Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/523050
product roundup Bissinger's Blackberry Hibiscus All Natural Gummy Pandas. This new candy ties together two additional specialty trends: hibiscus flower and func- tional confections. Tart, deep reddish-purple hibiscus tea, similar in taste to cranberries, inspired the better-for-you sweets. Organic black carrot juice concentrate supplies color, while organic tapioca syrup and cane sugar add sweetness. White tea and vitamin C give these gluten-free gummies a nutrent boost. Introduced last summer, the blackberry hibiscus pandas joined other tea-infused varieties, including apricot green tea and pomegranate white tea gummies. bissingers.com Brewla The Lifeguard and The Luau Ice Pops. When cus- tomers asked Brewla for ice pops without added sugar, the company developed these two bars, introduced last summer. The Lifeguard, pairing hibiscus tea and strawberry, is rich in zinc and vitamin C, and has only 20 calories and 3 grams of sugar. The Luau—with only 30 calories and 5 grams of sugar—combines white tea with pineapple, mango, banana, and coconut. Brewla also makes ice pops in red tea and cherry pomegranate (The Hero), white tea and peach ginger (The Lullaby), and root beer (The Doctor). brewlabars.com Hella Bitters Ginger Lemon Bitters. This New York City–based company defines bitters as "a flavor extract made by infusing bitter roots, bark, spices, fruit, and botanicals in a spirit." Its new offer- ing captures the flavor of a cup of citrusy ginger tea. Ingredients include alcohol, ginger, lemon and orange peel, gentian, roots, and spices, with homemade caramel syrup for sweetness and color. Introduced in January, the sweet, earthy, spicy notes of this small-batch product are ideal for a Dark and Stormy. Hella Bitters also makes orange, aromatic, smoked chile, and citrus bitters, as well as a Craft Your Own Bitters kit. hellabitters.com Kelvin Slush Co. Organic Tea Blended Slush Mix. Tea seems an unlikely ingredient in a slushy beverage. Yet, Kelvin Slush Co.—which got its start in the food truck channel in New York City (still running today)—has come up with a line of superior slushes. Using organic ingredients, the company's mixes come in spicy ginger, tangy citrus, and green and black tea. These versatile base mixes can be blended with fresh fruit, mint, and lime juice, and with or without spirits, to yield frozen Arnold Palmers, Dark and Stormys, and more. Recently intro- duced, the retail line was developed in response to customer requests for a mix that could be used at home. kelvinslush.com Owl's Brew White & Vine Drink Mixer. Owl's Brew calls its line of products "the first tea crafted for cocktails." Brewed in small batches from whole tea leaves, fruits, spices, and herbs, the agave nectar–sweetened mixers should be combined with spirits in a 2-to-1 ratio. Introduced in May, White & Vine—a 2015 sofi Awards finalist—melds fresh- brewed organic white tea with watermelon, lime, lemon, and raspberry juice concen- trates. Other flavors include The Classic (with English Breakfast tea, lemon, and lime), Coco-Lada (with black tea, coconut, chai, and pineapple), and Pink & Black (with Darjeeling tea, hibiscus tea, lemon, and strawberry). theowlsbrew.com Phin & Phebes Toasted Green Tea Ice Cream. This take on green tea ice cream is based on genmaicha, a Japanese green tea pairing organic sencha leaves with roasted brown rice. With nutty, toast- ed flavors, the ice cream is made with hormone-free milk and cream from a cooperative of small family-owned farms within 20 miles of the company's production facility in Brooklyn, New York, plus non-GMO cane sugar and egg yolks. The company's products have an air of whimsy and fun, with flavors such as Banana Whama, Coconut Key Lime, Ginger Cookie Snap, Vietnamese Iced Coffee, and Peanutty Pretzel. phinandphebes.com 100 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com