Inov8 Beverage Co., co-founded by two beverage-pros — Mike Weinstein, former chief executive officer of the Snapple Beverage Group, and Brian O’Byrne, former chief executive officer of the Yoo-hoo/Orangina Beverage Co. — launched No-Cal Soda-Pop. The drink originally was introduced in New York City in 1952, as the first zero-calorie soft drink and was known for its special flavors. The product disappeared in the 1960’s, but now is back with its same fun attitude. Bottled in 12-ounce glass longneck bottles, each flavor — Cherry Lime, Chocolate, Clementine and Vanilla Cream — comes complete with a character spokesman, fun descriptors, poems and stories, and the tagline, “absolutely non-fattening.” No-Cal Soda-Pop retails individually for $1.50, and $3.99 for a four-pack.

Ingredients: Cherry Lime: Carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid, potassium benzoate, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, Red #40, Blue #1.

Sundia Corp. created an alternative to citrus juice, Sundia Watermelon Juice. Available in produce sections across the country, Watermelon Juice is packed with lycopene and vitamins A, B6, C and potassium. The sweet fruit juice is available in a 12-ounce bottle for $1.59 to $1.89 and a 64-ounce size for $5.99 to $6.99.

DZL Productions LLC released DZL Gear, a non-carbonated fitness beverage offering vitamin and mineral supplements without the caffeine and sugar of traditional energy drinks. DZL Gear boosts energy and the body’s metabolism during physical activity and is intended to replenish vital nutrients lost during workouts. Available in Wild Berry and Citrus flavors, DZL Gear is packaged in a 16-ounce can.

Naked Juice Co. re-branded its full line of juices with new contemporary, colorful packaging that conveys the health benefits and taste profiles of the products. The new Naked Juice labels are more sophisticated with realistic fruit graphics on the front panel. The side panels graphically show the amount of fruit per bottle, as well as information on the added “boosts,” such as vitamins, echinacea, blue-green algae and soy protein. The company also added two new flavors — Pomegranate and Pomegranate Blueberry — which like all Naked Juice products, contain a pound of fruit per 15.2-ounce bottle, equivalent to two and a half servings of fruit. The new flavors retail for $3.19.

Ingredients: Pomegranate Blueberry: Pomegranate blueberry juice [pomegranate from concentrate, blueberry puree], red grape juice from concentrate, white grape juice from concentrate, apple juice, natural flavor.

Maddie’s Beverage Co. released Wateroos, a boxed water made especially for children. Marketed as an alternative to fruit juices, Wateroos is targeted at nutritionally oriented parents seeking a fun, convenient and healthy option for their pre-schoolers. The two varieties, Original Wateroos, which is 100 percent purified water, and All-natural Apple Flavored Wateroos, are packaged in six-packs of 237-ml. boxes for a suggested retail price of $2.99.

Diageo has released Dulseda, the first super-premium creamy liqueur inspired by the taste of the traditional Latin dulce de leche. A blend of select Caribbean rums and real cream, Dulseda was conceived for adult Hispanics, and was also created with input from dulce de leche lovers of all nationalities. Dulseda is available in 50-ml., 375-ml. and 750-ml. bottles for a suggested retail price of $19.99 for a 750-ml. bottle.

Blavod Extreme Spirits’ new joint venture, Diamante Spirits, will produce and market a new tequila, El Diamante del Cielo (Diamond in the Sky) nationally beginning in 2006. Blavod will produce three varieties of El Diamante del Cielo — Blanco, Reposado and Anejo, retailing for $45, $50 and $60, respectively. The handcrafted tequilas feature 100 percent pure Blue Waeber Agave grown in the Jalisco region of Mexico.

Celestial Seasonings released a new line of Organic Teas in flavors such as Mango Darjeeling, Sweet Clementine Chamomile, Apple Vanilla White and Decaf Lemon Myrtle Green, Green Tea and Black Tea. Celestial Seasonings Organic Teas are crafted by artisan blenders using a unique combination of certified organic ingredients, which are grown without the use of pesticides or other synhetic chemicals. The teas retail for $1.99 per box.

Ingredients: Mango Darjeeling: Organic Darjeeling black tea, organic black tea, organic orange peel, natural mango flavor with other natural flavors, organic chamomile and organic mangos.

Coastal Imports Inc. imports Toña Cerveza by Compañis Cervecera de Nicaragua. Toña is an internationally blended beer, made with hops from Yakima, Wash., yeast from Germany and well water from Nicaragua. Toña’s brewmaster, Rudiger Adelmann, is  from Germany.

North Lake Wines, a division of Constellation Wines U.S., has introduced a California wine brand called Smashed Grapes, with a mission to make premium wine fun and accessible to 25- to 34-year-old wine drinkers. The new line, with a suggested retail price of $9.99 per 750-ml. bottle, includes Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Color-coded by varietal, the bright bottles are sealed with a screwcap.

Waddajuice LLC re-launched, re-packaged, re-formulated and changed the flavors of its Waddajuice, an on-the-go kids’ juice beverage with a spill-proof cap. Waddajuice is made with wholesome ingredients, no added sweeteners, flavors, dyes, preservatives or additives, and contains half the sugar, calories and carbohydrates of other fruit juices. The pasteurized, shelf-stable juice does not have a heat seal under the cap, which allows children to easily pop off the overcap, remove a small seal and drink away. Available in Apple, Orange, Wild Berry and White Grape, the 8-ounce bottles retail for $1.49 or $3.49 for a four-pack.

Ingredients: Filtered water, apple juice concentrate, calcium lactate, natural flavor, apple essence, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid, niacin (vitamin B3), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B12.

Phoenix Global Group has added Pink2O to its line of Pink branded drinks. Pink2O, Water for Women, is an enhanced bottled water for women’s health and wellness. The clear water is fortified with vitamins and minerals specific to women’s health needs, and is calorie and caffeine free. Available in Lemon-Lime, Berry, Watermelon and Peach, Pink2O retails in a 20-ounce bottle for $1.49. A portion of the proceeds go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Ingredients: Berry: water, citric acid, calcium chloride, sodium citrate, natural flavor (contains soy), potassium citrate, ascorbic acid, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, calcium disodium EDTA (sequestrant), niacin, calcium pantothenate, di-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, green tea extract, pyridoxine hydrochloride, selenium complexed with amino acids and polypeptides, folic acid, cyanocobalamin.

New Product Introductions by Category
CATEGORY	SKUS YTD 10/31/05	SKUS YTD 10/31/04	PERCENT CHANGE
Alcohol Beverages	1161	734	58.2%
Coffee & Tea	923	925	-0.2%
Dairy Drinks & Alternatives, Health Drinks	265	314	-15.6%
Fruit & Vegetable Drinks	684	544	25.7%
Other Drinks	294	303	-3.0%
Soft Drinks, Sports Drinks & Bottled Waters	763	596	28.0%
Total Beverages:	4090	3416	19.7%
Source: Productscan Online (www.productscan.com)

Uno Mas Beverage created a line of Hispanic- and mainstream-consumer marketed energy drinks, Uno Mas Bebida De Energia. The cans feature both Spanish and English text. Available in Cola, Orange, Grape and Lemon Lime, the 16-ounce cans have a suggested retail price of $1.99.

Ingredients: Cola: Water, high fructose corn syrup, natural flavor, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caramel color, glyceryl abietate, brominated vegetable oil, taurine, ascorbic acid, caffeine, L-carnitine hydrochloride, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), folic acid, cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), guarana extract, ginseng extract.

Integrated Beverage Group launched a malt-based frozen cocktail called Freaky Ice. The alcohol is packaged in a 50-ml. pouch in liquid form, and after a few hours in the freezer the product can be consumed frozen. Freaky Ice comes in three flavors: Lemon Stinger, Cherry Fusion and Passion Cocktail.

United Brands Co. unveiled the nutrient-packed energy drink Diesel, with five more amino acids than are typically found in most energy drinks. Diesel features a combination of caffeine, gaurana, ginseng, seven amino acids — taurine, arganin, carnitine, valine, leucine, isolueucine and tyrosine — and is fortified with B vitamins and 100 percent vitamin C. Diesel is available in regular and low-carb versions, in two sizes, 16 and 24 ounces. The energy drink retails for $1.99 in the 16-ounce size.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, glucose, sugar and or high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, taurine, natural and artificial flavors, L-carnitine, ascorbic acid, sodium, benzoate (preservative), caramel color, caffeine, inositol, guarana (paullinia caupana), seed extract, niacin, D-calcium pantothenate, ginkgo biloba leaf extract, Siberian ginseng root extract, glucoronolactone, L-arganine HCI, L-valine, L-leucine, L-isoleaucine, L-tryosine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, cyanocobalamin.

The Healthy Beverage Co., Newtown, Pa., has added two new flavors to its Steaz Organic Green Tea Soda line: Ginger Ale and Grape...

Ito En Inc., New York, has introduced its first sweetened ready-to-drink teas, Tea Apple and Tea Lemon. Each variety contains 40 percent of the suggested daily requirement of vitamin C, and is available in a 16.9-ounce bottle for $1.99...

Inko’s LLC, New York, launched four new white teas to its line: Apricot, Lychee, Cherry Vanilla and Unsweetened Honeysuckle. Inko’s also added a specially shrinkwrapped multipack case featuring three of its most popular flavors: Original, White Peach and Blueberry. Four bottles of each will be featured per case...

Sweet Leaf Tea, Austin, Texas, has created a new Holiday Spiced Tea blend of seasonal spices (cinnamon, cloves and allspice), fruit juices (orange, pineapple, cranberry and lime) and organic black tea. The tea retails for $3.99 for 64 ounces...

Trimpspa Inc., Whippany, N.J., formed a licensing agreement with Lifestyle Beverages LLC, Garden City, N.Y., to begin the manufacturing and distribution of Trim Water, an enhanced flavored water beverage. The licensing agreement is Trimpspa’s first in the beverage industry...

Tuff Guyz Corp., Park City, Utah, has added Tuff Guyz High Performance Sports Drink to its sports drink line. The drink is aimed not only at hydrating athletes, but repairing their joints as well...

Pravda Vodka from Poland is now available for the first time in the United States. A 750-ml. bottle retails for $28.99...

Fleming Jenkins Vineyards & Winery, Los Gatos, Calif., released Fleming Jenkin’s Victories Rosé, a wine created by Olympic champion Peggy Fleming and her husband, physician and winemaker Greg Jenkins, to raise funds for breast cancer research. Sold exclusively on the Internet, Victories retails for $50 to $100 per bottle. Profits of this and future vintages of Victories Rosé will be donated to charities supporting this cause...

Castle Brands, New York, imported two newly launched Pallini flavor extensions: Pallini Raspicello and Pallini Peachcello. The raspberry and peach-flavored liqueurs are best served chilled and neat, but can be used in cocktails as well. Raspicello and Peachcello are available in 50-ml., 375-ml. and 750-ml. bottles, retailing for $24 for the largest size...

JZ Wine Co., Cleveland, released Pizza Vino Pinot and Pizza Vino Cabernet, two new wines from California, blended specifically to accompany pizza...

La Face Cachée de la Pomme, Quebec, Canada, introduced Neige Apple Ice Wine to the United States. Made from apples harvested from Quebec orchards, the apple ice wine is aged for more than a year, and has a candied-fruit aroma and a crisp, mellow flavor. A 375-ml. bottle retails for $24.95 in New York and $29.95 nationally...

Hood River Distillers, Hood River, Ore., has made available a 20-year-old Pendleton Director’s Reserve 2005 Whisky. The bottle design includes the Pendleton Round-Up bucking bronco with a red “20” brand, and each bottle is encased in a custom leather-like black box with a black and titanium foil finish. Less than 14,000 bottles are available...

Point Blank Beverage Inc., Santee, Calif., recently introduced Torque, 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 $1.49...