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Beverage Innovation

Tracking The Drinks Marketplace

Coca-Cola

Investment By Coca-Cola European Partners Will Support Lavit New Product Development

The London-based multinational Coke bottler says its investment in the New York manufacturer of multi-beverage dispensing machines will support testing and development of new products. Offering customization around carbonation and flavor, Lavit’s counter-top solutions dispense a range of cold beverage options on demand. CCEP says the partnership with Lavit will help the company explore growth opportunities by gaining further insight into demand for dispensed delivery solutions. CCEP’s overall strategy is to explore and test new dispensing solutions as a way to eliminate packaging waste and reduce its carbon footprint.

Coca-Cola Philippines Names New Country Chief

The Taguig-based beverage company has named Antonio “Tony” V. Del Rosario, Jr. the country president starting in January.  The first Filipino to lead the Philippine operations in almost three decades, he will also serve as vice president of franchise operations for Coca-Cola East Region, representing the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Del Rosario is a 20-year veteran of Coca-Cola in the country, having served as general manager positions in Coca-Cola across Southeast Asian markets since 2008.

Nestle

Nestlé’s Functional Powdered Milk Product For Adults Approved In China

The company claims the product, introduced under the Yiyang Active brand, has been clinically proven to enhance mobility during aging by supporting bone health, muscle strength, and joint functionality. The move from the Swiss food giant comes as global consumers are increasingly concerned about healthy aging. The powdered beverage is the first Nestlé product with functional food approval in China. It was developed by Nestlé R&D and clinically tested in a collaboration between Nestlé and the Peking University Third Hospital.

Nestlé Waters NA Invests In Company Developing Plastic Recycling Solutions

The Stamford, Conn.-based company’s investment in Timeplast will help research and development of solutions for one of the critical aspects of the global plastic waste challenge: plastic that isn't properly recycled and ends up in landfills, oceans and waterways. The Florida-based startup is exploring a new technology that may help to minimize the impact of plastic that leaks into the environment. As part of the investment, Nestlé Waters will provide financing and additional support to evaluate the technology, combining its stringent safety, quality, and performance standards for food-grade packaging with Timeplast's technology. The investment has created a limited liability company, TPN Alliance Polymers, LLC, based in Coral Gables, Fla.

Nestlé Japan Blames Social Media Posts For Suspension Of Milo Drink Powder Sales

The Tokyo-based company’s decision to suspend sales of all of its Milo chocolate malt beverage powder products was based on difficulties meeting a surge in demand caused partly by social media posts. Milo demand grew seven-fold year on year after Twitter and other social media posts claimed Milo “helps you wake up better" and is “good for anemia." The demand far exceeded the company’s ability to deliver products. Nestlé Japan said it would halt sales of 240- and 700-gram packages of "Nestlé Milo Original" and a boxed Milo product. It plans to resume sales in March 2021 or later after preparing supply.

Other Companies

New Flavors From Boxed Water Is Better

The Holland, Mich.-based sustainably-packaged water company will introduce four “naturally and subtly flavored” varieties – lemon, blackberry, cucumber and grapefruit – in Q1 2021. The company says the new flavors will help meet the rising demand for “healthy, tasty and eco-friendly hydration options. The beverages are purified through an eight-step process and UV treated. The new flavors are offered in Boxed Water's 92 percent plant-based packaging, including the cap, which is derived from residue waste from FSC-certified sustainably grown trees used for pulp and bioenergy. Boxed Water cartons are created out of paper sourced from trees in well managed forests, are 100 percent recyclable, and BPA free.

Wet Beverages Unveils “Healthier Alternative” To Sugary Sports Drinks

The Las Vegas-based company has launched its Wet Hydration line of better-for-you beverages made with clean, functional ingredients. The drinks are keto-friendly, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO and sold in 12-ounce BPA free bottles. The four flavors of Wet Hydration include cucumber lime (with collagen, vitamin E); watermelon lemon lime with electrolytes; orange mango (ginger, turmeric); and dragon fruit (yerba, hibiscus). The drinks are sold in Las Vegas, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Diego, though there are plans to distribute nationally.

Flow Alkaline Spring Water Debuts New Bottle Size, New Flavor

The Ontario-based premium water brand has added a new package size and flavor, peach and blueberry, to its lineup. The new 750-ml size of Flow Original (unflavored) spring water is available only online in the U.S.  As with all Flow Alkaline Spring Water products, the new size is packaged in renewable resource-based Tetra-Pak. The company says the 750-ml packaging was inspired by Flow’s summer 2020 marketing programs with health and fitness company SoulCycle (the new size fits snugly in a stationary bike’s drink holder). The 750-ml size is priced at $25.99 for a 12-unit pack. The new flavor is sold in stores and on Flow’s website.

Gender-Neutral Marketing Proves Successful For Energy Drink Company

New York-based Proper Wild’s energy shots use high-quality organic caffeine, and L-theanine extracted from different types of green tea, to provide long-lasting energy, as well as increased focus and productivity. As sales boom, the company raised $3 million recently to expand from online marketing into brick-and-mortar stores. It was the realization that its products could appeal to a broader audience than men that has really driven its early success. The $14 billion energy drinks industry in the U.S. is filled with products that target male audiences. Proper Wild, however, saw that most “legacy” energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster “were created by old white men, [therefore,] they’re made for white men.” A gender-neutral strategy will be “a huge strength for us as our subscription orders are currently led by moms,” execs said. The company expects online revenue to reach $2 million in 2021, with retail sales projected in the $5 million to $20 million range.

Starbucks To Launch Iced Shaken Espresso And Oatmilk Deverages In U.S.

The Seattle-based coffee chain said on its investor day that its cold beverage platform has grown by almost 45 percent over the last four years and it will continue to “innovate” with non-dairy options. Cold drinks have fueled sales of more than $1 billion in the last three years as Millennials and Gen Z consumers favor cold beverages, according to CNBC.

Missy GreenNZ’s Fonterra Develops Functional Stress-Reduction Compounds From Milk

The New Zealand dairy co-operative has launched a new range of complex milk phospholipids to manage the effects of stress and help consumers “stay focused and positive.” Phospholipids are naturally present in milk as part of the milk fat globule membrane. The co-op is marketing the phospholipids as a standalone product or for functional food and beverage applications. According to the co-op, phospholipids are essential structural components within the body, especially concentrated within the brain. With aging, brain phospholipid levels decline, a condition potentially ameliorated by phospholipid supplementation. Several ingredients – probiotics, for example – in Fonterra’s portfolio could be formulated with milk phospholipids to offer functionality beyond stress reduction.[Image Credit: © Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited]

Bega Cheese To Acquire Australia’s Lion Dairy & Drinks

After Kirin Holdings and China Mengniu Dairy pulled the plug on their deal to buy Lion Dairy & Drinks, Australia’s Bega Cheese stepped into the breech, agreeing to buy LD&D for $412 million. The Kirin/Mengniu deal fell apart when it appeared the Australian government would block it. In its deal, Beg will take ownership of brands such as Dairy Farmers and Pura, as wells as LD&D’s international business and its share of the joint ventures Vitasoy Australia Products and Capitol Chilled Foods Australia.[Image Credit: © Bega Cheese Limited]
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