This month sees the nationwide launch of KitKat Ruby in retailers across the UK and spring water packaged in eco-friendly cartons – sealed using caps made from sugarcane. FoodNavigator brings you the latest new product development trends to hit supermarket shelves in Europe.
This month sees the nationwide launch of KitKat Ruby in retailers across the UK and spring water packaged in eco-friendly cartons – sealed using caps made from sugarcane. FoodNavigator brings you the latest new product development trends to hit supermarket shelves in Europe.
Global coffee players Nestlé and Starbucks have launched a range of coffee products under the Starbucks brand.
This month will see 24 products – including whole bean, roast, and grown coffee, as well as Starbucks capsuled designed for Nespresso and Nescafé Dolce Gusto coffee systems – launch in Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the US.
The range is the result of a ‘global coffee alliance’ signed between the two companies in August last year. Per the alliance, Nestlé has the perpetual rights to market Starbucks Consumer Packaged Goods and Foodservice coffee and tea products around the world, outside of Starbucks coffee houses and excluding ready-to-drink products.
"Our two teams have done an outstanding job in just six months developing a range of new and exciting premium coffees, crafted with care and passion, combining Nestlé's coffee and system know-how with the Starbucks coffee, roasting and blending expertise," said Patrice Bula, executive vice president, head of strategic business units, marketing, sales and president of Nespresso.
French food company Nature Addicts [N.A!] has launched a range of puffed pea snacks, Cris’Peas.
Made of 65% green pea flour, Cris’Peas come in three flavours: sea salt, tomato and basil, and sour cream and onion.
According to the [N.A!], the snacks are a source of protein, are rich in fibre, and contain 50% less fat compared to traditional crisp snacks.
Cris’Peas, which have a RRP of €1.69 for a 50 g packet, join [N.A!]’s existing product line of fruit sticks, rice crackers, and plant-based drinks ‘Nature & Douceur’.
After a period of exclusivity in Tesco, Nestlé has announced that as of today (18 February), its Ruby chocolate KitKat is available in retailers across the UK.
Ruby chocolate, which is often referred to as the fourth type of chocolate after dark, milk and white, is derived from Ruby cocoa. Nestlé describes the chocolate as having a naturally occurring, intense berry-fruitiness.
When Nestlé UK launched a Ruby chocolate version of its KitKat chocolate bar in April last year, the firm said it was proud KitKat would be the first major brand in the UK to feature the exciting new chocolate.
Earlier today, KitKat brand manager at Nestlé UK, Sascha Macchi, said the company has been overwhelmed by consumer response post-launch.
“We are delighted to be able to take this big innovation in confectionary to a wider audience and give more KitKat lovers the change to discover a different chocolate experience!,” said Sascha Macchi, KitKat brand manager at Nestlé UK.
Master chefs Ferran Adrià from El Bulli and Massimo Bottura from L’osteria Francescana have helped to develop a range of nut oils.
Manufactured and sold by Italian company Pariani, the oils have been tried and tested in the chefs’ three Michelin-starred restaurants.
For those wanting to try the oils at home, they are now available in two flavours: hazelnut oil (IGP Pimonte), designed to pair with mushrooms, beef carpaccio or roasted pumpkin; and roasted Bronte pistachio oil that pairs well with fish and seafood, fresh ricotta, or even sweet pastries.
A 500 ml bottle of hazelnut oil is available online via Sous Chef for £39 (€44.53), the pistachio oil in a 100 ml bottle for £45 (€51.38).
French company Nature & Cie has developed a range of organic snacks for children under its ‘Miniz & Cie’ brand.
There are three new, gluten- and palm-oil free products in the range. Miniz Cookies Chocolate & Caramel are small cookies containing milk chocolate and caramel chunks. Each box contains six individual sachets of two mini cookies.
Miniz Butter Biscuits uses an egg-free recipe to make extra-crunchy butter biscuits. Each box contains six individual sachets of four mini butter biscuits.
The last product in the range is Miniz brownies chocolate & almond, which are topped with almond chunks. Each box sold contains six individual sachets.
“The new range offers organic products adapted to children,” said Nature & Cie co-owner Mélika Zouari.
“The label ‘gluten-free’ is an additional advantage, but it’s not the only one. Thanks to 12 years of know-how in the creation of organic and gluten-free products, and the use of quality ingredients, Nature & Cie managed to create tasty products with different textures, loved by everyone.”
Nature & Cie outsources its manufacturing to an independent company in western France.
UK-based Water Works has launched a still spring water in environmentally friendly packaging.
The Tetra Pak carton is sealed using a cap made from sugarcane to increase the content of renewable materials in the packaging.
“By choosing to fill Tetra Pak cartons instead of bottles or cans, we are able to send multiple times more empty units in one truck. This is because cartons can be sent flat packed to take up less space, whereas bottles and cans have to be sent fully-formed,” explained Water Works in a statement.
In addition, the water is sourced helps to minimise Water Works’ impact on climate change.
“I don’t understand why we are consuming foreign water when we have perfectly good springs here in the UK. Our water tastes great and has a naturally balanced Ph of 7.6,” a spokesperson from the company said.
The water is available in 330 ml single serves and will soon be launched in 1L cartons.
German juice company Valensina has launched a special edition offering in time for spring, containing strawberry and basil leaves.
Available from March until the end of June 2019, the ‘spring edition’, is targeting young professionals interested in innovative flavour combinations.
Similarly to rest of Valensina’s range, the strawberries in this latest product are pressed promptly after harvest, and then cooled.
The company will sell the juice in 1L bottes at an RRP of €2.99.
