Curry crisps washed down with bubble-gum tea

Innovation continues to drive new product development. Recent highlights from Mintel’s GNPD (Global New Products Database) reveal a pint of ale ice-cream, rice-based FABs and bubblegum tea.

Turkish-style Doritos​ When it comes to savoury snack flavours global companies and brands are continuing to think locally and cater for regional tastes.

The Pringles brand from Procter & Gamble has appeared in a number of local flavours such as curry in the UK (curry is a favourite dish in the UK), and Funky Soy Sauce in Japan.

Pepsico's snack brands have also appeared in flavours catering for local tastes which include seaweed flavoured Lay's potato crisps in Thailand and China, and seaweed flavoured Doritos corn snacks in China.

The Doritos brand is continuing with its 'think local' theme with the Turkish introduction of A la Turca corn chips, specially designed for Turkish tastes that contain poppy seeds and have a dried tomato flavour.

Danone soya re-entrance​ Danone first entered the non-dairy soya ‘yoghurt’ market back in the late 1990s with the French introduction of Sevea, a 100 per cent vegetable soya and oat based yoghurt-alternative, free from cholesterol and gluten.

But the product was soon withdrawn following concerns with GM foods and its links with soya. Now Danone is having another stab at launching non-dairy products, this time in Spain with the Danone Bio Soja functional range with Essensis active bifidus in regular, peach and red fruit varieties.

Italy saw a further functional launch with the introduction by Techno-Foods of the Zen Linea Salute brand - a creamy, strawberry flavoured yoghurt claimed to be naturally rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and Omega 3. The company claims it is a unique yoghurt, produced with 100 per cent Jersey cow's milk coming from the Zootecnica Adelaide Company.

Cheese innovation​ Several new cheese products will soon be available in the US, targeting specific market sectors.

From Angel Technology comes a cholesterol-reducing cheese where all milkfats are removed before the curdling process. The cholesterol free product is high in polyunsaturated (good) fats and phytosterols.

Also making cheese news is an organic line of cheeses under the Pasture Pride brand. The milk used for the cheese does not contain hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides, and the cows are hand milked. Varieties include colby, muenster, and juusto (described as a buttery bread cheese). From BelGioioso Cheese comes Parveggiano, a vegetarian, animal rennet-free cheese aged for ten years.

Ale flavoured ice cream​ The addition of alcohol in take-home ice cream has done much to give a premium touch. This is particularly true when the addition is Champagne, and spirits and liqueurs such as Grand Marnier and tequila. But, writes Mintel, the latest alcoholic addition has a somewhat more masculine and everyday appeal.

The product in question has been introduced in the UK, and is an ice cream flavoured with Newcastle Brown Ale from brewer Scottish & Newcastle. It is made in Doddington near Wooler in Northumberland, using fresh cream and milk, ale and fudge, and due to the cooking process it contains less than 1 per cent ABV. It is only available for a limited six-month period.

Rice based FABs​ Vodka and rum remain the most popular spirits used in the FABs market. But developments in the Asian market could inspire the use of newer spirits. For example, two recent introductions in Thailand use rice wine. Holly Hock from Chantal Comte is made with a blend of rice wine and blueberry juice, and Sato'za from Sato Foods Industries is made with rice wine and tropical fruit juice.

UK beer news​ Two new products from leading brewers will be launched onto the UK market to cater for the Britons' love for beer. Foster's is gearing up for the barbecue season with a novel packaging concept for its Foster's brand. The new CoolKeg product comprises a 60 second, self-cooling and self-dispensing, 35-pint keg of beer.

The cooling system works as a result of a natural reaction between the mineral zeolite and water, which are both contained in separate layers in the keg's lining. Once the keg has been chilled, it remains cold for up to 12 hours without the need to be stored in the fridge. Consumers will have to pay a £30 refundable deposit for each keg, as it is returned to the brewery to be refilled before being redistributed on the market.

The other UK beer launch appears to be targeting young consumers. New from Kronenbourg is Deco, a beer and absinthe drink concept comprised of a small bottle of Kronenbourg lager with a shot of absinthe attached. The 45 per cent ABV absinthe should be drunk first, quickly followed by the 5 per cent ABV lager as a chaser.

Super concentrated drink mixes​ In Mexico, Grupo Empac has introduced OK Light, a super-concentrated liquid beverage mix. Five 10ml ampoules of flavour come packed in a carton. Each thermo-formed ampoule makes 1.5L of product. Flavours include tamarind, orange, grapefruit and lime.

Convenient water packaging​ In China, a company called Vedan Food is making life easier when carrying water around with the introduction of It's Mine! The product is comprised of a still drinking water packaged in a 400ml bottle with an attachment on the neck which enables it to dangle from the waist or on a belt.

Premium juices​ Dream Foods will introduce several premium and organic juice products in the US. Volcano Orange Juice is made from the juice of rare blood red oranges harvested in Sicily near the Mt. Etna volcano. Also from the company comes a pure lemon juice for use as a mixer. The product contains pure lemon oil in the cap to provide an extra zest of real lemon. Volcano Lemon Burst is not made from concentrate and is packaged in a lemon-shaped squeeze bottle.

Seasoned almonds for salads​ For a nutritional twist to a salad, Trophy Foods' Salad Sensations has come up with a line of seasoned Salad Almond Toppings. Salad Sensations are available in four flavours including Garlic Caesar, Bacon & Cheddar, Tomato & Basil, and Teriyaki.

Bubblegum tea​ In South Africa, Khoisan Tea is attempting to target children with its latest flavoured rooibos tea range. The range includes varieties such as Bubbly Gum and Vanilla Gorilla. Rooibos – low in tannin- is a naturally caffeine-free tea variety grown in South Africa, with a sweet taste.

More 'energy' chocolates​ Energy giving ingredients continue to make appearances in the chocolate confectionery sector. Past launches have included Cadbury's Boost with guarana, and Milka Energy with dextrose from Kraft Jacobs Suchard. Now Alfred Ritter in Germany has developed an energy giving line within its Ritter Sport chocolate tablet range. The new line is called Active Crunch and features three varieties: Guarana Crunch with stimulating guarana, Müsli Crunch with four grains, and Nuss Crunch with nuts and cereals.

Dieting with confectionery​ Confectionery products designed for the diet-conscious consumer are hitting the US market right now.

SoYummi Gummi Sours Russell Stover Candies aims to appeal to the organic, health-market buyer. The confection is made with organic agave fruit juice and non-GMO soy ingredients and comes in three different fruit flavours. The company is also appealing to fad low-carbohydrate dieters with its Russell Stover Low Carb-brand of options, including mint patties and toffee squares, which according to the company contain zero sugar carbohydrates.

Lastly, Innovative Candy Concepts adds Sinfully Delicious Candy Bites to its lineup. Tagged as 'guilt free' the line is described as 'real desserts without all the calories'. The soft sweets only contain two calories a piece and are fat- and sugar-free. Flavours include key lime pie, mocha butterscotch sundae, and Southern peach cobbler.

For more information about GNPD, please contact Mintel​.