional perceptions of apple-flavoured alcoholic beverages.
While apple is often associated with autumn drinking occasions, the new product is positioned as a summer-friendly offering, delivering a crisp, refreshing taste profile in a format designed for modern RTD consumers. The beverage contains 10% real juice and 5% ABV, with no bubbles, no added sugar and 120 calories per 12fl oz serving. It is sweetened with sucralose.
The launch is rolling out across key East Coast US markets including Boston, Albany, Buffalo/Rochester, Syracuse, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, with further expansion planned across the East Coast and Pacific Northwest. Good Peels is available in six-pack and 12-pack formats, with suggested retail prices of $9.99 and $17.99 respectively, although pricing may vary by retailer.
Curry Smugglers brews
Curry Smugglers is expanding beyond South Asian-inspired snacks with the launch of two beers designed to challenge perceptions of Indian beer and bring a more contemporary take to the category.
The Margate-based challenger brand has introduced DESI Lager, a 4.2% ABV basmati rice lager, alongside Mango Mirchi, an alcohol-free lager infused with Alphonso mango and habanero chilli.
Founded by husband-and-wife team Steve and Ruby Dass, Curry Smugglers says the move reflects growing frustration with the long-standing positioning of Indian beer as simply something that “goes well with curry”.
Instead, the company is looking to spotlight India’s broader brewing heritage, drawing inspiration from the country’s historical use of locally sourced ingredients, including rice.
DESI Lager is described as crisp, clean and light-bodied, while remaining vegan and gluten-free. Founder Steve Dass, who previously worked with an organic Belgian brewery and was involved in the early UK alcohol-free craft beer movement, said the aim was to explore what a modern Desi beer could look like rather than recreate a historical style.
Alongside the alcoholic offering, Mango Mirchi targets consumers seeking alcohol-free alternatives without compromising on flavour. Built on a lager base, the beer combines sweet Alphonso mango with habanero chilli to create a fruity profile with a gradual warming finish.
Upstate Elevator expands
Upstate Elevator has expanded beyond its cannabinoid roots with the launch of a new range of functional beverages featuring a blend of kanna, kava and L-theanine.
The Vermont-based family-owned company says the line is the first dual kanna and kava beverage range on the market, marking its entry into the growing non-alcoholic functional drinks category.
The initial line-up includes Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz and Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda, with a Lychee Blood Orange Uplift Spritz set to follow later this month. All three beverages are 0% ABV, THC-free, made with organic ingredients and contain no preservatives or artificial ingredients. The drinks are formulated with clinically studied Zembrin kanna, noble kava root extract and L-theanine, ingredients selected to support mood, relaxation and mental clarity without intoxication.
Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz contains 50mg Zembrin kanna, 20mg kava extract and 90mg L-theanine, alongside 40mg potassium, and is positioned as a low-calorie, low-sugar option for daytime and social occasions. Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda takes a more relaxation-focused approach, combining 100mg kava extract with 15mg Zembrin kanna and 90mg L-theanine, alongside blackberry and citrus flavours. According to founder and CEO Dylan Raap, the launch reflects increasing consumer demand for functional beverages that extend beyond cannabinoids while maintaining the company’s focus on plant-based wellness products.
Telmont sets sail
Maison Telmont has partnered with the Emirates GBR SailGP Team to launch a limited-edition version of its flagship Réserve Brut champagne, marking the first product release under the brands’ Official Supplier partnership.
Available exclusively through 100 Waitrose stores across the UK from July 2026, the launch coincides with the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth and reflects the growing overlap between premium drinks brands and elite sporting partnerships.
The special-edition bottling features the colours of the Emirates GBR SailGP Team and showcases Telmont’s historic Réserve Brut cuvée. The champagne is produced from the 2021 harvest and reserve wines spanning seven vintages from 2013 to 2020, blending 46% Chardonnay, 30% Meunier and 24% Pinot Noir. The grapes are sourced from a range of Champagne terroirs including Damery, Fontette, Avize and Songy, contributing freshness, minerality and complexity. The resulting wine is characterised by refined tension, fresh fruit notes and persistent bubbles.
C4 twists
C4 has partnered with ice cream maker, Wall’s to launch C4 x Twister Pineapple, a new energy drink that combines the flavour profile of the popular Twister ice cream with the brand’s performance-focused formulation.
The launch taps into the growing consumer appetite for nostalgic flavours while extending C4’s presence in the functional energy category.
The new drink blends Twister’s signature strawberry, lime and pineapple flavour combination with C4’s energy platform. Each can contains 160mg of caffeine alongside vitamins B3 and B12, which are positioned to support alertness, focus and performance. The formulation also includes BetaPower, a naturally derived beetroot ingredient designed to support physical performance across a range of occasions, from exercise and commuting to festival attendance and other active lifestyles.
C4 x Twister Pineapple is positioned as a zero-sugar, low-calorie offering, targeting consumers seeking an energy boost without compromising on flavour. The launch reflects the increasing crossover between mainstream food and drink brands and functional beverages, with manufacturers leveraging familiar and recognisable flavours to drive trial and broaden category appeal.
Glenfiddich Tattoo edition
Glenfiddich has unveiled a limited-edition single cask whisky to celebrate its partnership with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, one of Scotland’s best-known cultural events.
Available exclusively through Royal Mile Whiskies, the Glenfiddich 14-Year-Old Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2026 Edition has been drawn from a single first-fill bourbon cask selected by Glenfiddich Malt Master Brian Kinsman and bottled at its natural cask strength of 61% ABV.
Matured for 14 years, the expression showcases sweet American oak notes of vanilla, caramel and toasted spice, complemented by Glenfiddich’s characteristic orchard fruit profile of pear and baked apple. The palate combines honeyed malt and toffee richness with warming oak spice, leading to a long finish. Just 230 bottles have been released, positioning the whisky as a highly limited offering for enthusiasts and collectors.
The bottling has been created to mark the collaboration between Glenfiddich and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, highlighting the shared heritage of two Scottish institutions with global reach. Dougal Gordon, Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador, said the release celebrates Scotland’s craftsmanship, hospitality and storytelling traditions while showcasing a richer, more powerful side of the distillery’s signature style.
The Glenfiddich 14-Year-Old Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2026 Edition will be available from August 2026 exclusively through Royal Mile Whiskies, with a recommended retail price of £120 for a 70cl bottle. Consumers will also be able to try the whisky by the dram at Edinburgh venue The Glasshouse.
Frive drinks
Frive has expanded beyond its meal subscription roots with the launch of its first functional drinks collection, developed in partnership with UK wellness brand Press.
The range comprises four cold-pressed juices and two wellness shots, each designed to support specific health goals such as immunity, skin health and energy through a combination of raw fruit and vegetables and added vitamins.
The collection includes Sweet Green, Clean Carrot, Very Berry and Super Ginger juices, all priced at £4.25 and containing more than half a kilogram of fruit and vegetables per bottle.
Sweet Green is formulated with vitamins B6 and B12 to support immunity and help reduce fatigue, while Clean Carrot combines fruit and vegetables with vitamins C, B6 and B12 to support collagen formation and skin health. Very Berry contains vitamins A and C alongside zinc, with no added sugar, while Super Ginger blends apple, ginger and lemon with vitamins C and D and zinc to support immune function. The wellness shots include a Ginger & Turmeric Shot featuring ginger, apple cider vinegar, turmeric and vitamin B12, and a 5g Collagen Shot enriched with vitamins A and C. The shots retail at £3 each.
The launch reflects growing consumer demand for functional nutrition products. Frive cites market data showing the UK functional juice shot category is now worth £100m, having grown at a compound annual growth rate of 47% over the past three years.
Bruichladdich Greener Still
Bruichladdich has expanded its landmark Still Series with the launch of Greener Still, a limited-edition 15-year-old single malt Scotch whisky released to mark 25 years since the revival of the Islay distillery.
Joining the brand’s Blacker Still, Redder Still and Golder Still expressions, the new release shifts the focus away from cask experimentation and towards sustainable agriculture, highlighting the role of raw materials and farming practices in whisky production.
The whisky has been distilled using a combination of organic, biodynamic and Bere barley, reflecting Bruichladdich’s long-term commitment to working with alternative and environmentally conscious grain sources.
Organic barley was sourced from mainland Scotland, while biodynamic barley came from Yatesbury House Farm in Wiltshire, the distillery’s only exception to its Scottish barley sourcing policy. Ancient Bere barley was grown in Orkney through a partnership with the Agronomy Institute at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Matured exclusively in first-fill bourbon barrels on Islay, Greener Still is bottled at 51.6% ABV, is unpeated, non-chill filtered and contains no added colour.
According to the distillery, the release reflects more than two decades of work exploring lower-impact production methods, including regenerative agriculture, renewable energy initiatives and alternative fuel sources.
Master Blender Adam Hannett said the combination of barley varieties delivers texture, spice, fruit and malt character, supported by bourbon cask influence that brings notes of soft florals, orchard fruit, honey and vanilla. Bruichladdich Greener Still is available from August 2026 through the distillery’s website and specialist whisky retailers with a recommended retail price of £120.
Amante arrives
Italian amaro brand Amante 1530 is launching in the UK following a new distribution agreement with Maverick Drinks, bringing its modern take on the aperitivo category to both the on- and off-trade.
Positioned as a less-sweet, less-bitter alternative to traditional amaro, the product has been developed to provide greater versatility across serves while responding to the continued growth of spritz consumption in the UK market.
Founded by Ana Rosenstein, who left a career in venture capital to create what she saw as a gap in the category, Amante 1530 has expanded rapidly since its US debut in 2023. The brand is now available in eight countries, and is claimed to have doubled in growth year on year, and was named Best Brand of 2025 by the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.
The recipe was developed with renowned Italian oenologist Riccardo Cotarella and is produced using all-natural Italian ingredients at Pallini, one of Italy’s oldest distilleries. Bottled at 15% ABV, the liquid contains around 25% less sugar than the category leader and is built around notes of Italian citrus, ginger and honeysuckle.
Available in a 70cl bottle with an RRP of £20.95, Amante 1530 is now distributed by Maverick Drinks and retailed through Master of Malt. Early UK listings include Gold in Notting Hill, where it is served as the house spritz, and Nobu London.
