Recent food and drink highlights from Mintel’s Global New Products Database include spoon shaped biscuits, an energy drink with a vitamin supplement tablet and tongue painting crisps.


Floral, mint, functional & spoon biscuits
Novel ingredients/flavours also play an important part in biscuits this month. In Belgium, Desobry has introduced under the Biscuits Garden brand, floral flavored biscuits in varieties such as rose, lavender and violet. In Germany, probiotic ingredients have been added to Wikana’s new sandwich biscuits. They are filled with a yogurt cream that contains lactobacillus and acidophilus bacteria. In China of all places, the established Oreo sandwich biscuit brand from the US, now comes in a coolmint variety. Also in the biscuits category are novel spoon shaped cookies said to be ideal for stirring hot beverages or using with ice cream. They have been launched in New Zealand and are called Spoon Biscookies.


Amaranth & functional bread
Bread news this month focuses on novel ingredients. In Germany, Schnitzer has launched an organic bread with amaranth (a plant with purple flowers). In Spain, Bimbo has launched a whole range of healthy breads including a variety with “lipoactive” fibre, said to delay the absorption of fat and sugars and boost intestinal action.


Energy drink with vitamin tablet
The most interesting drink launch this month comes from New Zealand. The product in question is called Ikon Energize (from Ikon Beverage Company), and comprises an energy drink with a unique selling point. It is packaged in a bottle that also contains a vitamin tablet in the cap. The tablet is released into the drink when the consumer pushes a nozzle on the cap. This
is claimed to keep the vitamins fresher. The system has been patented as “tabnology”.


Flavor news for drinks
Other drink developments relate to flavors. In France, Schweppes Indian Tonic is now available in a mandarin variety. In the UK, the Spa & Fruit range of flavored sparkling water is now available in a lemon-cactus variety. In China we report on two novel iced drink flavors: a chrysanthemum iced tea from Mocca; and a “material peanut coffee” from Shenbao Food under the Leimi brand. And in the US, just a few months after a broad release of Pepsi Twist (cola with a bit of lemon flavor), Coca-Cola jumps into the fray with an announcement for a lemon version of its leading Diet Coke brand.

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Beer water
For those who simply cannot do without beer, new in the US from Stillhouse Springs is Beer Water. It tastes and smells like beer and comes in a plastic bottle.


More drinks news
The Outspan brand of oranges is being used in new consumer packaged goods products. New in South Africa from Capespan is an Outspan iced tea and muesli bar made with real oranges. In Egypt, Heinz appears to have an interest in the beverages market. New there from the company is a cherry drink in a glass bottle. In Portugal, the Oasis fruit juice brand from Cadbury Schweppes is now available in varieties with carrot. Called Oasis Multiactivo it has added vitamins and fibers.


Low carb heaven
The current fad for following a low carbohydrate diet has encouraged the US launch of Keto branded, low carbohydrate lines such as Macaroni & Cheese, Pasta Shells, Crispy Soy Cereal, Pizza Dough Mix, and Hot Cocoa Mix. They have been launched by Life Services Supplements.


Pizza for pregnant women
Presumably for fun, and to improve brand awareness, new in the UK under the Chicago Town pizza brand from Schwans is a Cravings range for pregnant women. Topping varieties include pineapple, gherkin & chocolate!


Grass & toast sugar confectionery
Novelty is of key importance in the children’s confectionery market.  Weird past sugar confectionery flavours have included potato and cucumber. We now report on the planned launch of Harry Potter Bertie Bott’s flavoured beans from Mars in the UK, in grass and toast varieties.


Countline flavour extensions
More flavor innovations are being added to the KitKat chocolate countline from Nestl?. Recent flavor additions have been orange, white chocolate and mint. Coffee can now also be added to the list. New in South Africa is a Caf? Latt? variety. A coffee flavor was also recently added to the brand in Canada. The Aero brand, again from Nestl? is also now available in a novel variety in the UK: with a layer of honeycomb. While the Twix countline from Mars comes in a new mint limited edition variety in the UK.


Ethnic & snacking potatoes
Retailer Asda is positioning its new UK instant mashed potato product as a snacking meal, similar to the pot noodle/pasta/rice products. It comprises Mash Break, a roast onion flavored mashed potato in a pot. Hot water simply needs to be poured into the pot, before the meal is ready in five minutes. Another interesting own label potato launch in the UK has come from frozen food retailer, Iceland. It has launched oven chips under its Chinese Takeaway ethnic range of products. They are packaged in a Chinese take-away style, sleeved foil tray.


Yo ho ho and a bottle of orange rum?
Bacardi-Martini hopes to extend the reach of rums with Bacardi-O, an orange-flavoured rum. This follows the explosion of flavored vodkas that burst onto the market recently. Bacardi-O is available in 750ml, 1L, and 1.75L glass bottles.


Chocolate cheese
To appeal to children, cheese is getting a chocolate flavor. New in Norway from dairy company Synn?ve is a range of cheeses including one with milk chocolate. They are packaged in plastic wrappers.


Orange ice cream
Two interesting orange developments are occurring in the ice cream category. The Tropicana fruit juice brand is entering the ice cream market in France with sorbet sticks from Rolland. And in the UK, Cadbury’s is introducing limited edition, orange flavored Dairy Milk stick ice creams. They are produced in cooperation with Frederick’s Dairy.


Blast off!
Houston-based Johnson Engineering is making little kids dreams come true with the US release of Astronaut Food, complete meals sealed up in silver pouches just like the ones sent up to outer space. Each meal, which sells on the web under the Space Store brand, comes in varieties such as Meatloaf, Chicken Fajitas, and Cherry Blueberry Cobbler.


Tongue painting crisps
As children we were all familiar with fun sweets and lollipops that change the color of your tongue. Now, this can be done with a savory snack in the UK. Walkers Snack Foods has launched Monster Munch branded pickled onion crisps that turn the tongue blue. They contain a dye that turns blue when it comes into contact with moisture. Also in the snacks category, we continue to see snacking launches based on breakfast cereal brands. In this issue we refer to the Chocapic breakfast cereal brand from Nestl?. It is now available in France and Spain in 30g plastic bags within a box, which makes them convenient for on-the-move snacking.


Established in 1972, Mintel incorporates Mintel consumer intelligence, global new products database (gnpd), and Mintel consultancy.  Mintel is an independent company which operates offices in Chicago, London, and Sydney. For more information on Mintel, please visit our website at www.gnpd.com.