V8 FUSION

Getting your vegetables just keeps getting tastier! V8 V-Fusion® 100% juice isintroducing two new delicious varieties with the on-trend flavors of some oftoday`s hottest superfruits: Goji Raspberry and Passionfruit Tangerine. Like allV8 V-Fusion 100% juices, each 8-ounce glass provides a full serving ofvegetables (1/2 cup) and a full serving of fruit (1/2 cup), plus essentialantioxidant vitamins A, C and E. According to the Produce For Better Health Foundation (PBH), having a variety ofeasy and great tasting options available can help bridge the "vegetable gap" -the difference between what people should eat versus what they actually do eat -each day. Currently seven out of 10 Americans do not meet the daily recommendedintake for vegetables1. However, a survey of more than 1,000 moms conducted byPBH revealed that nine out of 10 feel it`s important to include vegetables andfruit in their family meals2.

NEURO

Welcome to the Neuro Culture?a glamorous, health-conscious and eco-friendly movement! Neuro Brands, LLC, introduces Neuro (www.drinkneuro.com), a line of groundbreaking nutritional, healthy and low calorie beverages that promote health and well-being. Created by scientists, Neuro contains essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanicals that enhance and support the demanding 24/7 lifestyles of consumers. The line?already popular with A-list celebrities?launches with six formulations: Neuro Gasm (passion enhancer), Neuro Sonic (mental alertness), Neuro Bliss (happiness enhancer), Neuro Sporti (replenishes & hydrates), Neuro Trim (supports healthy weight loss) and Neuro Sleep (promotes restful sleep). Individual bottles of Neuro are available at select retail outlets for the suggested retail price of $2.99. The 14.5 ounce bottles are custom-made to exhibit an exclusive glamorous branding style and are 100 percent recyclable PET plastic.

MIX1 GETS $6 MIL

mix1 Beverage Company, an emerging leader in the functional beverage andperformance nutrition category, today announced it has closed its first round ofinstitutional funding, with a $6 million investment from the Highland ConsumerFund.

The funding will be used to accelerate mix1`s ongoing national rollout. Fundswill be used to hire additional staff, provide more marketing support in keyregions, and to enable additional investments in product development andinnovation.

mix1 is a beverage company providing high quality, all-natural products thatsupport health, wellness and performance through functional nutrition. mix1`scurrent product portfolio includes an enhanced protein pre/post-workout and mealreplacement shake, available in tangerine, mango, blueberry-vanilla, key limeand mix-berry; and a high-antioxidant fiber drink with the antioxidants of nineservings of fruits and vegetables, as well as eight grams of fiber, available indark-berry and orange twist. All mix1 products are offered in 11-ounce bottles.

WINE CAN

This wine can was winner of the 2006 Swedish packaging design award. It was designed by Jens Andersson and Jonas Forsman and it is notable as an easily recycled single serve can. The design is certainly different from its category, with a hint of wine bottle in the form, but a matte black with pared down graphics. The design is in prototype stage and is available for use for any winemaker. It would be interesting to see it with a range of graphic treatments

MOTLEY BIRD

“Motley Bird is the perfect mix drink for longdrinks and cocktails - and innovates bar classics, such as cranberry juice, bitter lemon, lime juice, tonic water with all advantages of a traditional caffeine and taurine based energy drink.”

JUST IZZE

“IZZE came from us hanging around in grocery stores amazed by all the clutter inherent on almost every package we put our hands on. We were determined to find a better, simpler way. We also wanted to make packaging for an organic, natural, juice-sweetened soda that would attract people who don’t care about that sort of thing. And the kids had to like it, too.”

Q TONIC

“A gin and tonic is 70% tonic, 30% gin. Knowing that, we created a vision for Q Tonic, a premium tonic water, to accompany those fancy drinks. A premium tonic needed a juicy strategy, design, packaging and marketing roll out that would get the folks at Whole Foods, as well as our favorite bars, as excited as we were. Meet Q Tonic.”

COKE GEO CAN

Dzmitry Samal designed a unique concept for beverage cans. The shape is much more geometric - featuring facets, instead of the familiar smooth round cylinder we're used to. The new can design utilizes a process called impact extrusion, a process where an aluminum slug (solid piece of metal) is pressed at a high velocity with extreme force into a die/mold by a punch.
The usual cylindrical can is made by a similar, but different process. The cans are generally produced through a mechanical cold forming process that starts with punching a flat blank from very stiff cold-rolled sheet. The flat blank is first formed into a cup about three inches in diameter. This cup is then pushed through a different forming process called "ironing" which forms the can.
Conceptually, Dzmitry's concept could work, but it remains to be seen if it is comparable to the current standard can in price, quality and even feasibility for full-scale manufacture. What are your thoughts?

SUNTORY BUYS ORANGINA

Suntory Holdings Ltd. said Thursday it has agreed to acquire privately held European beverage maker Orangina Schweppes Group, as the Japanese beverage giant looks to embark on a major offensive in the global soft drinks market.

Suntory will buy Orangina for over Y300 billion, or about $3.3 billion, from Blackstone Group and Lion Capital, a person close to the matter said separately. The amount compares with $2.6 billion that the private-equity owners paid in 2006 for Orangina, maker of the popular sparkling orange beverage of the same name.

The purchase reflects the need of Japanese food and beverage companies to advance into overseas markets, given falling domestic sales caused by a shrinking population and weak economy.

FRUIT BOXES

Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa has created a series of creative fruit juice packages that have the look and feel of the fruit they contain. “I imagined that if the surface of the package imitated the colour and texture of the fruit skin, then the object would reproduce the feeling of the real skin.” Alongside banana, strawberry and kiwi fruit “juice skins” Naoto Fukasawa also offers a wild card “silken tofu skin” for a carton of soya milk.

MD DRINKS

Function Drinks was founded by physician around one idea: to bring effective, science-based, all natural functional beverages to the marketplace. Currently, Function has five products on the market and is one of the fastest growing companies in the beverage industry. Function Urban Detox is the perfect daily tonic for city living: it protects your lungs and sinuses from airborne pollution, corrects the nutritional deficiencies from excess alcohol consumption, and supports your healthy liver and immune system. Function Brainiac is based on targeted antioxidant synergy: it promotes mental acuity and boosts your memory, all without the use of any stimulants. Function Youth Trip helps promote youthful health, strength, and physical appearance: it employs targeted anti-oxidant synergy to support strong, youthful skin, connective tissue, and bones. Function Shock Sport works for rapid recovery after your work-outs: it has a natural anti-imflammatory that will help to heal sore muscles and joints. Function Alternative energy will keep you going for 6-8 hours: it has four energy boosting ingredients that will release at a smooth, consistent rate.

BOT FOR KIDS

Husband and wife team and parents, Brian and Cricket Allen, have found a great solution for parents in search of a healthy alternative to a juice box while hydrating with water. bot. These all-natural fortified water beverages have 75% less sugar than leading kids juices and beverages. bot is available in three great flavors - grape, berry, and orange in 12oz bottles featuring three fun characters kids will love.

PRESS COCKTAIL SODA

Their vision is clear: to establish Press™ as the choice cocktail mixer for the sophisticated consumer. A reinvention and modernization of club soda and tonic water, Press™ grabs the attention of both young and mature consumers with its sleek image, crisp flavoring and nutritious recipe. As a mixer with a premium spirit, or even served alone over ice, Press™ is the unrivaled beverage standard. We didn’t invent the Press™, we just perfected it.
Press™ Cocktail Soda distinguishes itself on four levels: formula, function, flavor and experience.As a perfect mixture of soda water, lemon-lime soda, quinine and a splash of flavor, Press™ extends far beyond the taste of bland, high-calorie, high-sugar alternatives. Consumers can enjoy Press™ as a clean and crisp stand-alone beverage or as a refreshing complement to any premium spirit.Press™ awakens the palette with four distinct flavor combinations: Press™ Original features cold pressed lemons and limes, Press™ Raspberry brings out the juicy aspects of berries, citrus hints highlight Press™ Orange, and cucumber and sweet melon notes accent Press™ Cucumber.Press™ is the sophisticated beverage choice for both young and mature professionals who reward themselves with premium brands and taste experiences. Refreshingly creative in its style and flavoring, Press™ Cocktail Soda is the perfect match for the successful cocktail connoisseur.

BAKON VODKA

Bakon Vodka is a superior quality potato vodka with a savory bacon flavor. It’s clean, crisp, and delicious. This is the only vodka you’ll ever want to use to make a Bloody Mary, and it's a complementary element of both sweet and savory drinks.

Bakon Vodka starts with superior quality Idaho potatoes instead of the random mixed grains that make up most vodkas. Our vodka is column-distilled using a single heating process that doesn’t “bruise” the alcohol like the multiple heating cycles needed to make a typical pot-still vodka.

BUBBLE OR BOBA?

If you visit Taiwan or Hong Kong you can't help but notice the unique bubble teashops on every corner. Bubble Tea to Taiwan is what coffee or soda is to the U.S. One would think Bubble Tea is the national drink by its popularity.

In 1983 Liu Han-Chieh introduced Taiwan to tapioca pearls. The new fad was to add tapioca pearls into a favorite drink. Most of the time tapioca pearls were served in cold infused tea. After the tea and flavor were shaken well, it topped tapioca pearls that were sitting on the bottom of a clear cup. The tapioca pearls also looked like bubbles, thus also became to known as "Bubble Tea." Bubbles floated on the top your drink and bottom of your drink.

Bubble drinks are usually cool, refreshing, and a sweet drink with tapioca pearls sitting on the bottom of a clear cup. Sometimes the drink is made with fresh fruits, milk, and crushed ice to create a healthy milk shake. You can also find drinks that are made of powdered flavoring, creamer, water, and crushed ice. And if you like it like the Asians do, the cool drink usually includes a healthy tea, infused by a flavoring.

ABSINTHE GUMMI BEAR

Hearing the phrase "absinthe cocktail" may not get your heart racing anymore, but a new gummi bear recipe is always good for a palpitation or two.After months in the kitchen tinkering with gelatin and various liquors, the Tailor crew has finally channeled the wormwood concoction into something everyone can agree on. Feast your eyes on the Absinthe Gummi Bear, the final word in alcoholic confectionary bears.That's right, your favorite recently legalized, possibly hallucinogenic liquor has finally made it into ursine gummi form, fresh from Tailor's in-house candy shop (aka, mad scientists Sam Mason and Eben Freeman). You'll mostly taste licorice—it's really the anise in the absinthe—but this gummi is smarter (and boozier) than the av-e-rage bear. It's 85% absinthe, with just a touch of gelatin and sugar added to keep things solid.

THE CHOLIVE COMPANY

If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind and delicious chocolate experience, meet Cholive and Chruffles.

Cholive is a uniquely shaped chocolate truffle. Inspired by the martini, the Cholive is a chic drink accessory, shaped like an olive and made with Vermont whole cream ganache nestled inside a 55% dark chocolate shell. Try Cholive as the perfect adornment to your favorite flavored martinis, cream based drinks, specialty coffee drinks and wine. And don't forget to keep a tin of Cholives handy to chase the 3pm doldrums.

If you prefer the classics, Chruffles are chocolate truffles that satisfy as a beautiful and sumptuous bite-size dessert. Chruffles are enrobed in 55% dark chocolate and filled with sixteen delicious flavors of Vermont whole cream ganache. These petite artful chocolates are the perfect complement and enhancement to the flavors of wine and dark spirits.

NAKED reNEWabottle

Mainstream beverage distributors haven't managed to muster up the energy to produce 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles--until now. Naked Juice became the first nationally distributed brand to use PET (polyethylene terepthalate) bottles this week with its 32 ounce reNEWabottle. Drinks available in the new bottle, scheduled to hit shelves this month, include Green Machine, Blue Machine, Mighty Mango, Chai Spiced Cider, and Pomegranate Blueberry.
The switch to PET bottles will save over 1 million pounds of virgin plastic each year and cut oil use by 8,192 barrels. That's the equivalent of taking 497 cars off the road. Once Naked Juice transitions completely to PET bottles in 2010, the company will slash plastic use by 8.1 million pounds per year.

PepsiCo-owned Naked Juice is light years ahead of other drink manufacturers, which have stalled on the issue of PET bottles. Coca-Cola uses less than 4% recycled materials in its PET bottles and has the fairly unambitious goal of increasing the number to 10% by 2010. Cost could be a part of the problem--Naked refuses to disclose how much the move to 100% PET bottles cost, and the company insists it didn't make the switch for monetary reasons.

PAPER BOTTLE

The 360 paper water bottle from Brand Image is an attempt to address 60 million plastic bottles thrown away daily in the United States (of which 86% become garbage). The paper vessel is made from 100% renewable food-safe resources, fully recyclable and versatile in a number of potential liquid categories. Watch out Tetra Pak...

ABSOLUTLY NO LABEL

"The Nuance Group Sweden has been selected as the launch partner for The Absolut Company’s new release in travel-retail. Absolut No Label is a limited edition of the 40% abv Absolut vodka and will be available exclusively at Nuance’s Swedish duty-free stores until the end of June.

The Absolut No Label bottles are numbered and contain no label or logo. They feature only a removable campaign sticker with the website address, where consumers can find more information and give feedback. The product was launched on May 22 and in Scandinavian travel-retail the exclusivity deal will be extended until the end of August.

The Nuance Group Sweden general manager Karl Walter said: “The Nuance Group places great emphasis on creating a relevant local offer for each of its stores. Swedish by origin, Absolut is a very important part of our World of Vodka section in the Stockholm Arlanda tax-free store, boasting a very prominent display. It will be a pleasure to add this limited-edition Absolut No Label line to our liquor range in Sweden, providing our customers with a truly exclusive offer ahead of any other store downtown or at any airport in the world.”

ANTI-REDBULL

It is the exact opposite of the energy drink – it is a relaxant – and boasts plant ingredients such as chamomile, passiflora/passion flower, valerian, linden and hops sodium. It’s main ingredient is an amino acid called L-Theanine that is commonly found in tea that, according to the Slow Cow site, “increases mental awareness, helps in relaxation without causing sleepiness, reduces stress and anxiety, improves cognition, concentration and sleep quality.”

With all the energy drinks and stimulants on the shelves at the grocer, it was only a matter of time that this anti-stimulant beverage evolved. The site seems to really push the holistic and healthy ingredients in the beverage (claiming it to have similar effects to acupunture or a one-week vacation) , so it will be interesting to see if it appeases the health-conscious and sensitive-to-chemicals consumers in taste.

OBESITY TAX

A new nationwide Rasmussen Reports survey showed that 70 percent of Americans oppose a national tax on all non-diet soft drinks, while only 18 percent supported the idea of an "obesity tax" on regular soda like the one proposed by New York Gov. David Paterson. This national sentiment echoes the opinion of a strong majority of New York residents who also oppose Gov. Paterson's proposal to tax dozens of non-alcoholic beverages like regular soda, juice drinks and tea. The survey underscores that Americans, who are already struggling to

$225,000 SHOT

This platinum-and-gold bottle fetched nearly a quarter-million dollars at auction in Mexico City last year. The spirit that fills it is a triple-distilled mix of 8-, 10- and 12-year-old agave plants and is produced by Hacienda La Capilla Distillery in Los Altos, Jalisco. Ley .925 CEO Fernando Altamirano says the liquor is aged in barrels whose provenance is “top secret.”

CARBONATED MILK?

Like a modernized version of Strawberry Quik for the slightly more sophisticated set, Coca-Cola’s latest entrant into the beverage aisle promises a “refreshing sensory experience” and has been described by one quote-worthy copywriter as tasting “like a birthday party for a polar bear.” The so-called vibrancy drink named Vio – a blend of skim milk, sparkling water, fruit and an entire 27 grams of sugar – makes a test market run in New York City this week, retailing for $2.50 per 8 ounce bottle. The beverage comes in four flavors: peach-mango, very berry, citrus burst and tropical colada and evidently requires no refrigeration, perhaps owing to the fact that the nutrition label offers no mention of actual dairy content.

INSIDEOUT BLOODY

A different way to enjoy Sunday's...freeze your favorite bloody recipe, add your favorite premium vodka and a rimmer of celery salt.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUINNESS

Designed by jkr Country: United Kingdom

I’ve always been a fan of Guinness’ clean and simple design, a look that stands out amongst the plethora of offerings within the beer market. To coincide with the 250th anniversary (250 years!) of the brand, jkr has made an already great design even better.

“On this historic day 250 years ago Arthur Guinness signed the lease on his Dublin brewery. Today this will be celebrated by the brand on a global level with parties, charitable funds and special packaging all part of the mix*.

This week also sees the launch of overhauled packaging for Guinness Draught in can by jones knowles ritchie (jkr). jkr were challenged to produce an eye-catching can which evokes positive associations to the iconic brand – simply, to make a good pack great.

COCONUT WARS

In a further sign that coconut water is maturing as a beverage category, ZICO LLC announced Tuesday that it received a minority investment from the Coca-Cola Co.’s Venturing and Emerging Brands Unit as part of a $15 million round of financing that also included brand-builders Suite 850 and other individual investors.

Despite an investment for the beverage giant the arrangement won’t alter ZICO’s immediate plans, according to Mark Rampolla, the company’s founder and CEO. He said the company will stick to its DSD network – which includes Polar, Big Geyser and Haralambos – and continue to target coastal markets through “influencers” while steering clear of traditional advertising.

In related news, The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. today announced that it has signed an agreement with O.N.E. (One Natural Experience), the natural and functional beverages brand company, to distribute O.N.E. beverages in Southern California and South Florida. PBG will begin distribution in the fourth quarter.

STEVIA TO EXCEED $100 MILLION

It's stevia's year. All-natural and calorie-free, stevia is poised to become the "holy grail" of sweeteners, says a new report from Mintel.

Since December 2008, when the FDA approved use of rebaudioside A (an active ingredient of stevia) in US food and beverage, the stevia market* has erupted. By mid-July 2009, stevia sales topped $95 million, a substantial increase over the $21 million achieved in all of 2008. Mintel predicts the stevia market could exceed $2 billion by the end of 2011.

"The FDA's approval of stevia in food and drink opened the door for this market's explosion," states David Browne, senior analyst at Mintel. "New product activity has accelerated in recent years, and since most categories with stevia applications remain untapped, we expect many more stevia-infused product introductions in the next few years."

US CONSUMPTION 2008

Last year was marked by challenges for the US economy and most consumer product goods industry, and the beverage market was not immune. The over all US liquid refreshment beverage (LRB) market, which includes all non-alcohol beverages, shrank by 2 percent by volume, the first volume decline on record. Carbonated Soft Drinks still lead all beverages with 14,232.6 million gallons consumed and with 47.5% of the market share.

DRINKPRESS BLOG IS BORN!

Drinkpress is a Blog that is dedicated to all that is beverage...