A Deep Dive into the Future of Food & Beverage

Here’s To Your Health!

East West Tea Company, LLC, Eugene, Ore., extended its Yogi organic tea business with two Organic Herbal Tea Concentrates for iced tea with functional wellness benefits. Varieties are Elderberry Lemon Balm Immune Health and Hibiscus Ginger Digestive Health. Consumers simply mix equal parts of the concentrate with still or sparkling water.

Lightly sweetened with organic cane sugar, each blend offers less sugar per serving than other leading tea concentrates, the company says. Elderberry Lemon Balm includes elderberry, lemon balm, lemon peel and vitamin C. Both varieties are certified USDA Organic. Each 32 fl oz carton retails for $5.49 at Target stores nationwide and Target.com.

Organic Options

This spring saw The Kroger Co., Cincinnati, introduce five new offerings across its Kroger, Private Selection and Simple Truth store-owned brands. Included was Simple Truth Organic Instant Mushroom Tea in two varieties: Black and Chai.

"Kroger Our Brands' unmatched flavor and value make them a favorite for many customers," said Mike Murphy, Kroger's group vice president of center store merchandising. "Our product innovation is rooted in a deep understanding of what our customers want and need. We know these exciting, trendy items will soon earn a place on families' dinner tables because they offer great flavors at a price point that fits any budget."

Here’s to History!

7-Eleven, Inc., Irving, Tex., teamed up with AriZona Beverages to introduce 16oz Southland Reserve Cold Brew cold brew teas in four flavors: Sweet, Unsweet, Peach and Lemon. Officials say the line honors the company's “origin story as the world's first convenience store, founded in 1927 as Southland Ice Company, under Southland Corporation.”

Southland Reserve Cold Brew teas use black and green tea leaves sourced from Argentina, Indonesia and Kenya. The teas are crafted through a “gravity-based filtration and cold steeping process,” the company says. The offerings are available at 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes locations.

Better Bottles

This spring saw St. James Brands LLC, Boca Raton, Fla., shift its ready-to-drink tea line to 100% aluminum bottles from Tetra Pak cartons. This summer, the brand also marked that move by becoming an official certified cleanup partner with 4ocean.

4ocean is a leading ocean cleanup company and since 2017, its full-time crews have removed more than 44 million pounds of plastic and other debris from oceans, rivers, and coastlines, the company says. In 2022, 4ocean launched its corporate partnership program to help brands transition to a circular economy.

Pause That Refreshes

Twinings North America, Rutherford, N.J., extended its namesake line with new Refreshers, an herbal tea instant beverage, “specially crafted to dissolve in cold water and deliver bold flavor in seconds,” the company said. Twinings Refreshers launched nationwide in August with an MSRP of $6.29 per box. Debut flavors are Strawberry Raspberry and Peach Mango.

Officials says the offerings feature honeybush herbal tea extract and real fruit pieces. Twinings says it uses a proprietary drying method “that maintains the taste, texture, and aroma of real fruit—with visible fruit bits in every cup that add a pop of flavor and are perfectly sized to sip through a straw.”

Innovating to Grow

This summer saw Milo's Tea Company, Inc., Bessemer, Ala., introduce a Lemon Sweet Tea as one of three new refrigerated offerings (including Strawberry Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade). Meanwhile, the company says it’s targeting $1 billion in annual retail sales by 2027 thanks to innovation and its Milo's fourth manufacturing and distribution facility, a new $200 million in Spartanburg, S.C.

"The fact that we have this incredible milestone in our sights is a testament to the passion of our team, the tried-and-true loyalty of our fans, the support of our retail partners, and our commitment to quality," said Tricia Wallwork, Milo's chair and CEO (pictured). "As we grow, we are focused on scaling with purpose and delivering great-tasting, simple beverages to more fans across the country."

Anytime Wellness

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Hoboken, N.J., said its Celestial Seasonings business added three new “anytime wellness” varieties: She-Well Raspberry Leaf (women’s health), Good Vibes Lemon Mint (focus) and a Detox Blend Dandelion.

"More than ever, health-conscious consumers are looking to their daily cup of tea as part of their overall wellness ritual," said Lee Nelson, marketing director, Celestial Seasonings. "We're proud that our Sleepytime teas are part of the nightly routine for so many tea drinkers, and we're eager for these fans to discover the benefits and flavors we've blended in these new offerings that support wellbeing all day long."

BFY Tropical Tea

This summer saw Halfday Tonics Inc., Laurel Springs, N.J., extend its better-for-you gut health line with a limited-edition Tropical Tea flavor. The flavor is a blend of pineapple, passion fruit, and guava. Meanwhile, the overall tea contains just 4g of sugar and 35 calories. Halfday says the drink also delivers 6g of prebiotic fiber thanks to its proprietary GOODDAY prebiotic blend of cassava root fiber, fructan fiber, and organic agave inulin.

“Limited-edition flavors like Tropical Tea give us a chance to explore new, exciting taste profiles while staying true to what matters—making iced tea better for you,” said Kayvon Jahanbakhsh, co-founder and CEO of Halfday.

Innovating with Apples

Fair Hills Farm and Soil & Sky LLC, an apple and stone fruit grower in San Miguel, Calif., extended its Fair Hills Farm Organics line with five organic black teas: Original Black, Black Tea & Chamomile, Black Tea & Mint, Black Tea & Cinnamon, and Black Tea & Ginger.

Officials say all teas are sweetened with farm-grown, cold-pressed apple juice. It’s sourced from apples grown on-site, including fruit that doesn't enter the retail stream due to cosmetic imperfections. “This product reflects our values and our desire to provide nourishing, high-quality options to both our community and the broader market.” said Russel Steingold, founder and CEO.

No Shade, Just Tea

The Boston Beer Company Inc., Boston, said its Truly Hard Seltzer business created a limited-edition No Shade, Just Tea Raspberry flavor with breakout reality star JaNA Craig. A special pack included four 16oz cans and was sold at GiveThemBeer.com beginning in mid-September (while supplies lasted). A 12oz version has just 100 calories, 1g of sugar and 5% ABV per serving.

“The excitement around JaNa's potential flavor was undeniable, so we're thrilled to deliver exactly what our fans have asked for,” said Matt Withington, Truly Hard Seltzer’s senior director of marketing, “Her authentic connection with our audience and genuine love for the brand made this partnership a perfect fit.”