In this week's edition of our trend tracker, the importance of the health and wellness trend can be seen in full force. This can be seen in an array of new products, from teas that boast a functional benefit - be it focus, sleep or gut health - to honey infused with CBD and fortified vegan protein drinks. Here is FoodNavigator's weekly roundup of new products hitting the shelves in Europe.
Pic: Getty - Brankospejs
In this week's edition of our trend tracker, the importance of the health and wellness trend can be seen in full force. This can be seen in an array of new products, from teas that boast a functional benefit - be it focus, sleep or gut health - to honey infused with CBD and fortified vegan protein drinks. Here is FoodNavigator's weekly roundup of new products hitting the shelves in Europe.
Pic: Getty - Brankospejs
Twinings, the tea brand owned by Associated British Foods, has launched Superblends into the hospitality sector. The line offers teas that deliver various health and wellness benefits.
“Understanding emerging health trends has helped guide the development of the Superblends range”, explained Claire Fluen, shopper marketing executive at Twinings Foodservice. “Tea has the opportunity to grow further to meet the consumer health need and 24% of consumers are planning to increase their tea consumption as a result of a keener focus on their health & wellbeing. Younger consumers are entering the tea category via Green & Infusions because of the associated health benefits and a brand such as Twinings brings credibility, accessibility and mass appeal for those wanting to showcase their range of teas in their venue.”
Superblends teas use either a fruity or green tea base with added vitamins or minerals to support health and wellbeing. The new Superblends range comprises of: Sleep, Glow, Focus and Digest.
Fluen concluded: “Not only do these blends deliver on taste, which is the most important factor for consumer purchase but they also have super ingredients that bring a health benefit with an added vitamin or mineral to help support everyday wellbeing. Our new products are blended with botanicals and taste fantastic, and this emphasis on health and wellbeing is a growth driver for tea sales. The various functional benefits of Superblends should be promoted in-venue and operators have an excellent opportunity to up sell their beverage offering.”
Chambers and The Fruitery is expanding its business to include the supply of branded fresh fruit and medley pots for the foodservice, retail and culinary trade sectors.
Last year, UK grower Chambers became the country's only specialist fruit grower to launch its own prepared fruit facility, The Fruitery. Currently, the facility produces white label fresh fruit and medley pots that 'have proven popular' thanks to their extended shelf life, reduced food miles and 100% traceability, the company said.
The new branded berry medley offering will be the first branded prepared berry product to hit the UK market. The move towards the supply of fresh fruit under The Fruitery brand enables the business to service the needs of the discerning culinary trade which, while acknowledging the benefits of The Fruitery’s current catering pack and the extended shelf life, are more interested in buying larger volumes of fruit in a fresh rather than prepared format, the company said.
Commenting on the launch, commercial director James Miller said: “The Fruitery has been well received within the industry and our advantageous reduced supply chain timeline, £2m investment in the high care facility, BRC accreditation and ability to provide a seamless year-round supply of berries direct from the grower resonates favourably with our customers. We are now keen to pursue wider distribution channels for the product including culinary professionals with whom we have already started a seeding programme via the renowned Westminster Kingsway college in London.
"We believe that The Fruitery can operate successfully as a proprietary brand, alongside the existing white label business, leveraging the successful supply chain model pioneered by Chambers. Fruit Logistica was a successful show for Chambers delivering a high number of meetings with new customers and new growers from around the world. We were also able to identify some new sources of fruit which may yield interesting results in the coming years. We were delighted in the response to The Fruitery prepared fruit offer, with many retailers looking to range these lines from the UK, Europe and further afield.”
nüMorning 'healthy, gourmet and eco-friendly' breakfasts are launching in France.
The company said that the products display 'real ethical and nutritional commitments'. nüMorning breakfasts are made with and 'handcrafted' recipes.
Launched in September 2017 in Lyon, nüMorning co-founder and CEO Mathilde Gaymard explained that the idea stemmed from the tradition of eating oats for breakfast, which is common in English speaking countries.
The nüMorning range consists of seven granolas, two mueslis and two porridges.
Punchy Drinks is launching new plastic-free branding and two new flavours.
The natural fruit punch company is adding to its classic punch of peach, ginger and chai, with or without rum, with two new combinations: cucumber, yuzu & rosemary and blood orange, aromatic bitters & cardamom. The cucumber and blood orange premium soft drinks respectively are also available in a 4% abv gin and whiskey 4% abv punch version.
The range is also shedding plastic and will be launching a new can that is 100% recyclable, with a paper label. Each drink is vegan, gluten free, low in sugar and low in calories without any preservatives or artificial sweeteners.
Paddy Cavanagh-Butler, founder of Punch Drinks comments: “We are hugely excited to share our new brand and flavours as we truly believe there is a real opportunity to capture the fun, enjoyment and sociability of punch while giving people the choice to drink alcohol or not.
"Our recent success of our crowd-funding, where the target was hit ahead of schedule, confirms the demand and desire for these products. We are offering a new generation of drinkers a new way to drink.”
Snack maker Pladis is rolling out new, limited edition ‘Best of British’ flavour variants under its McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives brand.
McVitie's is sponsoring Team GB and the brand has undergone a 'patriotic makeover' ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. As part of the marketing drive, three 'quintessentially British flavours' will join the line up from February, the company said.
New flavours include: marmalade on toast, cherry bakewell and strawberries & cream.
Emma Stowers, brand birector for McVitie’s at pladis UK&I, commented: “As part of our partnership we knew that we wanted to create a big buzz around this year’s Olympic Games and help the nation cheer on Team GB from their own homes. And, what better way to do this than by launching a range of distinctively British, limited-edition flavours to the McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives range?
“As the nation’s Biggest Biscuit Brand, we’re present in 27 million households in the UK. The introduction of these never-before-seen flavours will help retailers to drive interest in, and sales for, McVitie’s when national interest around the Olympic Games is at an all-time high.”
The launch of McVitie’s Best of British Chocolate Digestives comes as the brand begins to roll-out an on-pack ‘proud partner’ logo across its biscuits and cakes ranges.
Clear Vegan Protein, an 'innovative' drink with pea proteins infused with vitamins, is launching in France.
The product has been developed by MyProtein. The company described it as a 'light and refreshing drink' based on high quality pea protein isolate, real infused fruit and B vitamins.
MyProtein said it is positioned as a 'tasty alternative' to fruit juices and sugary drinks. One serving delivers 10g of plant-based protein and 50% of recommended daily intake of vitamin B. It contains less than one gram of sugar per serving, the company noted.
The powdered beverage is available in two flavours: strawberry or lemon & lime.
Premium honey brand Haughton Honey has launched a new honey containing CBD.
Haughton Honey infused with CBD is made with 'pure, natural raw honey' sourced from south Cheshire, the Shropshire border and beyond.
The company said it contains 'high quality CBD' that is grown in Britain under 'tightly controlled conditions'.
Haughton Honey’s Crispin Reeves said: “We have taken our delicious, high-quality honey and added carefully sourced vegetarian-friendly CBD to create something special.
“CBD usually comes in spray or dropper form but we are confident most people would prefer a spoonful of our delicious CBD-infused honey on their toast or stirred into their porridge each morning.
“Research around the world continues into the potential for CBD and how it could help a range of conditions including aches and pains from exercise, menstrual and menopausal problems, anxiety, depression and epileptic seizures.
“The CBD we are using retains its natural terpenes – compounds that give many plants, such as lavender, pine trees and citrus plants, their distinctive scents. Our CBD is known as full-spectrum CBD as it has a full cannabinoid and terpene profile that mirrors the hemp plant source.”
Haughton Honey has been selling honey from its farm in Cheshire since 2014.
Haughton Honey infused with CBD sells in a full-size 340 gram jar, priced at £29.95.
