Without a doubt, beverages represent one of the most fascinating and fast-moving new product development categories. Seemingly every month brings new drinks designed for everything from a fun experience to functional benefit.

Just one example involves Talking Rain Beverage Co. (TR), a Preston, Wash., processor whose growing portfolio includes the Talking Rain, Sparkling Ice and Popwell brands. Interestingly, its Sparkling Ice flavored sparkling water line includes zero sugar varieties with caffeine as well as “plus energy” options from other ingredient sources. TR also offers hydration water and its latest offering is Popwell, a six-item line of flavored, “cold-crafted” prebiotic sodas (caffeinated and non-caffeinated) with 6g of fiber per can.

To learn more about the ingredient artistry behind the innovation, Prepared Foods spoke with Emily Cruz, Manager-R&D. Prior to joining TR in July 2024, Cruz led innovation culinary and innovation efforts for CuliNex, a leading third-party product development company. A 2010 graduate of Johnson & Wales (Culinary Nutrition), Cruz first worked in restaurants and also brings a chef’s perspective to her work.

Prepared Foods’ discussion followed two primary directions related to flavoring trends as well as technologies. Flavor trend topics included discussions about natural flavors, nostalgic flavors and new exotic fruit flavors.

Flavoring Beverages: Trends & Technologies

PF Chief Editor Bob Garrison talks beverage flavoring trends and technologies with Emily Cruz, Manager-R&D, at Talking Rain Beverage Co. This Preston, Wash., business offers a wide variety of beverages under the brands Talking Rain, Sparkling Ice and now, new Popwell.

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Looking back on 2025, TR indeed has been quite active with three major flavor-driven product launches in January, June and September. Respectively, the company introduced new flavors to its Sparkling Ice STARBURST line (Fruit Punch, Watermelon), a co-branded effort with Mars Wrigley; it partnered with Sun Pacific Marketing Cooperative for two new Sparkling Ice mini can varieties (Mandarin, Orange Cream) with the Cuties Lil’ Zipper mascot; and it launched a zero-sugar Sparkling Ice Caffeine Cherry Cola exclusively with Casey’s convenience stores.

Cruz spoke about conducting TR’s gold standard product evaluations with all kinds of citrus fruit fruits—everything from mandarin cuties and tangerines to orange juice. Likewise, an Orange Cream flavor led to studies of everything from popsicles to ice cream. Speaking of the company’s new Cherry Cola, she noted that dark sodas—and cherry, in particular—rely on a complex blend of nuanced flavors.

Prepared Foods’ discussion also covered technical flavoring challenges associated with everything from basic fortification and added energy-related ingredients to zero sugar formulation. Cruz also talks about formulating flavors in conjunction with TR’s new Popwell, its eight-item line of “cold crafted” prebiotic sodas that launched last February.

Prepared Foods ends its discussion with a quick look at TR’s Pacific Northwest new product pilot program called I.C.E. Labs, which stands for “Innovate. Create. Enjoy.” The company stocks coolers in 11 regional markets to monitor consumer sales and solicit feedback. Last but not least, Cruz also discusses her interest in artificial intelligence during the “front end innovation process.”