Beverage NPD to sip: Fizzy sake, Twinkie-flavored iced latte and Assassin’s Creed Bourbon Whiskey

09 Aug 2022 --- The beverage space is brimming with new iterations of spirits and ready-to-drink formats, which include launches of hybrid flavor profiles and licensing deals with popular film and video game franchises. Brands this year are focused on consumer retention, which is prominently trend-driven and health-oriented.

Significantly, consumers’ attention to the health credentials of drink formulations continues to play a pivotal role in product design.

According to Innova Market Insights analysis, there is a “significant crossover” between physical and mental well-being in the beverage arena, evidenced by the rollouts of naturally sourced energy drinks infused with botanical ingredients such as hemp and nootropic elements like lion’s mane mushroom.

Odyssey’s Sparkling Mushroom Elixir is one example of this. Marketed as an energy and focus drink, it is “intentionally infused with 2,500 mg of lion’s mane and cordyceps mushroom extracts and 85 mg of caffeine to create lasting vitality.”

Germany-based Go-Sake has unveiled three new varieties of sparkling sake (Credit: Go-Sake).

In other launches, Leisure Project’s Blueberry Lavender Hydrating Wellness Aid is made with “ocean minerals for hydration, magnesium for anti-stress, vitamin D3 for mood-boosting, l-theanine to balance energy, GABA to enhance focus, lemon balm to promote calmness.

Brewing with bubbles
Sparkling sake brand Go-Sake is highlighting a surge in popularity for the fizzy variety of Japan’s time-honored spirit. The Germany-based company partners with Japanese sake breweries to craft its signature product, intended to capture a younger demographic of consumers.

“Finding the right sake products from small Japanese craft breweries for different target groups, this is the mission of Go-Sake,” says Dr. Bastian Schwithal, CEO and co-founder of Go-Sake.

“We have been looking for suitable sparkling sake products for the Go-Sake project for a long time and finally found what we were looking for in the sake breweries Kamihei Shuzo from Iwate, Fukunishiki from Hyogo and the NINKI brewery from Fukushima,” he details.

“All three breweries combine the highest level of craftsmanship using just natural, traditional brewing processes.”

The three new sparkling varieties “reflect the different facets of the brewing crafts,” highlights the company.

The Go-Sparkling Rose Sake as Junmai Daiginjo offers a balance of natural sweetness and acidity without the use of additives. An all naturally brewed alcoholic beverage made by the natural fermentation of pure rice in the bottle. The rose color comes from the old rice “Asamurasaki.”

Go-Sparkling Junmai is a refreshing, sparkling Junmai sake (Junmai is the Japanese word for “pure rice”), fermented in the bottle. It offers a balanced sweetness profile with some acidity.

Hostess has observed an uptick in sales of its Twinkies- and Ding Dongs-flavored RTD iced coffee (Credit: Hostess).The Go-Sparkling Ginjo is a dry sake with a “pleasantly invigorating fizz,” notes the brand. The sake is slowly crafted using methods passed down through generations of Nanbu Toji brewers.

Offering a wide range of different sake types, Go-Sake, founded in Berlin in 2017, started with the aim of getting younger consumers excited about sake. It is notable that the avoidance of alcohol is fast becoming the norm for a growing minority of global consumers, signaling the emergence of teetotaler formats such as “alcohol-inspired” zero-percent drink flavors and “skinny lager.” 

This resurgence of drinking less alcohol among younger consumers is propelling strategies to reinvigorate the category, such as in the example of sparkling sake. 

Earlier this summer, Netherlands-based start-up Bozu introduced a carbonated and sugar-free hard iced tea infused with a dash of vodka to the Dutch beverage space where the premix category has the potential to grow significantly.

In other moves, industry players have been introducing alcoholic versions of high-performing soft drink brands. Recent examples of this include Constellation Brands’ recent partnership with the Coca-Cola Company in the US to launch the Fresca brand of citrus sodas into the alcoholic category. 

Twinkies in my coffee
The trend of hybridization continues to feature prominently in indulgent product development, showcased in launches such as Taste of Nature’s latest partnership with Mars to introduce Skittles- and Starburst-flavored cotton candy alongside cookie dough varieties mixed with crumbled Snickers, Twix and M&M.

This trend hasn’t lost any traction in the beverage space. Trilliant Food & Nutrition, a US manufacturer of shelf stable, RTD coffee beverages, has observed “significant growth” of its Hostess Iced Lattes in classic Twinkies & Ding Dongs flavors at local retailers, including Walmart.

“Consumer demand for RTD coffee remains strong especially for unique flavor experiences that Hostess snack cakes can help deliver,” remarks Tom Lehocky, vice president of sales for Trilliant Food & Nutrition.

“Our retail partners value the fact that we manufacture our RTD beverages within our own production facility, which eliminates many of the supply challenges other brands are experiencing and will continue to experience for the foreseeable future.”

Assassin’s Creed 15th Anniversary Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Credit: Antheum Studios).This is not Hostess’ first foray into hybrid NPD> It previously linked up with Remix Nutrition to launch a Premium Protein Blend made with Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes Flavor. 

Distilling the spirit of Assassin’s Creed
Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed 15th Anniversary Straight Bourbon Whiskey distillery Antheum Studios has introduced a special edition whiskey celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the popular video game franchise.

Spiced rum and vodka varieties of the whiskey will be coming to the collection this September.

Antheum Studios is a licensing, bottling, and distribution company that creates “collectible spirits” based on popular series in film, television, sports and gaming. The company partners with distillery Tennessee Legend and offers distribution across the US.

“From classic film franchises to modern television hits, we pride ourselves on creating bottles that capture the essence of the brands we work with,” Francis underscores.

Assassin’s Creed is a franchise of video games, comics and novels created by Ubisoft. The franchise is set in a fictionalized history of real-world events and follows the stories of several different protagonists who are all members of the Assassin Order.

The first game in the franchise was released in 2007, and since then, there have been multiple sequels and spin-offs. The most recent entry in the main series, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, was released in 2020. The franchise has also been adapted into a feature film released in 2016.

By Benjamin Ferrer