NPD launches: June 2024

UK’s first dairy barista milk

Third-generation Cornish brand, Trewithen Dairy, has launched what it claims its the UK’s first dairy-based barista milk.

Trewithen Dairy worked alongside award-winning baristas and industry experts to formulate the milk to optimise micro-foaming when using a steam wand.

The Barista Milk is naturally high in protein (3.5%) with extra cream (4%) and has no thickeners, gums, preservatives, colours, stabilisers, nut pastes or added oils.

The launch comes as consumers are taking their at-home coffee more seriously. The World Coffee Portal’s Coffee At Home UK Report 2023, shows total sales for domestic pod, filter and espresso machines rose 3.5% over the last 12 months, reaching £162.8m.

The milk will be available in Tesco stores nationwide at £1.59.

Fruit Shoot takes aims at squash

Robinsons Fruit Shoot is entering the squash category with two flavours: Berry Galaxy (strawberry and blueberry) and Tropical Jungle (orange and mango).

With squash making up nearly half of all soft drinks for kids, this represents a strategic move from the drinks brand to expand its reach. The new squash is aimed at children aged between 3-8 years.

“We can see a clear demand in the kids category for larger sharing formats, so this was the perfect time to expand Fruit Shoot into a brand-new category,”​ commented Ben Parker, retail commercial director at Britvic. “As a well-known and trusted brand, Fruit Shoot is well placed to leverage its strong appeal with kids and parents, helping retailers to drive further sales within the category.”​

Fruit Shoot’s core range (Orange and Apple & Blackcurrant No Added Sugar Juice Drink) is growing by 1% and its naturally flavoured water range, Hydro, by 12.8% (vs last year).

Organic flour launches

Organic flour brand Doves Farm has announced two new additions to its home baking range: Doves Farm Organic White Rice Flour and Doves Farm Organic Cornflour.

The new white rice flour comes in a 1kg pack and is milled from ‘sustainably grown’ rice. It is said to have a neutral flavour profile and can be used to make a range of sweet and savoury gluten free bakes, including cakes, cookies, bread and pastry. It is also suitable for thickening sauces, gravies and soups and comes at a RRP of £2.99.

“Rice Flour has more google searches in the UK than any other major speciality flour! Despite this, there are hardly any available in the baking fixture so we’re delighted to bring this product to market, making it accessible to all, and addressing rising demand from UK consumers,”​ Clare Marriage, Doves Farm co-founder said.

Doves Farm's organic cornflour now comes in a 400g format. Made from ‘sustainably grown’ corn, it is suitable for thickening sauces, making desserts and lightening the texture of baking, and comes at a RRP of £3.95.

“The cornflour market is currently valued at £15.6m, but only 1.7% is organic compared to 8.9% of all flour, representing a huge opportunity. With a growing number of customers looking for sustainably grown, high quality, trusted baking ingredients, we are excited to be able to bring this organic cornflour in a larger pack, to market,”​ added Marriage.

The new products are available to buy direct, with broader distribution to follow.

Alcohol free cyder to rattle market

Cornish Cyder producer, Healeys, has unveiled a new addition to its Rattler range.

Rattler Zero Tropical Cyder joins the Rattler range that includes Original (5.5%), Zero (0%) and Black (8.4%), as well as flavoured cyders such as Berry (4%), Pear (4%), Pineapple (4%), Mango (3.4%), Peach (3.4%), Strawberry & Lime (3.4%), and Mulled (3.4%).

This latest addition is the second 0% ABV cyder in the Rattler range, following the success of Rattler Zero Original which hit shelves in 2021.

This non-alcoholic cyder is made by blending 97% fermented apples with a tropical fusion of mango, pineapple and passionfruit. It has a RRP £2.75 per 500ml.

“We’re excited to launch Rattler Zero Tropical Cyder into the market ahead of the summer season,”​ said Joe Healey, managing director (Trading) at Healeys. “Rattler Zero alone has achieved a 42% YOY volume growth and we’ve seen a real thirst for innovation in the cyder category, with consumers actively seeking lower alcohol alternatives. This new offering gives more choice around drinking habits, and by expanding our range of low & no alcohol cyder, we hope to encourage new cyder drinkers to explore different profiles of the Rattler range.​

“We’re continuing to produce top-quality drinks and are excited to have a patent pending on this unique method of creating non-alcoholic cyder. By developing this process, where 97% of the Rattler Zero range comes from fermented apples, we’re committed to giving the character and flavour you’d expect in a zero-alcohol Rattler product.”​

In 2023, Healeys announced a £5m investment into its production infrastructure and onsite visitor experience. This has allowed the business to double its processing capacity with the introduction of new apple bays, a new water transportation system, and an additional press, as well as creating an integrated visitor experience.

Stocks for the young and wealthy

Kallø has announced the launch of a new range of organic stock pots in chicken and vegetable flavours into Waitrose (RRP £2.50).

The Ecotone brand has seen its stocks range achieve 11% year-on-year growth in value sales. Kantar data also reveals it is the is the only major stocks brand to drive rate-of-sale and penetration against a category where price has been the sole growth driver at 18.6%.

The brand is targeted ‘young, affluent foodies’ and aims to appeal to ‘eco-conscious yet culinary creative’ consumers.

“As the only fully organic stocks brand, we make sure we use clean ingredients – no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and no MSG. We focus on premium flavour from the finest natural ingredients in formats that fit with younger consumers’ evolving needs – providing the base for them to build on with their own culinary creativity,”​ explained Adele Ward, Kallø marketing director at Ecotone UK.

Budget canned wine

UK supermarket Asda has launched launching its first range of wine cans - ‘Pica Pica’ - with six new varieties on offer.

Asda’s Pica Pica wine cans consist of two white, two rosé and two sparkling wine varieties, priced at £2.50 each for 250ml (£7.50/75cl) as it looks to offer a ‘value for money’ alternative.

Pica Pica Sauvignon Blanc is a floral, passionfruit, and citrus flavoured South African wine with vibrant, zesty notes; while the Pica Pica Viognier contains hints of apricot, peach and lemon, complemented by floral aromatics.

The rosé options include Pica Pica White Zinfandel – bright and fruity, with a well-balanced natural sweetness and subtle watermelon and strawberry flavours; and Pica Pica Pinot Grigio Rosé – a floral, red cherry and white-peach flavoured Italian wine.

The range also includes two sparking wines – in white and rosé varieties – as well as two canned wine cocktails -  Pica Pica Cassis & Sparkling Wine Spritz and Pica Pica Elderflower & Mint Wine Spritz.

The Cassis & Sparkling Wine Spritz has flavours of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, whilst the other is a lighter wine cocktail with notes of lime, elderflower and mint.

“As always, we’re committed to delivering premium, trend-led products at fantastic prices. Asda’s new Pica Pica wine can range is ideal for those looking to enjoy high-quality wine ‘on-the-go’ or try new wines - we don’t doubt the cans will become a customer favourite this summer, especially with rumours of a summer heatwave on the horizon!”​ said Asda’s wine buyer, Stephanie Fleming.

Middle-Eastern brand breaks into UK market

Non-alcoholic drinks brand Freez Mix has entered the UK market, after it saw a successful trial tun in selected London stores and cash and carrys last year.

Founded in 2001, Freez Mix is manufactured in the Chtaura Valley in Lebanon and over the years has grown its presence in Europe, Africa, North America and Australia.

Ready to take on the UK in full swing, ASCO Foods will be the exclusive distributors of Freez in the region.

The drinks feature a blend of ‘natural’ fruit flavours that deliver a ‘fizzy low sugar hit’, and comes in 14 varieties, including Pomegranate, Mango & Peach, Lemon & Mint, and Blue Hawaii.

“We’re incredibly proud of how successful our test launch was and we’re confident that we’ll be able to appeal to the UK market as we begin our full rollout,”​ a spokesperson for the brand said.

“We think the UK consumers will love our range of beverages as it’s unlike anything they have experienced before. Soda lovers will be introduced to a true alternative to the big name brands.”​

GBBO champ churns out another win

Following the its successful debut of chef-led savoury butters in 2023, All Things Butter is expanded its product portfolio with a new sweet butter range.

Cinnamon Bun is the first SKU to launch within the new range, and will be available to purchase from a range of retailers including Ocado, Modern Milkman, Gopuff, and Zapp, alongside independents for a RRP of £3.00 per 125g.

All Things Butter debuted a four-strong range of savoury butters in November 2023 (Salted, Unsalted, Garlic & Herb, Chilli), with nearly 250,000 blocks of butter sold within its first six months.

The new range has been developed by Great British Bake Off 2018 finalist, Ruby Bhogal, who now joins the company as an equity partner.

Bhogal said: “I’m delighted to share that I will be joining the All Things Butter team to lead the brand’s next project and delve into a new market of sweet butter. We have been working on some truly delicious recipe developments that aim to evolve the category and get people using butter in new, creative ways. Cinnamon Bun is just the first in a series of amazing new flavours and I am sure all foodies will love it as much as I do!”​

This news also follows the brand’s successful investment round which made £2.2m, with the funds to be used to support further retail roll out.

HFSS compliant Yorkie mousse

Lactalis Nestle Chilled Dairy UK & Ireland has expanded its Nestle desserts range, with the launch of Yorkie in chilled dairy.

The chocolate flavoured Yorkie Crème Dessert has been manufactured to meet HFSS restrictions and builds on the company’s plans to create ‘healthier, HFSS compliant’ sweet treats.

Christopher Pihoué, marketing manager at Lactalis Nestle Chilled Desserts UK, said: “We are proud of the work across our Nestle mousses and new desserts ranges to be able to offer HFSS compliant, tasty desserts, that offer a real selling point to retailers and consumers alike. All while creating the perfect treat for anytime of the day and evening.”​

The dessert is already in Tesco stores in 2x65g recyclable PET pots, at the RRP of £1.85 and in Iceland in 4x65g format at RRP £2.50. The company has said additional retails will follow.

NOMO celebrates turning 5 with new SKU

Vegan and free-from chocolate brand NOMO has marked its fifth birthday with the launch of a new product range.

The new Mini Bars Mixed Sharing Box (140g) features 12 mini bars in a selection of NOMO’s most popular flavours, including creamy choc, caramel, mint, and orange crunch.

NOMO made its debut by launching in Tesco and Holland & Barrett in May 2019. It was turning a profit after one year and has seen exponential growth within the last five years.

According to data from Nielsen IQ Scantrack, it has been outpacing growth within its category segment (of 18.3% YoY) with a rate of 32.4% YoY and an overall worth of £12.5m.

NOMO’s market value is now nearly three times that of its closest rival, with the brand boasting three of the top 10 selling SKUs.

Commenting, Emma Perrett, marketing controller for NOMO, said: “We are thrilled to celebrate NOMO’s fifth birthday and our remarkable growth journey. From day one, our mission has been to create delicious chocolate that everyone can enjoy regardless of allergies, intolerances and lifestyle choices. Our ongoing success reflects our dedication to quality and innovation, providing safe, great-tasting chocolates for everyone which we believe taste even better than mainstream counterparts, the most recent of which is our sharing mixed box - perfect for gifting, sharing, or keeping for yourself!”​

Alongside its strong retailer foothold in the UK, the brand can also be found in Germany and Australia.

Bite-sized marshmallows

Premium mallow confectioner, Mallow & Marsh, has announced the launch of its latest range, Mini Mallows.

This extends the Harrogate business’s existing portfolio of indulgent mallow bars and sharing pouches, with a brand-new format comprising small, bite-sized mallow treats encased in a Belgian Fairtrade chocolate.

The new launch follows consumer research conducted by Mallow & Marsh, which found that 50% of its customers prefer small bites over bars within the snacking category, along with 96% of respondents stating that they found the bite-sized treats both very appealing (59%) and appealing (37%).

Jonathan Burr, Commercial and Marketing Lead at Mallow & Marsh commented: “Our consumer research highlighted the desire for smaller, bite-sized treats, so we’re thrilled to be launching our Mini Mallows range to embrace this trend.​

“Nearly half (42%) of our respondents surveyed stated that they would purchase our Mini Mallow range in addition to a chocolate bar over the course of four weeks, which is set to drive incremental sales for our business and the wider category over the upcoming months. We hope that not only will it appeal to our loyal customer base, but it will also attract new customers to come and try our delicious range of premium mallow treats.”​

Available in two flavours, the Mini Mallows are set to launch in the existing Milk Chocolate over Vanilla variety, as well as introducing a brand-new flavour, Milk Chocolate over Salted Caramel.

The launch of the Mini Mallow’s range follows Mallow & Marsh’s recent brand refresh, which sees it move away from its permissible health perceptions and instead towards premium indulgence, aligning with its quality attributes.

The range will be on shelves in Asda and available to purchase through Amazon and directly via the company’s website. The RRP is £1.35/ 36g.

PepsiCo goes electric blue

PepsiCo is launching a limited-edition blue cola, Pepsi Electric.

This new SKU will be available for 12 months across convenience, wholesale and grocery channels in a 500ml bottle format at a RRP of £1.99.

As the number one soft drinks category, worth £5.9bn, according to Nielsen IQ data, cola presents a significant opportunity for retailers to maximise sales. However, with taste said to be among the biggest driver of choice for consumers choosing their cola drink, shoppers are continuously on the lookout for striking new flavours, in particular Gen Z.

Pepsi Electric is set to help retailers cater to this demand and builds on the brand’s already flavour portfolio that includes Pepsi MAX® Cherry, Lime and Mango.

Commenting, Ben Parker, Britvic retail commercial director in Great Britain, said: “Pepsi Electric embodies shopper preferences for fresh, special edition flavours while incorporating the unmissable vibrant blue cola liquid, which will grab shopper attention at shelf and capture the next generation. ​

“Tying in with Pepsi’s Thirsty for More campaign, the pack design echoes the electric blue and black of the recent logo rebrand, alongside the signature Pepsi pulse – bringing the brand to life, ensuring consumer recognition and encouraging shoppers to make the most of this limited-edition flavour. Pepsi Electric is set to help retailers increase basket spend and tap into the flavoured cola segment, a market which is growing three times faster than unflavoured cola.”​

Mindful mushroom tea

Finally, organic mushroom supplement specialists Antioxi has released its first trio of functional mushroom teas.

The new range includes Gut Health Tea Blend, Vitality Tea, and Calm Tea – with each style of tea said to cater to a different area of wellbeing – including digestion, immunity and mindfulness.

The Gut Health Tea contains Chaga Mushrooms and is enhanced with peppermint, ginger and cardamom.

The Vitality Tea features Turkey Tail Mushroom and Echinacea – a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family. Its features spicy and citrus flavours of turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and orange zest.

The Calm Tea is made with Reishi Mushroom and includes lavender, chamomile and acacia flowers to offer a delicate yet aromatic flavour.

Commenting on the launch, the company’s director, Marko Grensemann, said: “We are delighted with our first-ever mushroom tea range. The research has been extensive to create the perfect blends, but the results are exceptional. Our mission is to create a realm of rejuvenation and serenity, and we truly believe we have achieved this with our shroom tea launch.”

The range is available now from £8.99 each.