The beverage industry is heading into 2022 with a flurry of new innovations, as brands debut Dry January friendly non-alcoholic alternatives, THC-infused cannabis drinks, functional products and forward-thinking launches in the non-dairy set.
The Bitter Housewife
Just in time for Dry January, The Bitter Housewife is offering consumers a bitter and spicy non-alcoholic beverage with their latest launch, Cardamom Bitters & Soda. Made with herbs, cinnamon and sparkling water, the sugar free offering is available now online direct-to-consumer for $36 per 12-pack of 12 oz. cans.
Boldt Drink
Infused with 10 mg of THC using Vertosa’s proprietary nanoemulsion technology, Boldt Drinks is a new line of cannabis iced teas available in Black, Blueberry Pomegranate and Peach flavors. Packed in 12 oz. cans, the brand is also aiming to let consumers avoid the dispensary line with a direct-to-consumer platform, developed by Ginger Commerce, available for California residents.
Carnation Breakfast Essentials
Nestlé Health Science has debuted the “next generation” of legacy kids breakfast drink brand Carnation with reformulated versions of its Original Nutritional Drinks and Powder Drink Mixes, reducing the added sugar by 25%. The beverages are also now available in Tetra Pak cartons and the label has been redesigned to feature brighter and more distinctive imagery. The drinks also contain protein, calcium and Vitamins C and D.
Cann
Sessionable cannabis tonic brand Cann is partnering with Olympic medalist and LGBTQ icon Gus Kenworthy for its latest innovation – Honeydew Mint Lite, a 10 calorie beverage made with no added sugar and just five natural ingredients. Like Cann’s other core line beverages, the new flavor is sold in 8 oz. cans containing 2 mg of THC and 4 mg of CBD and retails for $24 per 6-pack.
DASH Water
“Wonky fruit”-infused sparkling water brand DASH Water, which uses ugly and rejected fruits to reduce food waste, debuted its latest flavor this week with Mango. The drinks are zero sugar and zero calorie and come in 12 oz. cans.
Dos Luces Brewery
Craft beer brewery Dos Luces, which specializes in corn and maguey-based gluten-free beers, is now debuting a non-alcoholic craft soda: Chicha Morada, based on a traditional Peruvian recipe. Available for $21.99 per 4-pack on Amazon or $3 for a single 12 oz. bottle via Bevv.com, the drink is also sold straight from the company’s Denver, Colorado brewery on draft and to go. The drink contains just 94 calories and is rich in antioxidants, sweetened with Panela and contains Peruvian lime juice, cinnamon and clove.
Evian
Premium water brand evian is debuting a new non-flavored sparkling line available in 330 mL and 750 mL bottles. The line, which will launch in fine dining and hotel accounts this year, is described by the company as “dazzling, effervescent and refreshingly light” and made with the brand’s premium sourced spring water from the French Alps.
H.V.M.N.
Metabolic health company H.V.M.N. (Health Via Modern Nutrition) is debuting its latest beverage offering, Ketone-IQ, a functional solution containing energy producing ketones. Developed with financial support from the U.S. Department of Defense, Ketone-IQ claims itself as the “world’s first drinkable ketone” which can elevate the ketone levels in the body for six hours. The ultra-premium functional drink is available for $120 per 3-pack, containing 10 servings each, online direct-to-consumer and on Amazon and thefeed.com, as well as in store in Sprouts nationwide.
Jamulogy
Jamulogy is a new juice beverage based on the traditional Indonesian drink Jamu, which is made with turmeric, ginger and various herbs and spices. Available on Amazon, Jamulogy aims to introduce the beverage to American consumers with four SKUs: Tamarind Jamu, Passionfruit Jamu, Apple Cider Jamu and Garlic Ginger Jamu. The plant-based beverages also tout health benefits such as digestion aid and anti-inflammatory properties.
Martini & Rossi
Legacy Italian winemaker Martini & Rossi is embracing the rise of non-alc wine and spirits with its latest offering, a premium range of Non-Alcoholic Aperitivos, including Non-Alcoholic Floreale (botanical flavor profile with notes of chamomile) and Non-Alcoholic Vibrante (fruit with notes of Italian Bergamot oranges). The offerings contain an ABV of less than 0.5% and have no artificial ingredients or flavorings. Each SKU retails for $19.99 per 750 mL bottle and is expected to be available nationwide in the U.S. by next year.
Minor Figures
U.K.-based plant milk maker Minor Figures is preparing to launch its latest Oat M*lk offering with a Light SKU, made with less sugar and low fat while maintaining barista standard quality. Recommended for use in coffee, the drink will be available on the brand’s website for $24 per 6-pack of 1 Liter cartons.
Silk
Silk, a longtime mainstay of the plant-milk set, is aiming to innovate the category forward with Silk Nextmilk, a non-dairy milk that contains the taste, texture and nutritional benefits of dairy milk. The drink features calcium, Vitamins A, B12 and D, riboflavin and phosphorus as well as 4 grams of plant-based protein per serving. Available in Whole and Reduced Fat varieties, each 59 oz. carton will retail for $4.99 and is now available in Target, Kroger, Publix and HEB stores.