In this week's innovation round-up, we hear about Lindt's launch of a bar made from 100% cocoa fruit with 'no added ingredients'. In France, Jimini's launches a high protein pasta fortified with insect powder. And in the UK, Chupa Chups' Lolly Drops 'water enhancer' rolls out.
In this week's innovation round-up, we hear about Lindt's launch of a bar made from 100% cocoa fruit with 'no added ingredients'. In France, Jimini's launches a high protein pasta fortified with insect powder. And in the UK, Chupa Chups' Lolly Drops 'water enhancer' rolls out.
Pic: iStock
Premium sparking tea brand Saicho hopes to appeal to the growing low-to-no alcohol drinks sector through its line, which offers a ‘non-alcoholic drink that would speak the language of wine’.
It is launching its range in two new formats: 200ml and 750ml. The company said that the move would extend its appeal to consumers in the low ABV market, offering a ‘unique and refreshing’ option for those who want to avoid alcohol.
“Rather like a single estate wine, each tea has been selected from different regions, harvested at a certain time to create varying acidities, sweetness and mouthfeel that would complement certain foods and flavours rather than overpower them,” Saicho explained.
Saicho teas are cold-brewed for 24-hours and ‘lightly sweetened’ with grape juice. The range currently consists of Darjeeling, Jasmine and Hojicha.
Founder Charlie Winkworth-Smith commented on the launch: “At Saicho we are on a mission to bring sparkling tea to the drinks receptions and dining tables of the world. Whether eating in a fine dining restaurant, enjoying a drink at a wine bar or just at home with family and friends, the new size bottles allow Saicho teas to be enjoyed in new ways and are a direct response to the suggestions of our customers and stockists. We hope that our knowledge, passion, hard work and hands-on approach shines through in every glass.”
Saicho 750ml retails at £10.99 and 200ml will be sold in packs of 6 for £19.99.
Pic: Saicho
Mr Lee’s Noodles is launching three flavours of on-the-go breakfasts.
Mr Lee’s Porridges are a new vegan, low sugar porridge positioned as a ‘healthy, no nasties breakfast solution’.
The Porridge comes in three flavours: So Very Berry, a blend of three grains with real pieces of strawberries, raspberries and goji berries; Salted Caramel, three grains blended and naturally sweetened with coconut blossom sugar; and Original flavour, a blend of three grains that consumers can tweak to their own preferences.
Andy Chu, Executive Chef at Mr Lee’s Noodles, commented: “We’re really excited to be able to offer a new strand of product here at Mr Lee’s… A breakfast option was a natural progression in the Mr Lee’s product line."
The porridge will be available on Amazon, the Mr Lee’s website, vending machines and Ocado at the RRP of £2.25.
Pic: Mr Lee's
Dutch company Crème de la Cream, a ‘beverage enhancer specialist’, has developed a range of water enhancers based on the most popular flavours of Perfetti Van Melle’s lollipop brand Chupa Chups.
The new Lolly Drops range is zero-sugar and includes strawberry, orange, cherry and strawberry and cream flavours.
It will be launched throughout various European markets, including the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Benelux.
Marta Ballesteros, Area Licensing Manager Perfetti Van Melle commented: “With these concentrated Lolly Drops, fans of the brand will now be able to squeeze the flavour of their favourite lollipop in their water or beverage to get the taste, aroma and sweet touch exactly the way they prefer.“
Jean-Pierre Bienfait, Co-MD of Crème de la Cream, added: “We are happy to work closely with the famous Chupa Chups brand and bring water enhancers with such famous flavours. The product enhances drinking of water and is zero sugar once mixed in water. Also, with a small bottle, plastic use is substantially reduced. We look forward to make many loyal Chupa Chups customers enjoy their favourite flavour as a drink“.
Pic: Crème de la Cream
Edible insect brand Jimini’s is launching Fusilli pasta enriched with insect powder in France.
Announcing the innovation, the company noted that 79% of French people eat pasta at least once a week.
The company touted the pasta as both ‘delicious’ and offering ‘environmental and nutritional benefits’. The products are made from 95% organic ingredients, including wheat and egg whites. The pasta is ‘naturally rich in protein and fibre’ thanks to the addition of buffalo worm powder, Jimini’s revealed.
Jimini’s has been offering ‘gourmet products’ made from whole or powdered insects since 2012.
Pic: Jimini's
Lindt & Sprungli has launched a bar produced from 100% of the cocoa fruit with 'no other added ingredients'.
Lindt Excellence Cocoa Pure is available in limited quantities at four Lindt Chocolate Shops across the UK: Lindt Chocolate Shop Bluewater in Kent, Lindt Chocolate Shop Trinity Centre Leeds, Lindt Chocolate Shop Arndale Centre Manchester and Lindt Chocolate Shop Liverpool One, also online.
The company described the product as ‘completely natural’ with only ingredients from the cocoa fruit.
“In order to create this new, exotic cocoa delight, the Lindt Master Chocolatiers used their expertise and experience to combine the intensive cocoa note of the cocoa bean (82%) with the subtle fruity, exotic acidity of the pulp (18%),” the chocolate specialist revealed.
“A spectacular flavour adventure for dark chocolate lovers, it starts with an acidic fruity taste followed by an intense cocoa note and culminates in subtle chocolate nuances.”
The company noted that, unlike conventional chocolate production which discards the cocoa pulp, Lindt Cocoa Pure leverages the ‘natural sweetness’ of the pulp, which is extracted using a ‘new, innovative method’ and added to the chocolate. “As a result, all of the cocoa fruit pulp can be used in the chocolate.”
Jealous Sweets has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Asda that will see the UK supermarket expand its plant-based offering with the addition of the Jealous Medley range.
The line will be available at an RRP per 80g bag. The size, price point and variety will take Jealous Sweets plant-based offering to ‘mass market consumers at an accessible price point’, the companies said.
The Jealous Sweets Medley Range comprises two varieties; Jealous Medley and Zingy Medley. It contains a mixture of formats, such as Sours and Berries alongside Jealous Sweets well-established favourites including Tangy Worms, Grizzly Bears, Happy Bears, Love Bears, and Fizzy Friends.
Jack Clayton, Confectionery Buyer, Asda commented: “We’re thrilled to be exclusively stocking Jealous Medley Mix in our stores and expanding the popular range. We are proud to be an inclusive retailer and offer sweet treats which are suitable to all customers no matter their dietary requirement or lifestyle choice at great value.”
Imran Merza, Co-Founder and ‘Chief Candy Magician’, added: “Not only do our Medleys deliver on shockingly shameless taste, but they also provide a textural sensation when combined together. We have carefully selected the sweets that complement each other, like a master chef, escalating the experience to a glorious fruity crescendo. We know that the Medley range is going to open up a huge new market for us, and we are extremely excited to be doing this with a great partner in Asda.”
The range is 100% plant-based and approved by the Vegetarian Society as vegan. They are made with ‘real fruit juices’, are gluten free and 100% gelatine-free.
Pic: Jealous Sweets
The Consumer Brand, a business that started life in France, is expanding its ‘revolutionary consumer model’ to the UK market with the launch of a new flour brand.
It’s Up To You flour will be available in 1.5kg bags. The flour has been grown, produced and brought to the market in the UK to specifications set by a community of consumers, which include fair pricing for farmers, health considerations and environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices.
The flour is the first of a number of planned product launches that put the consumer at the heart of the process.
Pascal Hegglin, Co-Founder of The Consumer Brand elaborated on the business philosophy. “The Consumer Brand was born from an ethos which was started in France five years ago in response to the fact that more than 700 farmers there were committing suicide each year. Many of those deaths were occurring because farmers were going bankrupt in a cut-price industry which squeezed producers of raw materials.
“The Consumer Brand is a Community Interest Company (CIC) that puts fair pay for farmers at the top of its agenda but it doesn’t stop there. The community of consumers, which anyone can join, also sets the standards required for farming practices, manufacturing processes and the environmental impact for each product as well as the recommended retail price.”
Pascal continued: “Once the consumers have identified the parameters for the new product we set about finding producers and manufacturers who can meet their standards and ensure that we create the product they want at the price they have set. In this case we chose Matthews Cotswold Flour, a forward-thinking company with one of the longest milling histories in the UK, and have just launched the 1.5 kg bags of flour on their website. The British farmers providing the wheat are now on a deal assuring them a set price per tonne over three years and their agricultural practices have been given the official stamp of wildlife friendly approval from the RSPB and a new organisation called Fair To Nature.”
Bertie Matthews, managing director of Matthews Cotswold Flour added: “We are thrilled to be part of this incredible new project. I think this is a game-changing idea and I was personally really excited to see what the consumers were going to decide when it came to the flour. As a business we are already focused on fair prices for farmers and protecting the environment so we were readily able to meet the spec drawn up by the consumers for this flour. We are using as many local farmers as possible and we are working with Fair To Nature to improve biodiversity and soil health to help look after the environment.”
The consumer model was set up in France five years ago and is called ‘C’est qui le patron?’ which translates as ‘Who Is The Boss?’. The unique premise has taken the country by storm with around 16 million people, more than one in five shoppers, regularly purchasing at least one item produced under the system including milk, flour, eggs, wine, apple juice, honey and pasta.
The Consumer Brand in the UK aims to follow their flour launch with other staple products such as eggs, milk oats and bacon.
Pic: The Consumer Brand