NPD Trend Tracker: From Belizean rum to drought-resistent beer
Beer replaces barley with drought-resistant ‘fonio grain’
In a collaboration with US-based Brooklyn Brewery, Danish brewer Carlsberg has developed a beer which uses the drought-resistant ‘fonio grain’ in place of barley and bittering hops. The grain, which can survive in poor soils, has been used in West Africa for 5,000 years and is a staple of African cooking.
The limited-edition beer, according to Carlsberg, has the aroma of apricots, white peaches and melon, with both an ‘underlying sweetness’ and ‘lingering bitterness.’ It was created by Carlsberg Research Laboratory, and its label was designed by Kevin Bongang, a muralist, painter, and designer from Cameroon.
By using the grain, the brewery aims to highlight its brewing potential, and its potential in the beer industry.
“Carlsberg is constantly working to invigorate curiosity and I firmly believe that all progress in the world starts with a spark of curiosity. When Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery, approached me to discuss what we could create with fonio, the first thing I thought was why has no one made a beer that is completely fonio?” said Carlsberg’s director of brewing science and technology, Zoran Gojkovic.
Britvic brings back Tango Cherry Sugar Free
Britvic-owned soft drinks brand Tango is re-releasing an old favourite: Tango Cherry Sugar Free. According to NielsenIQ, cherry is the fourth biggest flavour in total carbonates.
“We’ve had many consumers requesting the return of our iconic Tango Cherry flavour on social media, so there really was no better time to bring it back and excite the category with yet another bold, popular flavour. We know how important it is to keep innovating to keep shoppers interested and excited by the category and we are confident this one is going to be a hit in-store,” said Britvic retail commercial director in Great Britain, Ben Parker.
“We’ve ensured Tango Cherry is now also sugar free, with no compromise on its iconic flavour, enabling us to support retailers in offering shoppers soft drinks that lead with taste, just without the sugar. What’s more, the new flavour is available in a range of formats, to cater to take-home occasions as well as on-the-go moments, to ensure retailers can maximise their soft drinks sale potential with Tango.”
The launch comes hot on the heels of Tango’s re-release of its sugar-free apple flavour in 2022, which is now the second biggest Tango flavour.
Tango Cherry will be available from October. A 330ml can will have an RSP of £0.80, a 500ml plain bottle an RSP of £1.99, a 500ml PMP bottle an RSP of £1.25, a 2L bottle an RSP of £3.19, and multipacks of 8 cans an RSP of £5.29. 18 can packs will have an RSP of £9.69 and 24 can packs an RSP of £12.49.
Cathedral City launches snacking range
Cheese brand Cathedral City has expanded its snacking range with the release of Cathedral City Bites. The product is specifically designed with children in mind after a Mintel report found that 65% of parents considered cheese a good snacking option.
Available in supermarket retailer Morrisons from today, on Amazon from 19 August and in Sainsbury’s from 22 September, the product focuses on accessibility, with child-friendly ‘tear here’ instructions on the packet.
“We have seen a noticeable demand for more nutritious lunch box snacks that don’t compromise on taste or convenience. Our new Cathedral City Bites perfectly meet this demand by combining the delicious taste of Cathedral City cheese with a nutritious and tasty snack in a child-friendly format,” said Cathedral City brand manager Lissie Bernard.
The product will be available at an RRP of £2.09.
Belizean rum expands to UK
Belize rum brand Ruta Maya is expanding into the UK.
Taking its name from the 290k Belizean river route that is often seen as a challenge to athletes, the brand, produced by Travellers Distillery, aims to establish strong relationships with local farmers and craftsmen from all over Belize. It dedicates 10% of its profits to safeguarding Belize’s rivers, waterways, and biodiversity.
The four rums in the range include Rum Ouro, Rum Blanco, Cocolime and Coffee. Each rum is made from raw materials from farms throughout Belize.
Each 70cl bottle is available at an RRP of £29, from retailers including Amazon UK, Master of Malt and Whiskey Exchange.
Oldest brewery in Estonia releases energy drinks
Estonia’s oldest brewery, A. Le Coq, has released a new range of its energy drinks brand, Dynami:t. The brewery, which has a wide portfolio including beers and ciders, fruit wines, juices and soft drinks, has been around since 1807.
Dynami:t uses bright, eye-catching artwork, created with speciality inks, to glow in the dark and draw in consumers. The newest range comes in four variants: Nocturnal Light, Magic Tingle, Cool Vibe and Night Shadow, with flavour combinations like apple and mint or lime and passion fruit.
“The cans themselves are effectively a ‘shop window’ for the beverages they contain. The use of special-effect inks was a great choice that really enhances their shelf appeal. It opens a wider range of possibilities for amplifying the attractiveness of the products and how consumers relate to our brand,” said A. Le Coq product manager Jörgen Kippel.
