Fresh Juice
PepsiCo is moving beyond the juice aisle into the produce section with the introduction of Tropicana Pure, a new line of 100 percent fruit juices. The line debuts in four nutrient-rich blends — Pomegranate Blueberry, Mango Orange, Triple Berry and Valencia Orange — in clear 1-liter bottles. The drinks contain no added sugar or artificial flavors, and retail for $3.29.
Tropicana Pure
PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y.
Telephone: 914/253-2000
Internet: www.pepsico.com
Distribution: National
Ingredients: Pomegranate Blueberry: Water, pomegranate, pear, apple, grape and blueberry juice concentrates, natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and vitamin E acetate.
Fruity water
Coca-Cola launched Minute Maid Fruit Falls, flavored-water beverages for kids that contain five calories per serving. The flavored water comes in a pouch with a transparent front panel, and contains a splash of fruit juice, 100 percent vitamin C and calcium. Sweetened with Splenda and ace-k, Fruit Falls launches in two flavors: Berry and Tropical. The drinks are available in 10-packs of 6.75-ounce pouches, and will be priced in line with Minute Maid Coolers.
Minute Maid Fruit Falls
Coca-Cola North America, Atlanta
Telephone: 404/676-2121
Internet: www.coca-cola.com
Distribution: National
Spring energy
INOV8 Beverage Co. released Hydrive, an energy drink made from spring water. The lightly flavored, non-carbonated energy drink comes in three flavors: Acai Berry, Dragonfruit and Casaba Lime. Hydrive has 25 calories per bottle, and contains a blend of caffeine, vitamins, electrolytes and amino acids. The drinks are packaged in resealable 11.2-ounce skinny plastic bottles, and retail between $1.69 and $1.99.
Hydrive
INOV8 Beverage Co., Rye, N.Y.
Telephone: 914/925-9100
Internet: www.inov8bevco.com
Distribution: New England
Ingredients: Dragonfruit: Spring water, crystalline fructose, citric acid, sodium citrate, natural flavor, monopotassium phosphate, taurine, caffeine, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, l-carnitine, l-arginine, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, sucralose, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, potassium bicarbonate, calcium chloride and cyanocobalamin.
Cool treat
PepsiCo, through a licensing agreement with Ben & Jerry’s, released Ben & Jerry’s MilkShakes. The milkshakes are available in Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey and Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and are packaged in 8-ounce glass bottles. In support of Ben & Jerry’s efforts to address global warming, the company will donate 1 percent of the net sales of Ben & Jerry’s Milkshakes to Clean Air-Cool Planet, a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding and implementing solutions to global warming.
Ben & Jerry’s MilkShakes
PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y.
Telephone: 914/253-2000
Internet: www.pepsico.com
Distribution: National
Fitness water
Le-Nature’s AquaAde is an enhanced fitness water that contains seven essential vitamins and minerals in recommended amounts. Made with a splash of natural fruit flavors, the waters contain no calories, sodium or carbohydrates. AquaAde is available in 20-ounce bottles in Wild Cherry, Peach-Mango, Kiwi-Strawberry and Mixed-Berry flavors. A four-pack retails for $2.99.
AquaAde
Le-Nature’s Inc., Latrobe, Pa.
Telephone: 800/542-8333
Internet: www.le-natures.com
Distribution: National
Ingredients: Kiwi-Strawberry: Water, natural flavors, citric acid, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, ascorbic acid, dipotassium phosphate, pantothenic acid, calcium lactate, magnesium sulfate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
New feel
Hobarama expanded its Bawls product line with a 16-ounce can of the high-caffeine beverage Bawls Guarana. The cans feature a foaming ink technology (developed by Crown Holdings Inc.) that creates a raised surface on the cans and is intended to replicate the bumpy feel of the signature Bawls Guarana glass bottle. The energy drink retails for $2.19.
Bawls Guarana
Hobarama LLC, Miami
Telephone: 305/531-9708
Internet: www.bawls.com
Distribution: National
Ingredients: Carbonated water, corn syrup, citric acid, natural guarana extract, sodium benzoate, caffeine, artificial flavors and caramel color.
Double the size
Diageo added a 24-ounce bottle to Red Stripe’s offerings. The new packaging represents the brand’s first extension since 1974, and maintains the same “stubby” shape the 12-ounce bottle is recognized for.
Red Stripe
Diageo, Stamford, Conn.
Telephone: 203/359-7100
Internet: www.diageo.com
Distribution: National
Plum sweet
Sunsweet introduced PlumSmart Plum Juice as a 100 percent juice drink for the baby boomer market. The drink provides nutrients such as fiber, magnesium and potassium to keep the digestive system healthy and in balance, and each glass equals a serving of fruit. PlumSmart is available in 48-ounce bottles for $3.99.
Sunsweet PlumSmart Plum Juice
Sunsweet Growers Inc.
Yuba City, Calif.
Telephone: 530/674-5010
Internet: www.sunsweet.com
Distribution: National
Ingredients: Plum juice and grape juice (water, plum juice concentrate, grape juice concentrate), chicory root extract, carrot and blueberry juice for color, ascorbic acid, chamomile extract, ginger juice and citric acid.
Taste of Brazil
Leblon released a product of the same name, Leblon, a white cachaca rum made from sugar cane from Brazil. Leblon is distilled in Minas Gerais, Brazil, then lightly aged and refined in Southern France. The temperature, duration and type of yeast combined with sugar cane results in a “fruit-forward” distillate, the company says. Leblon is served in caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil made with muddled lime, sugar and ice, and is complimentary in a mojito, Margarita and other mixed drinks. A 750-ml. bottle retails for $30.
Leblon
Leblon, New York, N.Y.
Telephone: 212/741-2675
Internet: www.liveloveleblon.com
Distribution: Select markets
Dare to be energized
Outlast Nutrition released Daredevil and Daredevil Lighter Fluid, energy drinks targeted at individuals who take chances. Daredevil contains vitamin B12, milk thistle and other herbal extracts. Daredevil Lighter Fluid is a light version of the original, with fewer calories and carbohydrates. A 16-ounce can retails for $2.
Daredevil Energy Drink
Outlast Nutrition LLC, Tustin, Calif.
Telephone: 949/716-2330
Internet: www.daredevilenergydrink.com
Distribution: Select markets
Ingredients: Carbonated water, sucrose, citric acid, taurine, sodium, citrate, natural flavor, guarana seed extract, caramel color, caffeine, potassium benzoate, l-carnitine, inositol, milk thistle extract, ginkgo biloba leaf extract, riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacinamide (vitamin B3), calcium pantothenate(vitamin B5), eleutheroccus senticosus, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), sucralose and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).
Blue tint
Skae Beverages released Blue Tea, a line of oolong teas that includes Lemon and Raspberry flavors. The product gets its name from the blue tint of the oolong tea leaf in its dried form. The new line, like all of New Leaf’s products, is all natural and sweetened with evaporated cane juice, for 70 calories per serving. The tea retails between $1.29 and $1.79.
New Leaf Blue Tea
Skae Beverages LLC, Orangeburg, N.Y.
Telephone: 800/753-5591
Internet: www.drinknewleaf.com
Distribution: National
Ingredients: Water, evaporated cane juice, oolong tea, citric acid, natural flavors, panax ginseng extract and ginkgo biloba extract.
Club icon
Bacardi relaunched Havana Club in the United States. The 80-proof rum, based on the original recipe by the family that created the rum in 1935, is an ultra-smooth, clear, premium spirit, distilled and crafted in Puerto Rico. Havana Club is available in Florida in limited quantities for $19.99 per bottle.
Havana Club
Bacardi USA Inc., Miami
Telephone: 303/573-8511
Internet: www.havanaclubus.com
Distribution:Select markets
Smoothie operator
Kerry Food & Beverage released Jet Fruit Smoothie Mixes for retail, which join its varieties available for foodservice. Available in three flavors — Mango, Strawberry Banana and Strawberry — each mix is made from fruit puree and contains vitamins A, C and E and folic acid. To create a fruit smoothie at home, the mix is poured over ice and blended. Jet Fruit Smoothie Mixes are packaged in 30-ounce plastic bottles for $7.89 and can be refrigerated after opening for four weeks.
Jet Fruit Smoothie Mixes
Kerry Inc., Waukesha, Wis.
Telephone: 888/676-3832
Internet: www.jetsmoothies.com
Distribution: Select markets
Ingredients: Mango Mania: Mango puree, water, sugar, maltodextrin, natural flavors, citric acid, vitamin premix (vitamins C, E, A and folic acid), cellulose gum, malic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), guar gum, pectin, vegetable color (turmeric extract) and artificial color (Yellow 6).
At a glance . . .
Wine and spirits
Pernod Ricard USA, White Plains, N.Y., released The Glenlivet Nàdurra, a small-batch, single-malt Scotch whisky that retails for $60. Bottled at natural cask strength, the 16-year-old Nàdurra is a full-bodied 114.4-proof Scotch, and the closest to drinking straight from a cask, according to the company...
Sidney Frank Importing Co., New Rochelle, N.Y., added JC Cognac VSOP, a French Cognac made with a selection of Ugni Blanc grapes. JC Cognac, short for Jacques Cardin, is a blend of Cognacs, each aged at least four years, then aged together in small French oak casks...
Heartland Spirits Group, Springboro, Ohio, debuted Downunder Vodka. Bottled in Melbourne, Australia, Downunder is triple distilled from molasses made from Australian-grown sugar cane. A 750-ml. bottle retails for $19.99...
Hoodsport Winery, Hoodsport, Wash., launched a series of wines celebrating the whales of the Pacific Northwest. The wines feature bold colors and an adaptation of the Native American artwork “Orca,” the creation of artist Clarence Mills...
Boisset America, Sausalito, Calif., introduced La Certeza Tequila in Blanco, Reposado and Añejo varieties ($40, $45 and $60, respectively), made from 100 percent blue agave...
Cameron Hughes Wine, San Francisco, introduced its collection to Costco in Chicago. The virtual vineyard company buys excess premium wines from top winemakers and sells it under the Cameron Hughes label for prices between $10 and $15 per bottle...
SDS Enterprises Inc., New York, released Duke Ellington XO Cognac,a 20-year-old blend from a Cognac house in France...
Juice drinks
Naked Juice Co., Azusa, Calif., added two new all-natural energy smoothies — Black & Blueberry Rush and Cherry Pomegranate Power — to its lineup. Every Naked Juice Energy Smoothie provides 43 mg. of caffeine per serving through green tea extract and guarana; 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of niacin, riboflavin and vitamins B5, B6, B12 and C per serving and no added sugar or preservatives...
Liberty Imports USA Inc., Allentown, Pa., added Brazil Gourmet Acai Nectar to its product line. Sold in 300-ml. glass bottles for $2.99 to $3.49, Acai Nectar contains antioxidants from the acai berry and acerola, which has a light wild cherry flavor and provides the consumer with 150 percent of the U.S. recommended daily intake of vitamin C...
Soft drinks
7-Eleven launched its own Big Gulp-branded soda in 2-liter bottles. The 2-liter plastic option enables customers of the Big Gulp (1 liter), Super Big Gulp (1.3 liters) and Double Gulp (2 liters) fountain drinks to take the drink home, and replaces the company’s private label Classic Selection branded soft drinks. The 2-liter Big Gulps come in five flavors: Cola, Root Beer, Lemon Lime, Orange and Cranberry-Raspberry...