In this week's NPD trend tracker, FoodNavigator profiles some of the most interesting new products to hit the shelves across Europe. From big brand innovation, such as Nestlé's new Llama coloured Smarties, to start-up launches including Rokit's coffee and matcha tea pods containing CDB.
In this week's NPD trend tracker, FoodNavigator profiles some of the most interesting new products to hit the shelves across Europe. From big brand innovation, such as Nestlé's new Llama coloured Smarties, to start-up launches including Rokit's coffee and matcha tea pods containing CDB.
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Unrooted, the first premium energy drink made with Baobab in the UK, has launched in Selfridges, Planet Organic and in wholesalers.
The range, made up of three variants, will offer consumers a high fibre, natural alternative to sugary, caffeine-laden energy drinks, the company said.
Each bottle contains 10 grams of handpicked, active baobab that is blended with “all-natural ingredients”.
Unrooted claims to deliver “a healthy dose of prebiotic fibre and metabolic energy-enhancing antioxidants and micronutrients". Baobab fruit is high in prebiotic fibre and vitamin C, and the company claimed consumption contributes to a “healthier” microbiome, elevated and longer lasting energy levels and improved mental and physical wellbeing.
“Our natural energy drink offers retailers a premium and healthy alternative to sugary/caffeine loaded drinks that are slowly going out of fashion. We look forward to securing further business relationships going forward and seeing our product on shelf up and down the country,” Nathan Clemes, Founder of Unrooted commented.
The new beverage is available in three flavours: Baobab & mango, Baobab & pomegranate and Baobab & ginger, with an RRP of £3.50 for a 250ml bottle.
Nestlé is launching Smarties, Llama Edition, in Asda stores across the UK.
Updating the ‘unicorn’ colours trend, which saw the company roll out Unicorn Edition Smarties last year, Nestlé said the new limited edition packs will feature bright llama colours and contain a new, unique mix of Smarties in pink, yellow, red and purple.
“We were quite taken aback by the love for our Unicorn Edition Smarties last year and we want to replicate that success with new Smarties, Llama Edition,” Alberto Pisanello, assistant brand manager for Smarties said.
“These packs have really fun designs with vibrant colours and a new mix of Smarties colours that taste every bit as good as Smarties always do. Whether you’re a llama lover, a Smarties fan or maybe even both, you’ll definitely love these.“
New Smarties, Llama Edition is available in Asda in four different 105 g sharing bag designs: Fabullama, No Probllama, Llama Queen and Spectacullama. It will also come in the classic Smarties hexagonal tube later this year in independent retailers.
Orange Smarties will be back in May in a 105 g sharing bag available in Poundland, B&M Stores and Home Bargains, the company added.
Konditor & Cook have launched a “decedent collection” of bakes and cakes for Easter in partnership with Paul A. Young.
The Konditor & Cook x Paul A. Young range includes milk, dark and limited-edition eggs and are available exclusively at Konditor & Cook. The milk and dark chocolate eggs are decorated with gold and silver hand-painted brushstrokes. Available in small and medium, each egg is handmade using either 38% Guittard milk or 72% Guittard dark chocolate.
The limited-edition large egg is handmade using 65% Peruvian single-origin chocolate, with gold and silver brushstrokes and gold leaf. It comes alongside a box of nine handmade 65% Peruvian cocoa nib and sea salt chocolates.
Konditor & Cook’s Easter collection also includes a Chocolate Caramel Cake. Meanwhile, the group’s Easter Treat Time Box partners Curly Whirly Corks and Chocolate Caramel Corks. The group is also offering Easter Bunny Biscuits and Lemon Meringue Pie.
French meat-to-bakery supplier DGF is launching a new range of pastries targeting chefs and the foodservice sector.
The line of “premium products” adds to the Four à Idées brand, with a croissant and pain au chocolat.
DGF stressed that the ingredients used in the range have been “rigorously selected” with “special attention” given to the balance between flour, butter and milk while slow rest times for the dough deliver quality, the company said.
“This new Signature range, with its distinctive recipes, reflects DGF's desire to evolve its products, even the most classic ones, to adapt to consumer trends,” DGF said
Nestlé is bringing out two new special edition flavours in the UK under the Nescafé brand: Nescafé Gold Salted Toffee & Macadamia Mocha and Caramelised Honey Latte.
The products combine blends of Robusta and Arabica coffee with “milky froth”.
Taka Ota, Senior Brand Manager, said: “Nescafé customers are adventurous types and love trying new flavours of their favourite coffee. We work really hard to bring them on trend and delicious seasonal edition Frothy Coffees, with Salted Toffee & Macadamia Mocha and Caramelised Honey Latte, it’s no exception.”
The two new seasonal editions join 15 other Nescafé Gold Frothy Coffees currently available in the UK and Ireland.
All 17 Nescafé Gold Frothy Coffees are made at Nestlé’s factory in Cumbria, North West England. All the milk used at the factory is sourced locally from dairy farmers using cows raised in the surrounding countryside.
UK group Rokit is launching a new line of CBD coffee and matcha tea pods.
The pods are compatible with Nespresso machines and contain full spectrum hemp extract.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is naturally found in hemp. It has gained increasing attention for associated health benefits, including pain relief, combating stress and purported anti-seizure properties.
The Rokit pods include 5 mg of water-soluble CBD per pod and have tested negative for THC, the component of cannabis that produces a ‘high’.
The company has developed a process that takes CBD oil and turns it into a powder that is then put in the group’s BPA-free recyclable pods.
“The process we use here at Rokit Pods, ensures that the water-soluble CBD we claim to contain in our pods, ends up in your hot drink. Therefore, you can feel confident that the CBD is drawn out the pod and in to your cup,” the company said.
Pitú is bringing high-quality sugar cane spirits from Brazil to Germany in partnership with distributor Diversa Specialties.
Announcing the move, the company said the launch meant “far more exotic drinks” can be created than “previously known” in the country.
The 'Batida', for example, is the Portuguese-Brazilian name for an alcoholic cocktail made from cachaça and fruits, and has long been in vogue in Brazil.
Now, Pitú is also bringing the fruity trend to Germany, offering “for the first time” two new ready-to-serve products for the home.
