News
Summer 2024 NPD launches
New Scottish whisky launch
In a first for the brand, Galwegian drinks company Courageous Spirits has launched an age-statement whisky under its King’s Inch name.
The range which features its non-age statement King’s Inch whisky will now be joined by the 8 Year Old King’s Inch (46%) – a mix of a bourbon and sherry cask vatting made specifically to be bottled at a younger age statement.
Golden in colour, the drink boasts aromas of rich and soft scents, laced with hints of heather honey and a subtle kick of spiced oak and citrus.
On the palette, there are notes of subtle sweetness, tropical fruit and dried raisins that lead onto spiced oak and ginger. Spiced ginger on the finish, lingering at the back of the palate and finishing with a warm and long-lasting sweet chilli.
King’s Inch is named after the old imperial measurement of an inch, and a forgotten island in the Clyde, with its first bottling fresh off an award-winning run in 2022.
The announcement of the new whisky comes at the same time as Courageous Spirits moves into its new premises on 121 Lancefield Street, Glasgow. The goal is to bring dry goods storage, bonded storage, bottling and distribution all under one roof.
Home to both Glaswegin and King's Inch Single Malt Whisky brands, Courageous Spirits is planning to further break into global markets; targeting international territories such as Hong Kong, Myanmar, India and currently recruiting distributors across the globe. It hopes to roll out its urban distillery plans later this year.
Yummy yogurts
Trewithen Dairy has launched three new yogurts into Tesco stores across the southwest – the first products to hit shelves its rebranded packaging.
Made with Cornish whole milk from farms local to Trewithen Dairy’s Glynn Valley dairy production site, the new products are available in Greek, Strawberry & Clotted Cream and Peaches & Cream flavours and come in 450g pots.
The new range can be found in Ocado, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda and Spar.
Trewithen Dairy grew from generations of dairy farming, with processing starting in 1994. Today, is the UK’s biggest Cornish dairy supplier, producing a full range of bottled milks, clotted cream, butter, and yoghurt – churning out 125m litres of milk and 1,000 tonnes of clotted cream per year.
The recent rebrand intends to better reflect its heritage and dedication to producing locally-sourced products.
“Our aim for everything here at Trewithen Dairy is Delicious Dairy, Done Right. The time was definitely right to invest in the brand and create a new look which is eye catching in the dairy aisle,” commented managing director, Francis Clarke. “Strengthening the messaging around the credentials of our dairy coveys to consumers that there is no compromise on quality here at Trewithen Dairy and our three new yoghurt SKUs are an absolute testament to this. They took a while to perfect, but we know that taste is by far the most important factor when choosing yoghurt and consumers will be able to taste the work our development team have put into the range.”
Non-HFSS ice cream inspired cereal
BEST Breakfasts has expanded its range, with a new limited-edition ice cream flavoured cereal.
The Sidemen-owned Ice Cream Crunch has been launched exclusively into Iceland Stores, consisting strawberry, chocolate and vanilla flavoured crispy cereal squares in a 375g box.
BEST was launched earlier this year and is a HFSS-compliant cereal made by Mornflake, with the new flavour joining Choco Crunch and Caramel Gold. The UK cereal brand has seen quick success, selling 500,000 boxes in its first three months.
BEST cereal is made with a combination of wheat and oat crispy puffs, with added vitamins and minerals such as B12, D, E and iron. Per 30g serving, it contains 0.5g/1% fat, of which 0.2g/1% are saturates; 5.2g/6% of sugars; and 0.13g/2% salt.
The Sidemen’s manager, Jordan Schwarzenberger said the brand had been “overwhelmed” with compliments and requests for additional flavours.
BEST is a part of the Sidemen’s brand collection, alongside XIX Vodka, launched in 2023, and SIDES restaurant group, launched in 2021. The group gained fame via is Youtube, with the group now boasting 21.5m subscribers.
New oat drink on the block
Independent plant-based drinks company Framptons has introduced a new range of British-farmed oat drinks.
The Wessex Oat Company is sourced exclusively from the fertile fields of Wessex and processed in Somerset, Red Tractor approved, and can be customised into own-label recipes.
The range includes Unsweetened Oat, Barista Oat, Chocolate Oat, Oat Latte, and Caramel Latte, with Creamy Oat to launch later this year.
Commenting on the launch, Andrew Rimell, managing director at Framptons, said: "The Wessex Oat Company range offers retailers an opportunity to align with consumer demands for ethical, sustainable, and delicious plant-based options at affordable prices below the level of major brands.”
If you like Piña Oatlada
Popular alternative dairy Oatly has been blended with Malibu to create a piña colada-flavoured alcoholic beverage.
The collaboration comes as the two drinks giants revealed that 53% of UK consumers wanted to escape adulthood responsibilities, including bills, political tensions and British weather as factors which are adding pressure. With the launch of the Piña Oatlada, the brands look to help consumers unplug.
“We’re so excited to be launching the new Piña Oatlada soft serve. As a brand, Malibu has always been about bringing out the spirit of summer and enabling good times – something our research has shown we’re all in serious need of right now! Our delicious new Piña Oatlada combines two great-tasting brands to create the ultimate taste of the season, it’s the perfect way to unplug and enjoy the summer,” said Craig van Niekerk, VP of Marketing at Malibu.
To launch the collaboration, Malibu and Oatly opened a Paradise Arches, an exclusive clubhouse in London’s Shoreditch district, in July. This will run until 2 August 2024, with guests able to sip on Malibu x Oatly-inspired cocktails, light bites and complimentary Piña Oatladas.
To take it up a notch, the boozy treat will be served in the world’s first ‘cocktail cone’, an entirely edible piña colada glass created by creative agency Wieden+Kennedy London. To create the cone, W+K partnered with experimental gastronomic design experts, and founders of the British Museum of Food, Bompas & Parr.
There were a number of challenges to overcome, from deciding whether to use a 2- or 4-part mould, to refining a vegan batter recipe and creating a consistent heat to ensure an even bake. Eventually, it was decided that a sandwich press with the moulds retrofitted on was the best solution, to make the difficult shape expertly by hand.
Paradise Arches is the first in a series of activations across Europe to celebrate the brand collaboration. The Piña Oatlada soft serve will also be available for consumers of legal drinking age in select bars across the UK, before travelling to festivals such as All Points East in London, Superbloom in Germany and the VIP bar at Way Out West in Sweden.
Commenting on the design, Adam Crockett, creative at W+K London, said: “It turns out that creating an ice cream cone in the shape of a Piña Colada glass is basically as challenging as building a Hadron Collider. But after months of research, we’re proud to bring this essential piece of boozy soft serve history to life.”
Napolina is making shapes
Napolina has launched two new pasta shapes – orzo and macaroni – across major retailers.
This comes as orzo sales saw a 38% increase from last year, with the pasta shape experiencing rising popularity in UK Italian restaurants and supermarkets; while macaroni cheese – which uses the narrowed tube-shaped pasta – remains a firm favourite among Brits.
Dried pasta is ingrained in British food culture and is used almost universally, with a quarter (23%) of adults eating it at least twice a week, including 6% who consume dried pasta daily.
Jeremy Gibson, marketing director at Napolina said the brand has been keeping a close eye on trends and spotted a gap in the pasta market for Italian food lovers, in particular fans of orzo.
“We’re proud to have created two new pasta products to add to our extensive range of authentic Italian ingredients, offering customers high quality ingredients for great value. The two new additions are perfect for all year round, from Mediterranean summer dishes and al fresco dining, to soups and risotto-style for the cooler months,” he added.
Bridor and Milka team up
French bakery manufacturer Bridor has collaborated with German chocolatiers, Milka, to launch an all-butter puff pastry swirl featuring its chocolate.
The duo is confident in this combination, after Bridor research found that 87% of UK consumers surveyed would like to eat this product.
Milka has been creating gourmet chocolate made with Alpine milk since 1903 and research shows that it is a widely recognised and a beloved brand across Europe. The new Swirl with Milka Chocolate combines a light and flaky Viennese pastry and a smooth pastry cream, with Milka chocolate chips made from palm oil free and 100% sustainable cocoa.
Available in boxes of 66, the 95g pastries come frozen and ready to bake. Bridor has also designed branded, recyclable greaseproof paper bags to accompany takeaway sales, as well as repositionable stickers to catch the eye of consumers.
Organic veggie dips
Kallø is making its debut in the dips category with the rollout of its organic Veggie Dips.
Featuring a tomato-based recipe with organic vegetables and pulses, the Ecotone-owned range comes in three different varieties – Organic Chutney Tomato & Lentil; Organic Tomato & Olives, and Organic Spicy Tomato.
Initially launching into Ocado and select health food shops nationwide, each flavour retails at £3 RRP per 135g jar.
The dips are packaged in a resealable glass jar with aluminium lid and paper labels – making them 100% recyclable. The lidded format is said to make them easy to transport and minimises food waste.
This latest launch follows further growth in Kallø’s range of snacks, such as its Veggie Cakes and Veggie Thins.
Adele Ward, Kallø Marketing Director at Ecotone UK, commented: “The snacking landscape is changing. 64% of global consumers are now moving away from traditional three-meals a day in favour of more flexible and frequent eating occasions.
“Social snacking and sharing the joy of preparing and consuming food with family and friends, has become a greater priority. Our new dips are well positioned to tap into this trend. What started as an idea for a perfect pairing with our Kallø Veggie Thins, has morphed into a versatile product that works just as well as a cooking ingredient as it does on a charcuterie board.
“We’re encouraging consumers to experiment with their dips and take pleasure in the preparation process. Whereas previously savoury snacking involved a lot of cold meats, nowadays plants can be the hero of the plate. For Kallø, our focus is to innovate with diverse plant ingredients that drive intrigue and excitement.”
