Weller’s products include a line of sparkling CBD waters, a CBD drink mix, and a line of Elderberry Sparkling Immunity beverages. We had the opportunity to sample the Elderberry Sparkling Immunity Beverages.

Elderberry is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world. Since ancient times it has been used for everything from treating infections to healing burns and improving complexions. Today, many people take elderberry as a supplement to treat cold and flu symptoms and boost the immune system.

Weller’s Elderberry Sparkling Immunity beverages have a base of freshly squeezed elderberry juice combined with sparkling water, juice concentrate, as well as monk fruit concentrate, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D3.

The beverages come in a standard 12oz can wrapped in a purple label with a colored stripe on the top indicating the flavor: lemon-lime, strawberry, or peach.

Lemon-Lime

The lemon-lime flavor has subtle, zesty citrus notes that are balanced nicely with the elderberry and carbonation. The beverage isn’t too sweet, making it easy to sip and enjoy.

Peach

The peach-flavored beverage pours out as a soft pink liquid with effervescent bubbles. The mild peach flavor combined with the elderberry is a mildly sweet treat that is not syrupy or overpowering but rather light and refreshing with a clean finish.

Strawberry

The strawberry flavor is more sweet than tart, resulting in a pleasantly soothing drinking experience. The carbonation brings a nice dimension, rounding out a delightfully satisfying but straightforward beverage.

Summary: Weller Elderberry Sparkling Immunity beverages bring a refreshing twist on an immune-boosting supplement. Packed with immune-supporting ingredients, each of these beverages is light, refreshing,  and enjoyable to drink.

For more information visit Weller’s website.

$250 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway December 4-18

Share a photo of you and/or your family enjoying True Lemon® Kids and be entered to win one of five $250 Walmart gift cards (plus a sampling of True Lemon® Kids products!). To enter, purchase any of the new True Lemon® Kids flavors from Walmart and share a photo of you and/or your little ones enjoying it. Five winners total, one winner will be randomly selected each day starting on December 14 through December 18 and will be notified by email.

True Lemon Kids: 92% Less Sugar Per Serving Than Juice & Soda

American children consume roughly 81 grams of sugar per day, says the American Heart Association. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that children consume no more than 30-35 grams of sugar per day.

“We believe hydration can be delicious without a lot of sugar,” said Robert Cuddihy, CEO of True Citrus. “Families have so many beverage options for their children, but few of them are low-sugar or naturally-sweetened. Hydration is the foundation of a healthy, happy lifestyle. Thanks to simpler, Non-GMO ingredients and great tasting flavors, we think True Lemon® Kids is an easy win parents can feel good about.”

Each serving of True Lemon® Kids has 2g of sugar in an 8-ounce serving, while most juices and sodas have 24g of sugar in the same 8-ounce serving. Available in Pink Lemonade, Fruit Punch, and Blue Raspberry flavors, True Lemon® Kids products are available nationwide at Walmart and at TrueLemon.com.

True Lemon Kids: Helping Kids Stay Hydrated

According to The American Journal of Public Health, half of all children aren’t adequately hydrated(3).

“It’s hard being a parent these days,” said Heidi C. Carney, Executive Vice President of Marketing for True Citrus. “We’re all dealing with so much due to COVID-19 and there’s a lot of competing advice about what’s good for our kids. True Lemon Kids can make a small part of the day easier. While plain water is the best beverage kids can drink, this is a great alternative to juice or soda — and for children who don’t like drinking plain water. It’s a delicious way to boost hydration.”

Source: True Citrus

Just Lemon

The “plain” flavor of lemon water is just that – lemon water. While the name is underwhelming, it is a pretty solid drink whose familiar taste is easy to compare. It’s similar to lemonade, but it isn’t overly sweet. It’s refreshing like water, yet it has more substance. As an adult, I would find this a great alternative to a sugary drink on a hot day and a viable replacement to sports drinks.

Dragon Fruit Mango

The creativity that was lacking in “Just Lemon” must have all gone into this flavor. Dragon Fruit is underused in the world of fruits, but its name alone makes it too cool to ignore. The taste is not unfamiliar compared to most tropical fruits, but it’s relatively mild and not overpowering. Combine it with Mango, and the sweetness serves as an excellent counterbalance to the lemon.

Raspberry Peach Lemon

The perfect summer drink? It’s possible. Its taste is similar to what many flavored teas seem to aim for, but this is a healthier option because it has no added sugar. Consider all of the health benefits on top of the taste, and it’s easy to see why this is a great option to refresh and hydrate from the day’s work.

Blueberry Acai Lemon

Similar to the dragon fruit in terms of sweetness balancing out the sour, Blueberry Acai Lemon is the sweetest of the Lemon Perfect options. It’s still far more mellow than a typical sports drink or juice and contains more antioxidizing health benefits by adding the Acai berry.

Summary: Lemon Perfect is the newest, healthiest spin on sports drinks. These lemon waters are original enough to draw attention but have a familiar enough taste to retain a share of the market.

For more information visit Lemon Perfect’s website.

Pellegrino Essenza

Pellegrino’s green glass bottles can be found at high-end restaurants, hotels, and cafes around the world. In addition, S. Pellegrino has a line of products that start with the same quality, lightly carbonated mineral water but add a twist of Mediterranean flavors. The S. Pellegrino Essenza flavors include Dark Morello Cherry & Pomegranate, Lemon & Lemon Zest, Tangerine & Wild Strawberry, and Blood Orange & Black Raspberry. Each flavor comes in either a 330 ml sleek can or a 500 ml PET bottle.

Blood Orange & Black Raspberry

We had the opportunity to sample S. Pellegrino Essenza Blood Orange & Black Raspberry. The 500 ml PET bottle is wrapped with a subtle, classic S. Pellegrino label with a slight hint of red color added. Unscrewing the silver cap reveals a light and satisfying effervescence. The creamy, slightly salty bubbles of the pure mineral water combine nicely with the very light citrus and berry notes. There is just a hint of flavor that leans slightly more towards citrus than the berry. The subtle sweetness leaves a clean, fresh, and light finish. S. Pellegrino Essenza Blood Orange & Black Raspberry would pair nicely with any rich or complex food flavors, like red meat or creamy pasta.

Summary: S. Pellegrino Blood Orange & Black Raspberry is a refreshing addition to the classic quality of S. Pellegrino mineral waters. The subtle, not-too-sweet flavor combined with the rich carbonated mineral water provides a sophisticated and refreshing drinking experience.

For more information visit S. Pellegrino’s website.

As the nation faces another lockdown, Parliament has the opportunity to support home-grown alcohol-free drinks producers by ensuring that their products are available to buy across the estate. The letter has been supported by Heineken, Sea Arch, Square Root and Lucky Saint among many other brands.

Given that the Department of Health has also committed to help deliver a significant increase in the availability of alcohol-free products by 2025, it seems only right that Parliament should have more than three adult non-alcoholic options available.

As always, the Club Soda Guide lists over a thousand low and no alcohol products for anyone to explore whether you are a consumer, venue manager or MP.

Laura Willoughby MBE, Club Soda co-founder said: “Parliament has less choice for those not drinking than most pubs in Britain – it is just a poor show! Now is as good a time as any to address that and highlight the amazing innovation happening within the UKs drinks industry which is something we should be very proud of.”

Sarah Yates, Sea Arch co-founder said: “Non-alcoholic drinks give much-needed diversity and inclusivity to our drinking culture. They also encourage us all to make healthy choices at a time when our physical and mental well-being is absolutely paramount”

Rob Fink, founder & CEO of Big Drop Brewing Co, commented: “You don’t need to look far to see that Britain leads the world in producing the best alcohol-free drinks. Parliament and its bars should be a showcase for that so we welcome the chance to be a part of it, whilst helping to keep MPs on their A-game.”

Source: Club Soda

Aseppak is steadily evolving into one of the premier innovation boutique shops for the food and beverage world by solving three important industry dichotomies:

1. Creating products in a lab is one thing. Successfully launching a product to the public is another.
2. The market demands fast innovation. Investors need optimal and efficient innovation.
3. Consumers want new ingredients. Brands need to catch up while staying compliant.

In such a pursuit, Aseppak has joined forces with St. Croix ABF, a company dedicated to providing aseptic beverage co-packing services to brands who understand what it takes to innovate in today’s market.

The collective of companies has implemented a streamlined process that will pave the road for brands looking to innovate new beverages by the highest food safety standards. Current capabilities include a high acid pilot plant and testing facility and opening for low acid aseptic processing and packaging by first quarter 2021.

In an era where innovation is a requirement to survive, professionals need to develop plans that minimize risk and increase the chances of meeting the desired objectives. For decades, professionals in the product innovation universe have seen tons of value destroyed for the purpose of creating new value.

This is normal in most industries, yet the tech revolution has had an important impact in innovation in general for a variety of reasons. One of them being its ability to innovate with the consumer, in real time through the use of methods and concepts like Minimum Viable Products, open innovation and soft-launches.

Leading food and beverage companies have the opportunity to implement these concepts as well. Part of the answer is mindset, part of the answer is access to technology.

The reason why Aseppak continues to develop resources that will allow companies to prove concepts and validate product hypothesis at different levels: formula optimization, scalability, functionality, safety, flavor and health amongst the most important ones.

Some of these resources include bench top validation, aseptic testing, proof of formula scalability, packaging format exploration and rapid consumer and retailer feedback. There is a true sweet spot to be found in terms of the optimization of innovation projects that allows for more products to be successfully launched in less time.

Source: Aseppak

Brewed and bottled in Waukesha, WI, Java Twist brings together coffee and fruit juice to create a line of unique and refreshing brews. With flavors ranging from Pineapple to Chocolate Lemonade, Java Twist adds a new dimension of creativity and sweetness to the typical cold brew beverage experience.

Java Twist brews are packaged in a classic 12 oz brown bottle with subtle yet appealing labels signifying the flavors inside. The ingredients are simple–just coffee and fruit juice–but the result is something satisfyingly distinct.

Lemon Brew

Java Twist Lemon Brew combines sweet lemonade with a light hint of coffee. The fusion of flavors is surprisingly smooth and very refreshing. Java Twist Lemon Brew is a perfect sweet treat on a summer morning.

Lime Brew

If you like key lime pie, you will love Java Twist Lime Brew. The fresh, zesty twist of lime added to the smooth cold brew tastes like a decadent dessert. We can see enjoying Java Twist Lime Brew as an afternoon refreshment with just enough zing to propel you through your day.

Pineapple Brew

For a tropical twist on coffee, try Java Twist Pineapple Brew. Coffee blends perfectly with the sweet and mellow pineapple juice. With a full mouthfeel and a savory and sweet aftertaste, Java Twist Pineapple Brew would pair perfectly with a day at the beach or an afternoon on the water.

Summary: Java Twist has injected a whole new feel to traditional cold brew coffee. Although they are not light in calories, each Java Twist flavor brings an exciting and well-balanced sipping experience that tastes like a sweet, decadent treat.

Peffer brings a wealth of experience and an extensive track record of success from his 20-year tenure with Red Bull. He has deep expertise in all commercial-related functions including Key Accounts, Distribution/Route to Market, Category Management, Shopper Insights, Trade Marketing and more. During his time with Red Bull, Peffer helped build the North America region of the beverage company from a $5 million brand to $3 billion.  As part of the Executive Leadership Team while at the energy drink giant, Peffer spearheaded many key strategies and initiatives which changed the non-alcoholic beverage landscape as we know it today.

“It’s an honor to welcome Chad to the CLEAN Cause family,” said Hurt, “I have no doubt his industry expertise and experience will help elevate the CLEAN brand to the highest level.  While his professional accomplishments are more than impressive, it’s crucial that he is also a leader with a heart for the Cause.  He understands the need and the power of our mission, and frankly, that’s more important to me than all of the business experience in the world.”

In the past year, CLEAN Cause has experienced immense growth with its current portfolio of 8 Sparkling Yerba Mate skus. In Peffer’s new role he will lead all strategic and day-to-day operations to help drive the company’s continued success. Peffer was initially drawn to CLEAN Cause due to its business model, commitment to the Cause, and its functional line of beverages.

“I can’t wait! CLEAN has one of the strongest brand propositions and commitment that I have ever seen,” said Peffer. “What if other CPG brands, or any manufacturing company for that matter, donated 50% of their profits to any cause? The world would be a better place.  As a consumer, it’s a simple proposition – a great, functional product with an unmatched business model.  I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a capitalist… but a capitalist with a Cause.”

Source: CLEAN Cause

The refreshing and lightly boozy beverages boast only 90 Funkin’ calories, one gram of carbohydrate, and zero grams of sugar. All four flavors bring out the true essence of Florida’s beaches and tropical climate in each 12oz slim can. Funky Buddha’s master brewers included natural flavors synonymous with the Sunshine State like key lime, mango, grapefruit, guava, and blood orange.

Funky Buddha is known for being a trusted and authentic brewery with a pedigree for award-winning liquid using the highest-quality ingredients. When making the Premium Hard Seltzer, Funky Buddha used superior sources of alcohol like cane sugar and blue agave syrup which gets completely fermented during the brewing process. This results in a crisper cleaner taste. These positively funky crafted thirst quenchers are filled with only quality and natural ingredients, making them a true premium hard seltzer.

“When we were making a seltzer, we knew we had to make it funky the way we know how using flavorful quality ingredients, and we had fun creating flavor combinations that went bolder than any other seltzer brand in the market,” said Ryan Sentz, Director of Brewing Operations and Co-Founder of Funky Buddha Brewery. “The flavor profiles of each seltzer resulted in a cooler refreshing experience that we think will appeal to our loyal funky fans and new drinkers once they take their first sip.”

A variety pack of twelve 12oz cans retails for $18.99. Each 12-pack has three cans of each of the four funky flavors.  Funky Buddha Premium Hard Seltzers are now available throughout Florida at retailers such as Publix Grocery Stores, Walmart, Winn Dixie, Whole Foods, Total Wine & Spirits and ABC Fine Wine. Consumers can also enjoy the Funky Buddha Premium Hard Seltzers at the Funky Buddha Brewery Tap Room in Oakland Park, Florida. Plans to expand product availability and the development of additional flavors will be announced in the future.

Source: Funky Buddha