Beverage brands continue to look beyond traditional category boundaries to capture changing consumer preferences, including flavour experimentation, new formats and functional propositions.
Moderation remains a key theme across alcoholic drinks, with suppliers introducing products that balance flavour and quality with lower alcohol options.
At the same time, premiumisation continues to influence product development across beer, wine and spirits.
Convenience and everyday usability are also playing an increasingly important role in purchase decisions. Brands are refreshing formats and packaging to improve consumer experiences while maintaining familiar products and flavours.
Meanwhile, health and wellness trends continue to create opportunities in plant-based and protein-rich drinks.
Morandé Belle
Chilean producer Morandé Wine Group is expanding beyond traditional wine with the launch of a new mid-strength cherry rosé-style wine, combining cherry wine made from fresh Chilean cherries with Sauvignon Blanc.
The 7% ABV product will debut in the US under the newly created Belle brand as Belle Cherry, having secured a launch listing with Total Wine & More, which operates more than 290 stores across the country.
The pale pink wine is described as smooth, fresh and juicy, with balanced sweetness and aromas of cherry and red fruits, alongside citrus and floral notes. Morandé says the product is designed to appeal to consumers seeking new flavour experiences and more moderate drinking options, reflecting broader interest in lower-ABV alcoholic drinks.
“Chile is the world’s largest exporter of fresh cherries, giving us access to an abundance of high-quality fruit and making it a natural area for us to explore through new and innovative wine styles,” said José Ignacio Bascuñán, export director for Europe at Morandé Wine Group. He added that the launch listing with Total Wine & More highlights the international potential of the product.
The release continues Morandé’s focus on innovation-led winemaking. Recent launches from the producer include El Cabernet de Ránquil 2020, made from 120-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and HAX Zero, its first alcohol-free wine developed in the style of a traditional Cabernet Sauvignon red blend.
Bruichladdich Octomore
Bruichladdich Distillery has unveiled its annual Octomore release, introducing the 17 Series, a collection of super-heavily peated single malt Scotch whiskies that continues a 17-year experiment centred on barley provenance and cask exploration.
The range comprises four limited-edition expressions, each showcasing different maturation techniques while maintaining the brand’s signature combination of high peat levels, relatively young age statements and near cask-strength bottlings.
The series is led by Octomore 17.1 (£143), distilled from 100% Scottish mainland Concerto barley peated to 81.0 PPM and matured entirely in first-fill bourbon barrels. Octomore 17.2 (£158) uses the same barley but has been matured in second-fill French oak casks that previously held bourbon before being finished in first-fill Port barriques, marking a new cask combination for the brand.
The higher-provenance Octomore 17.3 (£199) is made using barley grown exclusively on Octomore Farm on Islay and bottled at 132.1 PPM. Matured in a mix of first-fill bourbon, second-fill Ribera del Duero, Sauternes, Eiswein and Syrah casks, it highlights the impact of barley origin alongside peat and wood influence.
The final expression, Octomore 17.4, will launch in October 2026 as a distillery exclusive. Peated to 108.2 PPM and matured in first-fill Oloroso casks before a French Virgin Oak finish, it completes a range that is available through Bruichladdich’s website, Selfridges and selected independent retailers.
Twinings Refresh
Twinings is rolling out a packaging refresh across its Green Tea and Infusions range, introducing individual string and tag teabags and updated compact packs designed to improve ease of use and storage.
The changes will begin appearing on UK shelves from September 2026 and follow consumer research and in-home testing that highlighted demand for a more premium format and a more intuitive tea-drinking experience.
The updated range retains the same blends, pack weights and teabag counts, with Twinings stressing that the tea itself remains unchanged. The new format introduces home compostable string and tag teabags, while the outer cartons remain recyclable.
Vocation Life & Death
Vocation Brewery is expanding its flagship Life & Death range with the launch of Life & Death Session IPA, a new 4.2% ABV draught beer aimed at meeting demand for more sessionable craft options in UK pubs and bars.
The launch marks the first permanent draught extension to the award-winning brand, which has become one of the UK’s leading independent craft beer names through its original Life & Death Classic IPA (6.5% ABV).
Designed to retain the hop-forward character associated with the brand, the new Session IPA delivers citrus, tropical fruit and pine notes in a lower-strength format suited to a wider range of drinking occasions. According to Vocation, the launch comes as consumers continue to seek greater variety in the on-trade.
The brewer’s latest Beer Census found that nearly 70% of drinkers discovered a new favourite beer or style during the past year, while 44% of 25 to 34-year-olds said they would visit pubs more often if more distinctive beers were available.
Life & Death Session IPA is available in 30l and 50l kegs directly from Vocation Brewery and selected regional and national wholesalers.
Plenish Protein
Plenish is expanding its clean protein range with the launch of Protein Oat Drink, which it claims is the UK’s only high-protein oat drink made without oils or additives.
The new product is designed to help consumers increase their daily protein intake through everyday food and drink occasions, while staying aligned with the brand’s focus on simple ingredient lists and clean-label credentials. Made with just four naturally sourced ingredients, the oat drink delivers 10g of protein per serving and 40g per carton.
Plenish says the product contains a complete amino acid profile while maintaining the creamy taste and texture expected from oat-based drinks. The drink can be used across a range of occasions, including with cereal, porridge and smoothies, offering consumers an accessible way to incorporate additional protein into their daily routines.
The launch taps into continued demand for protein-enriched products and the growing interest in plant-based nutrition. According to the company, 28% of UK shoppers are actively increasing their protein intake, while searches for natural protein products are rising year-on-year.
Russell Goldman, managing director of Breakthrough Brands at Carlsberg Britvic, said the brand identified demand for convenient ways to increase protein consumption without requiring significant dietary changes. Plenish Protein Oat Drink launched in selected Tesco stores on 31 August 2026 and will be available online from 7 September 2026, with an RRP of £2.50.
