New Products
April 1, 2005
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Zero Calories
Coca-Cola will introduce
Coca-Cola Zero, a new zero-calorie cola, in the United States in June.
Coca-Cola Zero will be sweetened with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame
potassium (ace-k), and will be available in a broad range of package sizes.
For curious consumers who can’t wait until June for their first
taste, a special sample pack will be listed on eBay in early April, with
all the proceeds going to charity. The sample pack will come with six
unique bottles of Coca-Cola Zero and limited-edition Coca-Cola Zero-branded
premiums. The charity auction marks the first time Coca-Cola has offered
any new product on eBay prior to launching it nationally.
Healthier lineup
New Dole Lights are lower in calories and
carbohydrates and contain half the sugar of regular juices. Available in
five flavors: Orange, Apple, Grape, Berry Blend and Cranberry, Dole Lights
contain no added sugar and are sweetened with sucralose. The products
qualify for PepsiCo’s “Smart Spot” health label and
retail for approximately $1.29 in 15.2-ounce plastic bottles.
Feel the sting
NVE Pharmaceuticals, which
manufacturers the fat-burning supplement Stacker 2, now offers YJ Stinger Extreme Energy
Drinks. The energy drinks contain supplements taurine and
“B-Stack” to increase energy and concentration, and offer a
blend of vitamins that helps consumers “feel the sting.” The
lightly carbonated energy drinks come in four flavors: Pounding Punch,
Sinful Citrus, Chronic Cola and Enraged Raspberry. Chronic Cola and Enraged
Raspberry are also available in sugar-free formulas with zero carbs.
Spanish wines
Campo Viego wines include
a vintage-dated Crianza, two years minimum aging with at least one year in
barrel, retailing for $9.99; Reserva, three years minimum aging with at
least one year in barrel, retailing for $12.99; and Gran Reserva, five
years minimum aging with at least two years in barrel, for $24.99. Each of
these wines pair with a wide array of foods.
Slammin’ Sweetness
Bravo! Food’s
Slammers Starburst Fruit & Cream Ultimate Milks and Milkshakes
include a blend of milk and natural juice, and have first arrived in Orange
Cream, Strawberry & Cream, Mixed Berry and Peach Starburst flavors. The
products boast 70 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C
and 20-25 percent of the RDA of nine essential vitamins. The 14-ounce
shelf-stable bottles, which retail for $1.49, can be stored without
refrigeration for up to six months.
Private label wines
Sam’s Club rolled
out a line of private label wines in response to the growing consumer
demand for high-quality wine at a great value. Elder Vine Shiraz, Australia
2002, is fragrant with the scent of ripe, black fruit, mint and dried
herbs, and has the depth and structure to be served with roast meats,
barbeque steak and strong cheeses. Bodega Jario Rioja Reserva Rioja, Spain
1998, offers a complex Rioja with flavors of strawberry compote and spicy
cinnamon and sage notes. The wine can accent traditional grilled meats and
smoked ham. The two red wines retail at Sam’s Club’s 370
locations for around $12 to $13 and join the company’s private label
white wines, which launched in late 2004.
Naturally fruity
White Rock Beverage
initiated a new line of organic flavors called White Rock Organics.
Certified USDA Organic, the beverages are brewed using natural fruit
extracts and organic cane sugar. Naturally caffeine-free, Organics is a
lightly carbonated beverage that is available in three flavors: Passion
Orange, Raspberry Crème and Red Peach. Each 12-ounce bottle has 120
calories and uses no artificial colors or preservatives. Organics are
available in four-packs at natural food stores for a suggested retail price
of $4.99.
White and Green
Ferolito Vultaggio & Sons, creators of Arizona Beverages, have developed Pomegranate Green
Tea and Blueberry White Tea to add to the Arizona family. Pomegranate Green
Tea brings consumers the natural antioxidant properties of pomegranate
juice and green tea, plus added vitamins for a good-for-you beverage.
Blueberry White Tea, the company’s first white tea, will give
consumers the reputed benefits of white tea, which is said to be even more
potent than green or black, along with antioxidants and vitamins. Both
20-ounce products will be available by summer for a suggested retail price
of $1.09 to $1.29.
Latin Flavor
Vitamin Branding Corp.,
manufacturer of Everlast Nutrition products, released Explosión
Tropical, a slightly carbonated, tropical fruit flavored energy drink.
Explosión Tropical is the only energy drink in Everlast
Nutrition’s new line targeted toward Lations. The 8.3-ounce product,
which retails for $2.29, includes Latino taste profiles and Spanish
language packaging.
Expanded wine and spirits
Albertson’s Inc. expanded
its wine program and introduced a new line of ultra-premium spirits and
Champagne. Sourced from sub-appellations within Napa Valley and Sonoma
County regions, the inaugural limited-release Q Collection wines are
available at select stores and retail between $17.99 and $26.99 per bottle.
The Origin Collection series, ranging from $19.99 to $30.99 per bottle,
features small-lot wines sourced from wine-growing regions or vineyards
within a particular country. Unique “flavor profile badges” on
the front of each bottle provide a quick look at what each wine represents.
The Origine line, a small-batch, ultra-premium line of
spirits and Champagne, debuts with a French Vodka, VSOP and VS Cognac,
Premier Cru Champagne, Speyside Single Malt Scotch and Kentucky Bourbon,
retailing between $23.99 and $40.99 per bottle. Flourish, an organically
grown line of wines from several countries, features a butterfly indigenous
to each wine’s country of origin. The wines retail for $8.99 to
$11.99 per bottle.
Reinforcing the portability of box wine, Voyage by
Origin offers 3 liters of wine, ranging from $17.99 to $27.99 per box.
