Anheuser-Busch added to its portfolio of flavored malt beverages with Bacardi Silver Mojito and Michelob Ultra Fruit Infused Beers. Bacardi Silver Mojito is inspired by the mint and lime taste of a muddled mojito cocktail as well as its cloudy-white appearance. Bacardi Silver is available in 12- and 24-ounce clear bottles as well as 12-ounce slim cans. The company also released Michelob Ultra Fruit Infused Beers, light pilsner-style beers with a hint of real fruit and 4.2 percent alcohol per volume. Available in Pomegranate Raspberry, Lime Cactus and Tuscan Orange Grapefruit, Michelob Ultra Fruit Infused Beers are available through Labor Day nationwide in 12-bottle variety packs or single-flavor six-packs.

Bacardi Silver Mojito and Michelob Ultra Fruit Infused Beers

Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis

Telephone: 314/577-2000

Internet: anheuser-busch.com

Distribution: National

PepsiCo sweetened its new water line with a little Tropicana fruit juice. Each 8-ounce serving of Tropicana Fruit Squeeze contains 20 calories, creating a low-calorie beverage that hopes to help consumers reach the recommended goal of drinking 9 to 13 glasses of water per day. Fruit Squeeze is offered in four flavors — Summer Lemon, Tropical Tangerine, Lime Raspberry and Pink Grapefruit — and is packaged in 20-ounce bottles for $1.49 and $3.99 for a six-pack.

Tropicana Fruit Squeeze

PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y.Telephone: 914/253-2000
Internet: pepsico.com
Distribution: National

White Hat Brands LLC created Dog On It!, a line of multi-vitamin-fortified, mid-calorie juice beverages specifically formulated with 80 calories per bottle to help combat childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes among pre-teens. Dog On It!, available in Barkin’ Berry and Tail Waggin’ Orange flavors, contains calcium, minerals and vitamins A, B, C, D and E in addition to no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors. Packaged in 8-ounce servings, the drinks retail in a six-pack for $3.99 to $4.99.

Dog On It!

White Hat Brands, Atlanta

Telephone: 800/747-0912

Internet: getyourdogon.com

Distribution: National

Ingredients: Tail Waggin’ Orange: Fruit juice blend from concentrate (contains apple, pear, carrot and orange), sugar, calcium lactate pentahydrate, natural flavor, citric acid, pectin, ascorbic acid, gum Arabic, potassium sorbate, glycerol ester of wood rosin, dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyriodoxine hydrochloride, vitamin A palmitate, folic acid, choleciferol and cyanocobalamin.

Diageo North America combined spring water with alcohol for a new premium malt beverage called Smirnoff Source. At 3.5 percent alcohol by volume, the malt beverage, with a hint of citrus flavor, has fewer calories and lower alcohol by volume than most popular domestic beers. It is being marketed as an ultra-premium alternative to light beer. Smirnoff Source is bottled in single-serve 16-ounce glass bottles and 16-ounce four-packs, with a suggested retail price of $2.49 per single serve bottle and $9.49 per four-pack. The drink is available at select locations in the Northeast.

Smirnoff Source

Diageo North America, Norwalk, Conn.

Telephone: 203/359-7100

Internet: diageo.com

Distribution: Northeast

Del Monte Foods debuted its first energy drink, Bloom Energy, which is formulated for women. The drink contains fruit juice is lightly carbonated and is available in Wild Berry, Cran Raspberry and Mango Passion-fruit flavors. The drinks are packaged in individual 10.5-ounce cans for $1.99 or four-packs for $6.99. A can contains 100 calories, and offers a full serving of fruit and vitamins and nutrients, including calcium, vitamin C and D, and five B vitamins. Bloom Energy is caffeinated with white tea extract.

Telephone: 415/247-3000

Internet: drinkbloomenergy.com

Distribution: Select markets

XS Energy LLC created XS Energy Drink without sugar or carbs. Available in the flavors consumers loved as a child, but can’t afford, calorie-wise, as an adult, the drinks are available with caffeine and caffeine-free options, and contain B vitamins. XS offers 11 varieties: Cranberry-Grape Blast, Citrus Blast, Tea Berry Blast, Tropical Blast, Electric Lemon Blast, Cherry Blast, Rootbeer Blast, Cola Blast, Tropical, Cranberry-Grape and Rootbeer. Cranberry-Grape and Rootbeer are caffeine-free versions that include folic acid and vitamin C. The drinks are sold in cases of 12 cans that retail for $23.99.

XS Energy Drink

XS Energy LLC, Redmond, Wash.

Telephone: 425/882-8500

Internet: xsgear.com

Distribution: Online

Ingredients: Cranberry-Grape Blast: Carbonated water, taurine, l-glutamine, citric acid, cranberry juice concentrate, adaptogen blend (eleutherococcus senticosus, panax ginseng, panax quinquefolium, schisandra, astragalus and reishi), natural flavors, acesulfame potassium, caffeine, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sucralose, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine HCL, Red 40 and cyanocobalamin.

Miller’s Miller Chill is an alternative in low-calorie beer. Based on the Mexican chelada, the American-take on the specialty is a light beer with a hint of lime and salt. The beer is formulated to pair well with spicy and flavorful foods.

Miller Chill

Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee

Telephone: 414/931-2000

Internet: millerchill.com

Distribution: Select markets

The Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership rebranded its Lipton Original line, which is now called Lipton PureLeaf. With all-natural ingredients, new packaging and updated graphics, Lipton PureLeaf contains no artificial flavors or colors. The regular versions are sweetened with sugar, and the two diet varieties are sweetened with sucralose. The 11 varieties are available in Green, White and Black teas, including Green Tea with Honey, White Tea with Tangerine, Black Tea Sweetened, Black Tea Unsweetened, Black Tea with Lemon and Black Tea with Raspberry, and are packaged in 16-ounce glass bottles.  

Lipton PureLeaf

PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, N.Y.
Telephone: 914/253-2000
Internet: pepsico.com
Distribution: National

Hobarama LLC launched Bawls Guarana Cherry, the company’s first beverage flavor addition to its product line. The drink’s cherry flavor is blended with guarana-based caffeine. Available in 16-ounce cans, the package is designed to change color once the beverage is cold enough to enjoy. A red bumped glass bottle is scheduled to launch this summer.

Bawls Guarana Cherry

Hobarama LLC, Miami

Telephone: 305/531-9708

Internet: bawls.com

Distribution: National

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sodium benzoate, artificial flavor, caffeine and natural guarana extract.

Honest Tea released a children’s line called Honest Kids. Packaged in a 6.75-ounce pouch, each variety is certified organic and contains less than half the sugar and calories of other kids’ drinks on the market while providing a day’s supply of vitamin C. Honest Kids is available in three flavors — Berry Berry Good Lemonade, Goodness Grapeness and Tropical Tango Punch. Honest Kids pouches are packaged in eight-count boxes and can also be sold individually.

Honest Kids

Honest Tea Inc., Bethesda, Md.

Telephone: 301/652-3556

Internet: honesttea.com

Distribution: National

Ingredients: Berry Berry Good Lemonade: Purified water, organic cane sugar, organic lemon juice concentrate, organic cranberry juice concentrate, lemon extract, vitamin C, natural berry flavor and purple carrot juice.

Liquid Lightning released Boltz Liquid Lightning Energy. The 2-ounce berry-flavored shots are sugar-free and contain hoodia extract. The compact drink is equal to two cans of the Original Liquid Lightning energy levels, the company says. The shot retails for $2.99.

Boltz Liquid Lightning Energy

Liquid Lightning, Pompton Lakes, N.J.

Telephone: 888/822-3143

Internet: liquidlightningenergy.com

Distribution: Select markets

JavaPop Inc. released its organic, Fair Trade-certified coffee soda nationwide. A carbonated, non-dairy, 100 percent natural coffee drink, JavaPop is sweetened with organically certified cane juice. Each of JavaPop’s five varieties — Espresso, Vanilla, Mocha, Hazelnut and Caramel — boast socially and environmentally conscious ingredients such as Fair Trade-certified coffee beans from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and fresh-pressed organic cane juice. The retro-inspired bottles will be sold individually and in four-packs at major retailers.

JavaPop Coffee Soda

JavaPop Inc., Woodstock, Vt.

Telephone: 866/689-5655

Internet: javapop.com

Distribution: National

Ingredients: Mocha: Sparkling filtered water, organic evaporated cane juice, Fair Trade certified Green Mountain organic coffee, organic caramel and natural mocha flavors.

Miller’s Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. added a new summer seasonal, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, to its family of premium craft beers. The “shandy,” which is short for “shandygaff” as it’s called in England and Germany, is a mixture of beer and lemonade. Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy is a blend of malted wheat and barley, lemonade flavor and a hint of Wisconsin honey, and features a tangy citrus character. Available through August, Summer Shandy contains 4.2 percent alcohol by volume, and is available in six-, 12- and 24-packs of 12-ounce bottles and on draft.

Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy

Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee

Telephone: 414/931-2000

Internet: leinie.com

Distribution: National

Health Cola Co.’s Health Cola was designed with the premise that a cola made with natural and healthful ingredients should also tastes better, the company says. The drink is made with kola nuts that give the characteristic cola taste, and the beverage contains no preservatives or phosphoric acid. Health Cola is sweetened with fructose, and contains vitamin C.

Health Cola

Health Cola Co. Inc., Clearwater, Fla.

Telephone: 727/446-1126

Internet: healthcola.com

Distribution: Select markets

Ingredients: Carbonated water, crystalline fructose, citric acid, ascorbic acid, kola nut extract, natural flavors and colors grape and grape seed extracts, caffeine, cocoa bean extract and stevia.

Uncle Matt’s Organic introduced two new organic orange juice blends — Orange Pineapple Banana and Orange Peach Mango — made from 100 percent juice using USDA certified organic fruit. Stocked in the refrigerated juice aisle, the blends are available in 32-ounce bottles, and retail for $2.99 to $3.49. The company also introduced Organic Homestyle Lemonade made from organic lemon pulp, sweetened with organic cane sugar and packaged in 32-ounce bottles. The lemonade retails for $2.49 to $2.99.

Uncle Matt’s Organic Juice Blend

Uncle Matt’s Organic, Clermont, Fla.

Telephone: 352/394-8737

Internet: unclematts.com

Distribution: Select markets

Ingredients: Orange Pineapple Banana: Filtered water, organic pineapple juice concentrate, organic apple juice concentrate, organic orange juice concentrate, organic banana puree, citric acid, absorbic acid and natural flavors.

The Organic Beverage Co. created Syzmo Energy, a USDA Organic and low-glycemic certified energy drink. Given a glycemic index rating of 30 by the Glycemic Institute of Toronto, Syzmo is sweetened with organic blue agave syrup, and contains organic coffee fruit concentrate, guarana extract, green tea extract and yerba maté extract. Syzmo also is fortified with antioxidants and vitamins C, B2, B6, B8 and B12, and contains no preservatives or artificial colors. The energy drink is lightly carbonated and offers 80 mg. of caffeine. The 12-ounce drink — available in Original, Prickly Pear and Passion flavors — is packaged with a bilingual nutritional panel.

Syzmo Energy

The Organic Beverage Co., Austin, Texas

Telephone: 512/637-8800

Internet: syzmo.com

Distribution: National

Smucker Quality Beverages revamped its R.W. Knudsen Recharge family. To reflect the beverage’s sporty nature, Recharge’s packaging has been updated to recyclable 16-ounce and 32-ounce plastic bottles, which features new labels. The all-natural Recharge line contains 50 percent juice, water and sea salt for essential electrolytes, and is offered in Lemon, Grape, Tropical, Orange and Organic Lemon varieties. The line retails for $1.29 to $1.49 for the 16-ounce size, and $1.99 to $2.49 for the 32-ounce bottle.

R.W. Knudsen Recharge Smucker Quality Beverages Inc., Chico, Calif.
Telephone: 530/899-5000
Internet: knudsenjuices.com
Distribution: National
Ingredients: Grape: Filtered water; Concord grape, white grape and apple juice concentrates; natural flavors and sea salt.

Diageo made a minority investment in Nuvo, a new ultra-premium effervescent blend of French vodka, French sparkling wine and exotic fruit nectar created by Raphael Yakoby of The London Group LLC. The pink colored, carbonated spirit is packaged in 200-ml. and 375-ml. bottles with a design inspired by perfume bottles. Nuvo rolled out in New York and Miami, with additional U.S. cities to follow.

Nuvo

Diageo North America, Norwalk, Conn.

Telephone: 203/359-7100

Internet: diageo.com

Distribution: Select markets

Spirits companies have introduced their latest flavor sensations in time for the summer months.

Barcardi USA, Miami, added Bacardi Peach Red as its newest flavor. Named for the part of the peach closest to the core, where the richest flavor is found, Peach Red contains the essence of California freestone peaches coupled with Bacardi Rum. Packaging for Bacardi Peach Red will include the peach icon on the label in colors graduating from the pinkest skin to the reddest core, with the theme extending to the peach-colored cap. The spirit will be available in 50-ml., 200-ml., 375-ml., 750-ml., 1-liter and 1.75-liter proprietary bottles.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Deerfield, Ill., augmented its DeKuyper brand with a Tropical line. Tropical Mango, Tropical Pineapple Coconut and Tropical Papaya are 30-proof liqueurs available in 50-ml., 750-ml. and 1-liter bottles. A 750-ml. bottle retails for $9.99.

Pernod Ricard USA, White Plains, N.Y., enlarged its Hiram Walker Schnapps line of premium liqueurs with Pink Grapefruit and Pear all-natural flavors. They retail for $8.99 to $11.99 for a 750-ml. bottle.

Stirrings, Fall River, Mass., released a super-premium Piña Cola Mixer and Rimmer. The all-natural Colada mixer, made with real pineapple juice and coconut cream, produces a fresh, authentic taste. The mixer retails for $10.95.

Fusing the essence of ripe blueberries with vodka, Smirnoff Blueberry Flavored Vodka by Diageo, Norwalk, Conn., is the 11th addition to its flavored vodka line. The blueberry flavor lends itself to innovative cocktail blends, the company says. Like all Smirnoff Flavored Vodka, the Blueberry flavor is available in 50-ml., 200-ml., 375-ml., 750-ml., 1-liter and 1.75-liter bottles. The 750-ml. bottle retails for $14.99.

American Beverage Corp., Pittsburgh, added Daily’s Pomegranate Margarita in a 1.75-liter bag-in-box package for $13.99. The company also released Daily’s premixed Mojito in a 10-ounce single-serve frozen pouch. The pouches are packaged four to a box and retail for $6.99.

New Leaf, Orangeburg, N.Y., added New Leaf Blue Tea Peach, an all-natural oolong tea sweetened with organic cane sugar, to its line of nine green, white and blue teas...

The Republic of Tea, Novato, Calif., released Ginger Peach Daily Green Tea in 50-count tins for $9.50. The company also created Double Green Matcha Tea, a USDA-certified organic product available in 50-count tins for $12.50. It also debuted Acai Green Tea (50-count tins for $9.50) and Pomegranate Full Leaf Green Tea (a 3.5-ounce tin for $9.50)…

WhiteWave Foods Co., Broomfield, Colo., created Stok, a coffee shot meant to be added to coffee that delivers an additional 40-mg. of caffeine…

The Coca-Cola Co.’s Simply Orange Juice Co. expanded its portfolio with 13.5-ounce single-serve carafes of Simply Orange Original, Simply Orange Calcium, Simply Lemonade and Simply Limeade…

Boston Beer Co., Boston, put together an assortment of six beer styles for the summer months. The Samuel Adam Summer Styles Variety Package features three wheat beers: Samuel Adams Summer Ale, Samuel Adams Hefeweizen and Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat. In addition, the collection includes Samuel Adams Boston Ale and the flagship Samuel Adams Boston Lager. A 12-pack retails between $13.99 and $15.99…

United States Beverage, Stamford, Conn., added Estrella Damm to its line of imported beers…

Kona Brewing Co., Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, this spring released its second limited-edition beer, Wailua Wheat. The light, crisp white ale is accentuated by the citrus aroma and flavor of passion fruit…

Shmaltz Brewing Co., San Francisco, marked its second decade of beer with the special-edition release of three new beers, including Origin: Pomegranate Ale (8 percent alcohol per volume). Rejewvenator will release this fall, and Jewbelation Eleven will release this winter. The company also will continue production of He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. throughout 2007…

Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, Plano, Texas, released Rose’s Cocktail Mixes in plastic 1-liter bottles for foodservice. The new bottles are available in three flavors in both lines of Rose’s Mojito (Traditional Lime, Mango and Passion Fruit) and Rose’s Cocktail Infusions (Blue Raspberry, Pomegranate Twist and Sour Apple)…

Actor, producer and director Danny DeVito created Danny DeVito’s Premium Limoncello. The lemon-flavored 60-proof liqueur is being launched by Harbrew Imports Inc., Freeport, N.Y. A 750-ml. bottle retails for $23.99…

Imbibe, Chicago, has been licensed by HBO to launch a line of Italian sodas under “The Sopranos” banner called The Sopranos Old Fashioned Italian Sodas. The three initial flavors — Limoncello, Amaretto and Chianti — contain no artificial ingredients, preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup…