Starbucks launches handcrafted sodas, yogurt smoothies, cold-pressed juices

via LosAngelesTimes

Starbucks' new handcrafted Fizzio sodas are, from left, golden ginger ale, lemon ale and spiced root beer. (Starbucks)

Starbucks is adding some new drink options to its menu, but don't expect to see a new Frappuccino or coffee-laced beverage.

The Seattle-based coffee giant has started serving handcrafted sodas, shaken iced teas and cold-pressed juices. Starbucks also began testing yogurt smoothies Tuesday.

The new Fizzio handcrafted sodas are available in spiced root beer with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and star anise; golden ginger ale with ginger, citrus and brown sugar; and lemon ale with a blend of lemon juice, apricot and ginger. Each drink contains 100 calories or less in a 16-ounce Grande.

Using the Fizzio soda machine, baristas can now add carbonation to any beverage for 50 cents. They can also adjust the amount of carbonation in the existing flavors. The sodas are available in 3,500 stores nationwide, including Los Angeles.

In addition to the sodas, Starbucks is offering new Teavana shaken iced teas, with blackberry mojito tea lemonade and peach green tea lemonade. The company is also jumping on the cold-pressed juice trend with three new Evolution Fresh juices: coconut water and greens, smooth greens, and organic sweet greens with ginger. About 170 Starbucks locations in San Jose and St. Louis also began testing an Evolution Fresh juice smoothie made with Dannon Greek yogurt.

Starbucks said it also plans to launch an Evolution Fresh inspired by Dannon's packaged line at Starbucks outlets and retail stores nationwide in 2015.
 

New Limited Edition Hawaiian Punch(R) Dum Dums(R)

via TheWallStreetJournal

Dum Dums is splashing into summer with two limited edition flavors from Hawaiian Punch. Hawaiian Punch's iconic Fruit Juicy Red(TM) flavor and Polar Blast are introduced as two of the sixteen Dum Dums flavors available in specially marked bags for a limited time only. The new flavors deliver the same bold and unique taste that Hawaiian Punch is known for and can be easily spotted in bags or the candy dish by their special wrappers.

"Dum Dums is known for flavor variety and that brings an element of discovery to the brand experience," says Evan Brock, Director of Marketing at Spangler Candy Company. "Moms and kids will be excited to find these special flavors in their bags of Dum Dums this summer."

More than thirty million Hawaiian Punch Dum Dums will be nationally distributed at top retailers. A social media awareness and engagement campaign is planned to drive excitement and trial.

HAWAIIAN PUNCH is a trademark of Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., used under license. (c) 2014 Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. For more information about Dum Dums visit www.dumdumpops.com .

About Spangler Candy Company

Founded in 1906, Spangler Candy Company is a family business whose iconic brands and candies include Dum Dums(R), Saf-T-Pops(R), Circus Peanuts, and Candy Canes.

Mariah Carey pushing new, 'interactive' 'melodic beverage' called Butterfly

via EntertainmentWeekly

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Have you ever wanted to know what the “magic of Mariah Carey” tastes like? If so, the Elusive Chanteuse may have just the thing for you.

At a press conference in New York City Tuesday, Mariah Carey debuted her new non-alcoholic pink-colored beverage Butterfly, which has been described as a “melodic beverage inspired by the magic of Mariah Carey.” Butterfly comes in a curvy pink bottle, and, based on Carey’s presentation on Tuesday, is meant to be enjoyed from a champagne flute. The beverage will be available at Walgreen drugstores nationwide.

“This is a whole ‘nother thing,” said Carey. “We can do this, and I will almost be in the room with you.” How, exactly, does drinking Butterfly conjure up Carey, Beetlejuice-style? Well, after fans download the Go N’Syde Beverage app and scan the outside of the bottle, they will be given access to Carey’s new social network. (This added feature is why Carey’s drink is being marketed as an “interactive” beverage, which apparently is a thing now.)

The release of Butterfly coincides with the release of Carey’s fourteenth studio album, Me. I am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse, which dropped May 23rd and left critics unimpressed. Early reviews of Butterfly indicate that the beverage is also rather unimpressive. The site Junk Food Guy said the drink smelled like “gummy bears, flower, and Fresca,” and tasted like “liquid sugar-free gummy bears.” HelloBeautiful described it as a “Gatorade-like drink with more sugar.” Bustle’s Alex Kritselis tested the drink compared the drink’s after taste to “sucking on a fistful of nickels,” and said Butterfly’s “sickly sweet” taste made his teeth hurt.

Sounds like watching Glitter for the second time may be a more enjoyable experience than trying out Butterfly.

This Magical Smart Cup Automatically Knows What You're Drinking

via BusinessInsider

Just imagine if your cup knew exactly what you were drinking, how many calories you've consumed, and how much caffeine is in your system.

Well, that's about to become a reality. 

Vessyl, which is launching a pre-sales campaign today, automatically knows what you're drinking.

The idea is to help you make smarter, healthier choices in real time. That's because beverages are the number one source of calories, according to the National Health and Nutrition Education Survey.

Vessyl

Once you pour any liquid into the cup, the Vessyl's sensors will detect a variety of things. Within a matter of seconds — seriously — it can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi, and a Starbucks bottled mocha Frappuccino and Starbucks hot chocolate. 

Vessyl also knows how many calories are in each drink, total grams of sugar, fat, protein, sodium, and caffeine. It even estimates your hydration needs. 

Vessyl has been seven years in the making. Its cofounded by Justin Lee and Jawbone designer Yves Behar. Back in 2007, the team realized there were a lot of devices to track your activity, but none to track your consumption. 

"When people track or journal what they consume, the likelihood of achieving health goals is much higher," Vessyl CEO Justin Lee tells Business Insider. "But with the current method of doing so, like typing into a mobile app or taking pictures, there's still too much friction."

Vessyl will retail for $199, but early backers can get the device for $99.

Here's a brief walkthrough.

Vessyl lets you choose different "lenses" that you specifically want to track, like caffeine, calories, sugar, fat, protein, and sodium.

Vessyl

Vessyl also estimates, tracks, and displays your real-time hydration needs. Your "Pryme," which is the company's proprietary metric of your hydration needs, is displayed on the cup itself. You simply tilt the cup to activate the display. That blue light at the top means you're fully hydrated. Throughout the day, that line will fluctuate.  

Vessyl

Vessyl also displays your drink on the cup itself. It comes in black and snow white. 

FDA approves new artificial sweetener

Via CBS News

FDA.GOV

A new sugar substitute called advantame was approved on Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The sixth artificial sweetener to receive the agency's blessing, advantame can be used in baked goods, soft drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, candies, frostings, frozen desserts, gelatins and puddings, jams and jellies, processed fruits and fruit juices, toppings and syrups.

Advantame is a white powder that dissolves in water and remains stable even at higher temperatures, the FDA said in a news release. It can be used as both a tabletop sweetener and as an ingredient in cooking.

Sugar substitutes add few or no calories to foods, and generally do not raise blood sugar levels, the agency noted."Sugar substitutes are called 'high-intensity' because small amounts pack a large punch when it comes to sweetness," Captain Andrew Zajac, of the U.S. Public Health Service and director of the FDA's division of petition review, explained in the news release.

The agency's approval of advantame is based on the findings of 37 animal and human studies submitted by the maker of the new sugar substitute.

Advantame is chemically similar to aspartame (Equal), and certain people should avoid or limit their use of aspartame, the FDA noted. These people have a genetic disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU), which makes it difficult for them to metabolize phenylalanine, a component of both aspartame and advantame. Food with aspartame must include label information warning people with PKU about the presence of phenylalanine.

The FDA evaluated whether advantame should also carry alerts for people with PKU. Because advantame is much sweeter than aspartame, only a small amount is needed to achieve the same level of sweetness. As a result, foods that contain advantame do not need to include alerts for people with PKU, the FDA said.

The last high-intensity sweetener approved by the FDA was Neotame (brand name Newtame) in 2002. The other four sweeteners used in the United States are saccharin (Sweet'N Low), aspartame (Equal), acesulfame potassium (Sweet One), and sucralose (Splenda). Advantame does not yet have a brand name.

Starbucks 'handcrafted' sodas—our review is in

Via CNBC

The Seattle-based beverage giant is testing "handcrafted" sodas at stores in Atlanta and Austin, Texas, according to Brand Eating. "The kicker here is that Starbucks is using a machine to add carbonation to the drinks so that you can ask them to adjust the level of fizz to your liking," the report says.

(Read more: Is tea ready for its 'Starbucks moment'?)

Flavors include Ginger Ale, Lemon Ale, and Spiced Root Beer, all made on the spot by a barista and therefore promoted as fresher than soda out of a can. The company says the drinks are made with natural ingredients: "no preservatives, no high-fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors." For example, the Spiced Root Beer is described as "a refreshing blend of classic root beer and signature Starbucks Chai spices that include cinnamon, nutmeg and clove."

How They Taste

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Jason Jepson, a marketing executive in Austin, ordered all three new sodas at a local Starbucks. He said the setup in stores is similar to having a Sodastream machine.

"Get a glass and pour in the 'flavor mix,' add another chemical and put it in a special glass," he said. "Put [the glass] in a very fancy silver soda stream. Close the door and wait 30 seconds. Pour into the proper size cup, and you have a drink." Each drink cost him $2.45.

The results did not impress him (but remember, this is a test). Of all three, the Lemon Ale was Jepson's favorite. "The flavor was okay, but you can really tell that the mix comes from a box." The other drinks received two thumbs down. On Ginger Ale: "Where is the ginger? Where is the flavor?" And as for the handcrafted Spiced Root Beer, he didn't hold back: "Thomas Kemper just rolled over in his root beer bed," he said. "Lack of 'spice,' so Barq's is safe. Lack of sweetness, so A&W is safe. ... The worst by far."

Jepson said he and four friends tried out the drinks, and all agreed that "there is a chemical taste to each flavor, and there is no way any were really 'handcrafted.' " On the other hand, "It is a quick and easy drink."

(Related video: Frequenting of fast food falls)

Other reviews have been positive. "Melody" of Starbucks Melody called the Spiced Root Beer "crazy good ... sweet, refreshing, and a lovely distinctive root beer flavor!" She gave it two thumbs up, though she passed on giving an opinion about the Ginger Ale. "To be honest, I am not a fair reviewer of the ginger ale because I've never been much of a fan of ginger ale." Melody also noticed customers ordering Starbucks Refreshers and having carbonation added to make them "sparkling"—"I tried a sip and loved it."

Starbucks told CNBC that the sodas are handcrafted in the sense that a barista makes them and that the company is soliciting customer feedback.

"This is a test, and that's part of it," said spokeswoman Linda Mills. She said Starbucks is "so far excited with the response" in Austin and Atlanta. Half of sales have been not to carbonate the three highlighted sodas but to add fizz to core products like tea, Refreshers "and in some cases coffee."

It's too soon to tell whether the company will expand the test to other cities, Mills added. "We need to get through the summer season." 

In the meantime, Jepson plans to stick to his usual—"Venti skinny mocha, no foam. That is my 'go to' and I will pay more for that."

Judge Strikes Down New York Ban on Large, Sugary Drinks

via adage.com

A New York Supreme Court judge has overturned Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ban on large, sugary drinks.

Still legal in New York.

The decision was announced just hours before the ban was to go into effect. Industry groups including the American Beverage Association, the National Restaurant Association, the National Association of Theatre Owners and others sued to stop the plan, which was approved by New York City's Board of Health in September.

At the time, the Board of Health reported receiving 38,701oral and written comments. Of those, about 32,000 comments were in favor of the proposal, while 6,000 were opposed. One opposing petition, however, included 90,000 signatures.

It was Mayor Bloomberg's most aggressive move yet to curb obesity rates and improve New Yorkers' health. Many of the measures adopted in New York have become models for other cities, such as restrictions on smoking and trans fats and the requirement that restaurants post calorie counts next to prices. Board of Health members had hoped the ban on large, sugary drinks would also become a model for other cities.

While some marketers, like Dunkin Donuts, had been proactive, educating employees about the ban and prepping patrons for the upcoming changes, others, like Starbucks, had taken a wait-and-see approach. Barclays Center and, at least in some cases, Madison Square Garden had already begun complying with the ban.

On Monday afternoon, there were few indications the ban was just hours from being implemented. Delis had bottles of Arizona, Gatorade and regular soda that all exceeded the 16 oz. limit in stock, as did a variety of quick-serve restaurants. A Europa restaurant in midtown was advertising meal deals featuring 20 oz. bottles of soda and Vitaminwater. Food carts in the midtown area were also stocked with products that would have been forbidden under the ban.

The ban would have prohibited restaurants, movie theaters, sports arenas and street carts under the purview of the city -- anything that receives a letter grade -- from serving large sugary beverages. It would not have applied to alcohol, juices or dairy-based beverages or any drinks with fewer than 25 calories per 8-ounce serving, such as diet sodas and unsweetened iced tea. "Large" was designated as any container holding more than 16 ounces.

Juiceburst: the first digitally interactive soft drink brand

"New packaging, created by London based brand design agency, Williams Murray Hamm, will be unveiled at the start of February making JuiceBurst ‘the world’s first digitally interactive soft drink brand.’ New to the industry, the interactive labelling will be incorporated across the entire JuiceBurst range. The fruit on each label will literally burst off-pack for consumers who have the easy-to-download Blippar app on their smart phones. The exploding fruit will reveal links to JuiceBurst social media channels inviting further consumer engagement including consumer competitions.

Jon Evans, Marketing Director for Purity Soft Drinks and ex Britvic Head of Seed Brands, explains: “We are extremely excited about bringing Blippar technology into the soft drinks sector. It’s something our core target audience, 18 to 24 year olds, know all about and use frequently via their smart phones. By completely overhauling our packaging and making it interactive we feel it will not only stand out on shelf and in-store but also create greater engagement with our consumers.”

Garrick Hamm, creative director of Williams Murray Hamm, the agency behind the design of the JuiceBurst new look said; “It's typical WMH - taking the brand name JuiceBurst and putting an idea behind it.  The clue is in the name.  It’s packaging as media. A series of 'outbursts' with the pack literally shouting from the shelf as the fruit 'bursts'. Artem, the special effects company behind some of the opening ceremony scenes at the Olympics, blew the fruit up for us whilst the action was filmed at high speed.  We just loved the idea of people watching the bursting fruit on their smart 'phones as they shop the fixture. I don't think anyone's done that before’.

THE TOTAL PACKAGE

Alongside the new interactive Blippar enabled label, the new packaging will feature a sleek bottle to give greater standout and reinforce the brands quality credentials. In another industry first JuiceBurst will be launching their website via Pinterest one of the fastest growing social media platforms, this will encourage consumers to share content more easily. A full marketing campaign will be rolled out to support the launch including digital and social media, a consumer and trade PR programme and a sampling campaign.

As well creating the core brand idea, designing the new look graphic and structural packaging and producing the films of the bursting fruit for the fully interactive packs, Williams Murray Hamm has crafted individual JuiceBurst 'stories' to give each fruit its very own personality and voice.
JuiceBurst relaunch has been designed by multi-award winning and internationally recognised brand design agency, Williams Murray Hamm. As well creating the core brand idea, designing the new look graphic and structural packaging and producing the films of the bursting fruit for the fully interactive packs, Williams Murray Hamm has crafted individual JuiceBurst 'stories' to give each fruit its very own personality and voice.