Pladis has launched two new limited-edition flavours into the Jacob’s Mini Cheddars range that lean on the brand’s ‘real cheese’ credentials.
Jacob’s Cheese & Red Onion Mini Cheddars and Jacob’s Cream Cheese, Garlic & Herb Mini Cheddars will be hitting supermarket shelves from the beginning of February.
“These new additions are designed for younger shoppers seeking bold, trending flavours, which in turn drive incremental sales,” said Kate Stokes, marketing manager for Mini Cheddars.
“It follows a strong track record of successful flavour additions to the Jacob’s Mini Cheddars line-up. We know Mini Cheddars fans love a new flavour as much as we do, and we’re always listening. Like the core range, these additions are baked with real cheese and full of flavour.”
Pladis is also supporting its core Mini Cheddars range with a multipack and 45g grab bag on-pack offer, ‘Find A Wedge to Win A Wedge’. Running from mid-February into March, shoppers who find a triangular Mini Cheddar in their pack can win one of 10 prizes of £10k each.
Both new flavours will be available in Sainsbury’s from 3 February in multipacks of 6 x 23g bags (RRP £1.89) before launching in a 90g price-marked-packs (£1.25) for independent retailers. The range will be rolling out more widely nationwide across multiple grocery, convenience, and wholesale from March.
Botanical aperitivo Botivo is to launch in 287 Waitrose stores across the UK, the first major grocer listing for the premium brand.
The launch followed a successful listing in Whole Foods stores, where the beverage became a bestselling ‘spirit’.
Sarah Holland, buyer - beers and spirits at Waitrose & Partners, said: “We are truly excited to launch Botivo across 287 Waitrose stores. It’s a true craft product that brings something unique and delicious to the no and low category. We are proud to champion them.”
Rather than attempting to mimic alcoholic beverages, Botivo presents itself as an alternative focused on taste and quality, rather than its %ABV. Created in small batches, the drink contains no flavourings or preservatives.
Imme Ermgassen, co-Founder of Botivo, added: “Waitrose is a dream stockist for any brand – let alone a young one like ours. Having Waitrose champion a unique brand like Botivo shows that consumer tastes are changing and there is a growing demand for true craft and non-mimic products in the non-alcoholic space.”
Leith-based Tailored Spirits Co. has launched its first-ever whisky range under the brand name The Experimental Series.
The whisky bottler said its inaugural release aimed to ‘redefine tradition’, where heritage coincides with the pursuit of ‘curiosity, exploration and innovation’.
The Experimental Series are one-of-a-kind micro-batch experiments consisting of a Croftengea Loch Lomond 7-year-old costing £59.50 producing only 52 bottles, a Fettercairn 13-year-old release of 84 bottles priced at £74.50, and an Ardmore 8-year-old limited to just 60 bottles priced at £64.50 each.
Packaging for the whisky is inspired by travel luggage labels, with the bottle shape being a nod to those found in a scientific lab. A removable tab or ‘lab ticket’ containing a four-letter-code in alphabetical order per release, offers a collector’s item for spirits enthusiasts to track each experiment.
Commenting on their first-ever whisky launch, co-founder and director Adam Harding said: “We are beyond delighted to release our first-ever whisky range. This release is all about redefining tradition, honouring heritage but championing curiosity, exploration and innovation.
“We love making whiskies look as attractive and eye-catching as possible. The Experimental Series was a dream to design. It showcases the beauty of experimentation, something that’s not bound by tradition, a true exploration of flavour and design. For me the fact they can never be replicated made our first release really special.”
This Febraruary will see the launch of the ‘world’s first’ Camu health shots by Rebel Kitchen.
The Camu berry can currently only be found as a processed food supplement in powder form and is mostly sold online and via health food shops.
Rebel Kitchen uses freshly frozen berries which are then mixed with other natural fruits to create the health shot that is naturally pink in colour and high in vitamins and minerals.
The Camu health shots will be available in two variants, one focusing on Immunity and one that offers Immunity + Natural Energy derived from Vitamin B.
Each shot has a minimum of 351mg of Vitamin C per dose and no added sugar, far exceeding the Vitamin C levels of any other immunity shot already in the UK.
Adam Draper, managing director of Nurture Brands, comments; “Vitamin C is vital for a strong body, and the Camu Berry boasts the highest natural levels of any other fruit.
“Way surpassing any superfood, the Rebel Kitchen Camu shots is a world-first hyperfood, and sure to become a leader in the health shot category for 2025, and beyond.”
Rebel Kitchen Immunity + Natural Energy 60ml shot (RRP £1.95) and 420ml dosing bottle (RRP £5.95) will be available in Waitrose from 5th February and the Immunity 60ml shot and 420ml dosing bottle will be available in Sainsbury’s from April.
Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co has launched a new range of honey-sweetened soft drinks.
Made with a blend of 100% British Honey, sparkling water and natural flavours, Hive Mind Honeyade launched with two variants this month – Lime & Mint and Just Honey. Two more flavours, Strawberry & Basil and Rhubarb & Ginger, will join the range later this spring.
The drinks are lightly sweetened with honey and have no refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. The range is being launched in 330ml sleek cans packaged using a carbon neutral canning line.
Commenting on the launch, Hive Mind co-founder Kit Newell said: “Honeyade is a proudly ‘ultra un-processed’ drink showcasing the flavours of real honey. We’ve been looking to expand our customer offer beyond our mead and honey beer.
“This is our first non-alcoholic drink launch and we’ve focused on making something that can appeal to all ages in terms of great flavour, and is also a very natural product. The flavours we’ve developed are based on our experience in developing our sparkling mead range - so these are all tried and tested combinations that we’re offering.”
Honeyade will be sold in single flavour trade packs of 12 units, and consumer packs of 6 units with an RRP of £1.95 per can individually. Distributors signed up at launch include Craft Drinks Co and Blas ar Fwyd.
Kellogg’s has added a new non-HFSS Caramel flavour to its Coco Pops Chocos range.
Like the original Coco Pops Chocos, the new variant comprises curved, crunchy cocoa shells, with the addition of a caramel flavour.
Lejla Damon, shopper marketing & kids brand manager at Kellogg’s UKI, said: “We’re excited to be expanding our kids’ cereal line-up with this delicious Coco Pops Chocos addition. It’s high in fibre, a delicious blend of chocolatey caramel flavour, and wonderfully crunchy.”
The new addition follows the launch of Coco Pops Chocos in 2023 and is non-HFSS compliant. The breakfast cereal is high in fibre, forming part of Kellogg’s continued efforts to help families make healthier choices in the morning.
Coco Pops Chocos Caramel will be available for shoppers to buy from January in all major retailers. Each 420g pack is £3.29 RRP.
