FoodNavigator's weekly round up of new products from around Europe includes the launch of instant Starbucks coffee from Nestlé, a move the company says delivers a convenient premium coffee experience. Elsewhere, health and wellness drives saw the rollout of functional tea infusions, low-to-no beverages and 'great tasting' CBD.
Pic: © GettyImages/MarianVejcik
FoodNavigator's weekly round up of new products from around Europe includes the launch of instant Starbucks coffee from Nestlé, a move the company says delivers a convenient premium coffee experience. Elsewhere, health and wellness drives saw the rollout of functional tea infusions, low-to-no beverages and 'great tasting' CBD.
Pic: © GettyImages/MarianVejcik
Premium cold brew brand Bottleshot Cold Brew launched Oat M*lk cold brew coffee yesterday (1 March).
The new vegan-friendly Oat M*lk cold brew will join Bottleshot’s original Black flavour that launched in July 2019.
Bottleshot adapted the brand’s classic Black cold brew recipe by mixing it with oat m*lk for 'an enriched, dairy-free finish'.
Bottleshot uses premium, ethically sourced Rainforest Alliance Certified Arabica beans, which are soaked in cold water for 18 hours with roasted chicory. The process is inspired by an 'authentic New Orleans-style process' that offsets the bitterness of traditional roasted coffee resulting in an smooth cold brew that is high in caffeine and low in acidity, the company said.
Bottleshot’s Cold Brew Oat M*lk is available for purchase online and at retailers including Soho House, Wholefoods Market, and Amazon.
“We’ve been looking forward to the release of Cold Brew Oat M*lk since our launch. Many of the existing options are overwhelmingly sweet and mask the best flavours of the cold brew. That being said, our primary goal was to create the right balance of the sweet and nutty flavours from the oat without overshadowing our core flavour profile. The oat m*lk perfectly compliments the cold brew without taking center stage,” Annie Mitchell, Co-founder and CEO of Bottleshot, commented.
Spanish food tech start-up Foods For Tomorrow is expanding in France with the launch of a new range of meat analogue products in Franprix.
The company said it is accelerating its international expansion through the agreement. The company's Heura meat-free brand is now present in seven international markets: France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Holland, Portugal, Andorra and Spain.
Bernat Añaños, Foods for Tomorrow co-founder, said the launch comes in response to growing interest in plant-based proteins in France. "According to studies, 79% of French citizens do not follow a specific diet but 35% of them already admit to having reduced their consumption of meat in recent years.
"Heura offers a nutritious and tasty alternative for all these people who seek to reduce their meat consumption and adopt a more plant-based diet, without giving up on flavor and taste."
The first two products available in the French market are the Original and Mediterranean frozen chunks.
Foods for Tomorrow finished 2019 with a turnover of €2.5m and wants to 'heavily bet on its internationalization' to keep multiplying its figures in 2020.
Añaños added: “We were born to offer 100% plant-based alternatives that do not mean a sacrifice, now the time has come to bring this culinary experience to as many people as possible and as fast as we can with a rapid international expansion. We are rebels with a cause and a lot of ambition."
UK-based Aire is launching a 'premium' CBD oil that it claims delivers a 'great taste'.
The Leeds-based company said it wants to stand out in the crowded CBD space with the rollout of a range of all-natural CBD oils that put ‘great-taste’ at the heart of the business and deliver a premium experience.
Founders Oli Harris and Adam Flanagan believe taking this approach will help make CBD more accessible, meaning more people can start to enjoy the benefits. The company highlighted CBD's positive associations with mood suggesting the oil can help 'blow away the blues'.
Flanagan elaborated: “Just because it’s CBD people just seem to accept that it’s going to taste terrible. Or they’ll buy a product that has artificial ingredients added that hide the natural flavour. We’ve worked for nearly two years on getting the flavour of our oils right and are proud to say that we’ve now got a range of 100% hemp-based products which actually taste great. They’re clean and crisp, meaning people will actually enjoy taking them.”
Harris added: “And, it’s not just the taste. We’ve really focussed on getting every detail of the customer’s experience right. The website, the buying process, the packaging, all the way through to what’s inside the box when it arrives, everything has been done to make you feel appreciated and reassured as a customer. We really hope this approach helps more people feel comfortable trying CBD for the first time.’’
Aire will initially have three 10ml oils available on their website. The company said it works with one of Europe’s 'most renowned' CBD manufacturers, using premium-grade CBD, refined hemp-seed oil and added hemp terpenes. "This combination helps deliver the unique taste whilst making sure it delivers all the great benefits that regular CBD users will expect."
Nestlé is launching Starbucks premium instant (soluble) coffee globally.
The new range consists of Medium Roast and Dark Roast coffees, as well as a variety of coffee beverages and a tea latte.
Available in multi-serve tins and single-serve formats, the products will hit markets including the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and South Africa.
The new range of Starbucks premium instant coffee is the latest innovation co-developed by Nestlé and Starbucks under the global coffee alliance.
"The continued strong collaboration between Starbucks and Nestlé enabled us to move at speed and to expand the Starbucks brand into the instant coffee segment. We are delighted to keep leveraging our coffee expertise to create new experiences for consumers," said David Rennie, Deputy executive vice president, head of Nestlé Coffee Brands. "The instant coffee segment is growing fast globally. With the launch of Starbucks premium instant coffee, we have a new range that resonates with Starbucks consumers and will strengthen our leading position.”
John Culver, Starbucks International group president of channel development and global coffee and tea, added: “The speed in which this innovation came to life is an example of the power of our alliance as we further extend the global reach of Starbucks for our customers and create long-term value for both companies.”
The Starbucks premium instant coffee range will be sold in supermarkets and major online platforms.
Pukka Herbs said it wants to help French consumers prepare for the 'change of season' with the launch of a cleansing range of 'purifying' teas.
The brand has unveiled a range of herbal teas and 'revitalising infusions' that are designed to promote 'vitality and energy', 'stimulate the mind' and 'detox'. After dinner teas and infusions, including Turmeric Gold and Feel New, are also formulated to aide digestion.
Pukka detailed the line and the health benefits associated with each variety of tea:
- Nettle - which is 'full of vitamins, minerals and proteins'
- Fennel - with 'strong anti-inflammatory properties' that soothes digestion
- Turmeric - a 'super spice' that helps the liver to work more efficiently
- Lemon - which Pukka says removes toxins from the blood and decongesting
- Green tea - an effective way to provide antioxidants to the liver, according to the company
- Dandelion - 'removes excess heat and toxicity in the liver'
- Anise - known for its detoxifying properties, the blend 'naturally relaxes and promotes digestion'
- Spirulina - an alga and a complete protein, containing all amino acids and a non-animal source of vitamin B12.
Wine Water's wine grape infused waters, O.Vine, will be available in full-sized 700ml bottles in the UK.
The new, larger bottles of the startup’s exclusive non-alcoholic beverage will be launched in the country, targeting the menus at high-end restaurants, hotels, and bars.
The company said it is targeting growing interest in low-to-no beverages. According to Innova Market Insights, one in four consumers have reduced alcohol consumption in the US, UK, France, Germany, China and Brazil.
“Only a generation ago, having a hangover was almost a badge of honour,” observed David Allen, O.Vine’s UK distributor. "Today, pubs are closing throughout the UK, and more high-end bars are popping up as Britons’ drinking habits change... This behaviour emanates mainly from the affluent Millennial sector who are today the highest spending generation in the UK. Around 29% of this generation do not drink alcohol, with more than 20% of Brits now non-drinkers. Catering to the sober sector seems a logical choice.”
Wine Water's line includes still and sparkling red and white wine-infused waters. The O.Vine formula is composed of upcycled fruit residue from the traditional winemaking process, reusing the intrinsically polyphenol-rich skins and seeds from the remains of a blend of wine grape varieties, including Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet.
The start-up has also extended its range to include Chardonnay and Cabernet Essence Waters based on single grape varieties.
German drinks brand Milford is expanding its range with the launch of a lemon and lime variety.
The sugar-free and calorie-free cold infusion tea is positioned as an alternative to sweet drinks.
"The new lemon-lime active flavor not only brings a tangy, fruity taste to the glass, but also scores with valuable vitamin C, vitamin B3 and zinc," the company said.
The new SKU is being rolled out nationwide to cash and carry, drugstore, hypermarket and supermarket channels.