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
Alo Drink Crisp and Pulp-Free Line. Thanks in large part to its vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, aloe vera is becoming more in demand in the drink sector. With the success of its original line of ready-to-drink aloe beverages, Alo Drink has added Crisp, a blend of Fuji apple and pear juices. It has also launched a new pulp-free line, in which the pulp has been blended for a smoother texture. These drinks come in five of the top-selling flavors in Alo Drink's original line (Awaken, Comfort, Allure, Enrich, and Exposed). All products are non-GMO and include real aloe vera juice and pulp. alodrink.com Borgnine's Coffee Soda. Nancee Borgnine, the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Ernest Borgnine, has reintroduced the world to Coffee Soda. According to the company, the drink had been popular in the late 1990s and was one of the top 10–selling products in Sony stores in Japan. A mix of Italian roast coffee plus raw cane sugar, the bottled bever- age contains the same amount of caffeine as an 8-ounce cup of coffee. It can be served as is, poured over ice cream, or incorporated into cocktails and frozen drinks. Try it blended with milk and vodka, Sambuca di Romana, or Bailey's Irish Cream and Meyer's rum. borgninescoffeesoda.com Bravura Foods Peanut Hottie. Tea, coffee, or peanut? With nut milks becoming increasingly popular, Peanut Hottie may be right on trend. A popular seller in the U.K., Peanut Hottie was introduced to the U.S. mar- ket last fall. Each 9.15-ounce jar contains 13 servings of peanut-flavored powder, which can be mixed with cold water for a refreshing bever- age, hot water for an alternative to tea or coffee, or with milk to create a shake or smoothie. Available in original peanut butter and peanut butter with chocolate. peanuthottie.com Caliwater Cactus Water. Coconut water paved the way for special waters from an array of sourc- es: birch, maple, rose, and artichoke, among them. Cactus water, too, is having its day. Caliwater touts the prickly pear cactus fruit for its electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, and anti- oxidants. To keep its new non-GMO product within the health and wellness sphere, the company adds just a hint of sweetener, limit- ing Cactus Water to 9 grams of sugar (and 35 calories) per carton. Introduced in March, the drink combines filtered water with California- and Mexico-grown prickly pear cactus puree, organic cane sugar, organic lemon juice, and cactus extract. The flavor is reminiscent of berries, with a touch of earth. drinkcaliwater.com CideRoad Switchel. Consumers crave authentic products that tell a story, and switchel delivers. An American beverage that dates back to the 1600s (some say it originally came from the Caribbean), switchel contains just a few simple ingredients often credited with health and digestive benefits. CideRoad's organic version comprises apple cider vinegar, Vermont maple syrup, ginger juice and puree, filtered water, and cane syrup. The company's flavors include original, cherry (with cherry juice concentrate, natural cherry flavor, and vegetable juice for color), and blueberry (with blueberry juice concentrate, natural blueberry flavor, and elderberry powder). All contain 70 calories or fewer per serving. cideroad.com Dick Taylor Single-Origin Drinking Chocolate 76% Ecuador, Camino Verde. This new European-style drinking chocolate ties together two trends: American bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturing and single-origin ingredients. Introduced last fall, Dick Taylor's drinking chocolate contains just two ingredients: cacao and cane sugar. The cocoa beans are sourced ethically from the Camino Verde plantation in Ecuador, and fea- ture nutty, earthy, floral, and fruity notes. The product comes in resealable half-pound bags. In addition to drink- ing chocolate, Dick Taylor offers sev- eral craft chocolate bars, in flavors such as fleur de sel, black fig, maple coco- nut, and four single-origin varieties. dicktaylorchocolate.com Desire for clean energy without the jitters has led to a category of natural energy drinks with guayusa or yerba mate. SUMMER 2015 127