Ferolito Vultaggio & Sons introduced Diet Decaf Green Tea made with real green tea and sweetened with Splenda. Diet Decaf contains no calories, carbs or caffeine. To distinguish the new Diet Decaf from the established product, the background of the label has been given the look of black lacquer. The 20-ounce bottle retails between $1.25 and $1.49.

Ingredients: Brewed decaffeinated green tea using filtered water, honey, natural flavors, citric acid, sucralose (Splenda brand), ascorbic acid, acesulfame potassium, ginseng extract.

Fuze Beverage launched a new line of energy-enhancing drinks called Slender Energy. Slender Energy was created for the health-conscious consumer looking for that extra boost of energy while watching calories and carbs. Made with 5 percent juice, Slender Energy features five flavors: Tropical Lemon, Passionfruit, Dragonfruit Kiwi, Green Tea and Grapefruit Tangerine. The 18-ounce plastic bottles retail for $1.39.

Ingredients: Passionfruit: Purified/filtered water, crystalline fructose, apple juice concentrate, malic acid, garcinia camogia rind extract, natural passionfruit flavor with other natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), gum arabic, citric acid, caffeine, acesulfame potassium, l-carnitine, guarana seed extract, taurine, panax ginseng root extract, ester gum, sucralose, beta-apo-8’carotenal, chromium polyniotinate.

Anheuser-Busch released a new malt beverage featuring an assorted blend of caffeine, guarana and ginseng. This “5 p.m. after-work drink,” offers a bold berry flavor to help start the night, the company says. Tilt is brewed with two-row malt, natural grains, hops, yeast and water, and is infused with raspberry flavor, caffeine, guarana and ginseng. Sold in 16-ounce silver cans, Tilt contains 6.6, 6 or 4 percent alcohol by volume based on state laws.

Coca-Cola expanded its energy drink offerings with the release of Sugar Free Full Throttle. Sold in 16-ounce cans and four-can multi-packs, Sugar Free Full Throttle will hit shelves at local convenience stores, with additional availability in other retail locations.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, citric acid, taurine, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (to protect taste), ginseng extract, caffeine, acacia, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, carnitine fumarate, sodium saccharin, glycerol ester of wood rosin, niacinamide (vitamin B3), yellow 5, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), guarana extract, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).

North American Beverage Co. launched a gourmet soda named Flathead Lake Monster Soda after the legendary creature that inhabits one of the remote lakes in Northwest Montana. Available in five flavors — Huckleberry, Wild White Grape, Sour Cherry, Granny Apple and Black Raspberry — the soda is packaged in 12-ounce bottles.

Ingredients: Huckleberry: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium benzoate (preservative), artificial flavor, Red #40 and Blue #1.

New Product Introductions by Category
CATEGORY	SKUS YTD 9/5/05	SKUS YTD 9/5/04	PERCENT CHANGE
Alcohol Beverages	852	596	43.0%
Coffee & Tea	739	708	4.4%
Dairy Drinks & Alternatives, Health Drinks	204	235	-13.2%
Fruit & Vegetable Drinks	617	438	40.9%
Other Drinks	234	225	4.0%
Soft Drinks, Sports Drinks & Bottled Waters	739	708	4.4%
Total Beverages:	3215	2633	22.1%
Source: Productscan Online (www.productscan.com)

Ingredients: Carbonated water, sugar, dextrose, citric acid, sodium citrate, natural and artificial flavor, sodium benzoate (preservative), caffeine, caramel color, potassium sorbate (preservative) Yellow #5.

PepsiCo added Quaker Milk Chillers to its portfolio of non-carbonated beverages. These flavored milk beverages are made with 2 percent reduced-fat milk and are fortified with calcium and seven essential vitamins. Available in three flavors — Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla — Quaker Milk Chillers are available in 14-ounce plastic bottles for around $1.49 to $1.59. Because the products are produced using aseptic technology, they have a six-month self life.

Ingredients: Strawberry: Two percent reduced fat milk, water, sugar, cellulose gel, calcium phosphate, salt, cellulose gum, natural and artificial flavors, sodium ascorbate (vitamin C), potassium carbonate, carrageenan, acesulfame potassium, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin E acetate, niacinamide, sucralose (Splenda brand), Red 40, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin B12.

North American Beverages, owned by Big Red Inc., released Red Jak energy drink. The fruit-flavored energy drink includes taurine, an amino acid, as well as ginseng and vitamins. Red Jak also comes in a low-carb version. Both versions are available in a 16-ounce can for $1.99.

SakéOne released G, the first Genshu saké to be handcrafted using select lots and blending for the American palate. Layers of flavors — such as fruits, sweetness and spices — have been combined to create this premium saké, the company says. G is 18 percent alcohol by volume, and is packaged in a 750-ml. black matte-finished bottle for $20.  

Minnesota brewer Gluek recently introduced a new malt beverage with energy drink-like effects. Torque is a premium malt beverage with a 6 percent alcohol content. Packaged in a 16-ounce aluminum can, the drink contains natural flavor, caffeine, ginseng, taurine and guarana, and retails for $3.99.

Finlandia Vodka from Brown-Forman announced its newest flavor combination with raspberry, black raspberry, boysenberry, wild mountain berry and strawberry. Wild Berries Fusion is ready for mixing with fruit juice to create a mixed drink or martini. Packaged in 750-ml. glass bottles, the product retails for $16.99.

Big Brands recently introduced Wild Buzz Energy Drink, a new line of energy drinks available in Original, Peach, Mango and Citrus flavors. All flavors are available in 12-ounce aluminum cans for between $1.19 and $1.29. Wild Buzz Original flavor also is available in a 16-ounce aluminum can and a 1-liter plastic bottle.

Ingredients: Citrus: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup or sugar, glucose, citric acid, taurine, malic acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, caffeine, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, gum Arabic, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, ester gum, inositol, glucuronolactone, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, acesulfame potassium, riboflavin, pyridoxine HCL, vitamin B12.

New Yoplait Go-Gurt Smoothies from General Mills provide parents a fun way to give their kids the benefits of yogurt in a beverage snack form. An “excellent source of calcium,” the smoothies have less fat per ounce than comparable products on the market, the company reports. Available in Strawberry Splash, Wild Berry and Paradise Punch, Go-Gurt Smoothies retail for $3.49 per pack of four 5-ounce bottles.

Ingredients: Strawberry Splash: Lowfat yogurt (cultured pasteurized grade A lowfat milk, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, modified corn starch, kosher gelatin, tricalcium phosphate, pectin, potassium sorbate, vitamin D), water, strawberry puree, sugar, grape juice concentrate, natural and artificial flavor, Red 40, Blue 1.

Lifeway Foods added a Pomegranate flavor to its growing Kefir line. Sweetened with Organic cane juice, Pomegranate Kefir contains all ten live and active cultures and has similar health benefits to other Lifeway Kefirs. Organic Cane Juice, which Lifeway has always used in its organic line of Kefir, will now be the sweetener of choice not only for Pomegranate Kefir, but also for all LowFat Kefir flavors that Lifeway manufactures. Pomegranate Kefir retails for $2.99 for a 32-ounce bottle.

Ingredients: Cultured low-fat milk, non-fat milk, organic cane juice, pomegranate juice concentrate, natural flavors, inulin (a natural dietary fiber), red beet juice for color, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3.